The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-09-10

The Burial Service Read Over the Body OF
Miner-An Impressive Scene.
boston Commercial Bullstin.1

The Burial Service Read Over the Body of
Miner-An Impressive Scene.
tBoston Commercial Bullstin.l
We had been settled about fortnight in
this lead on the Shootover when one day one
of our party fell over . precipice and was
killed. Previous to this our whereabouts
had become known, and we were now sur
rounded by large number of miners, who,
when they heard of the accident, came in to
sympathize with US, and offer US any assist
ance that we might need. Our first sad duty
was to obtain coffin, if that was possible;
there was no timber within ten miles, and no
tools in the camp except knives and toma-
hawks. With these Tom Sanderson and
myself set out to the timber hills; we felled
tree, cut it off the proper length and then set
about finding means to split it. We made
wedges out of hardwood, cut hardwood
branches for hammers, and after much labor,
succeeded in splitting the tree into rough,
heavy planks. Notwithstanding the diff
culties which confronted us in the absence of
tools, we managed to form the materials for
a coffin. Of course having no nails, we
could not put it together; there were no
nails within 200 miles. Having made the
coffin, we brought as much of it back to
camp as we could carry and sent party out
for the remainder, for the materials were
very heavy. The only spot where
we could find earth enough to
form a grave, was at point about two
miles from the camp on the side of hill.
Thther the coffin was carried and afterward,
the body wrapped in a tent cloth, the grave
was dug and the coffin placed within it, piece
by piece; then the body was placed in the
coffin, and the rough. heavy lid was laid over
it. Men of every nationality and of every
shade of religious opinion stood around the
grave. 1t was wierd and solemn scene; the
crowd of Withholding men with uncovered
heads surrounding the grave on the hillside;
the wild scenery, rough, rocky ridges, deep
yawning gorges and lonely peaks rising one
above the other standing like sentinels guard
ing the treasures Of the lonely regions around
them.
inquired if any one had prayer-book;
the inquiry was passed around the crowd,
and it found an affirmative response. 1t was
an Episcopalian prayer-book. / scarcely
knew how to conduct the service, but, hav-
ing found the place, knew there could be
no harm in asking all to kneel. They did so,
and the scene grew even more impressive
than before. Englishmen. Scotchmen, Irish
men, Americans, and men from every nation
of continental Europe negroes, Cinnamon,
Maories, Catholics, Protestants and Dissent
ers of every hue and shade of opinion, to-
gether with infidels and pagans, knelt reve-
rently and listened in solemn silence to the
grand language of the burial service of the
Church of England:
"Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty
God, in his wise providence. to take out of
this world the soul of our deceased brother,
we therefore commit his body to the ground,
earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. "
Then when I came to the Lords Prayer,
asked them to repeat it with me; they did
so, ALL who could. 1 shall never rorget that
scene. 1t was the most impressive in which
had ever been or have since been partici-
pstor. The ceremony over, we filled up the
grave and left our dead mate to his everlsst-
ing sleep on the lonely hillside.