Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1880-12-24
SMOKED INDIAN CHIEF.
How the Body OF an AraucanO CHIEF
Is Treated After Death Horrible
Orgies

How the Body OF an Araucano CHER
Is Treated After Death Horrible
Orgies.
A correspondent of The San Francisco
Bulletin, writing of the Araucano In
dians Of Chill, gives me following de-
scription of the manner Of disposing OF
the remains of deceased chiefs:
'I'he men never practice medicine,
which duty is left to the medicine wo-
men, who use herbs and roots. and
when these fail in effect it is attributed
to the tricks of evil spirits. Use is
then made of the horn, drum, and in
carnations, which produce horrible
din. Should common man or wo-
man die, the body is carried out OF
camp, and oftentimes cast upon the
ground and left there. With the
cicique it is different, for he is believed
to be more than mortal and can only
die by assassination, battle; or by Mt
tacks of the evil spirits. The medi-
cine women, when they find all their
remedies and arts useless and the
cicique breathing his last fly in all di-
rections to escape Indian vengeance,
many making their way to the Chill
settlements; others, hidden, die of
starvation. The neighboring tribes
will not succor them, and they are
hunted up in all directions No mat
ter how many years elapse, when
caught they must be sacrificed to APP
pease the chiefs. spirit. When the
cicique is dead no immediate notice is
taken of it, but his body is placed in
wickerwork and hung up in the dwell
ling under the open chimney, where
all the smoke passes over him. The
family live in the room, and never re-
move from it to another DWELLING
During the time Of smoking the body
the poor medicine woman, or perhaps
n wife or two, are subjected ut intervals
to the torture.
"All the ciciques and their followers
for leagues away are notified that at Il
certain moon the ceremonies over the
dead will commence, and great at
tendance is expected. The women
criers and howlers are assembled, and
lamentations are kept upwithout cessa-
ton, morning and night. The body of
the smoked and dried chieftain is
placed in u hollow log Of canoe-shape,
prepared for the occasion, and ut the
appointed time the funeral cortege
prepares for its march. The body is
mt the head of the column, and sur
rounded by the women criers, with di-
shevelled hair, tears running down
their checks, and agonizing howls fill
ing the air. Next come the wives on
foot, the children next the relations
behind them the rear and TANKS sur
rounded by II large coneourse of war
riors, armed and on horseback Pro
ceeding to some mound, they dig IL
deep hole, deposit the dead chief I'M
der the soil, and heap apple Of dirt over
the iillcd-up grave, sometimes as high
rs fifteen feet above the surface of the
earth. 4 long pole is placed upright
ut the head of the grave, and one ut
the foo. The implements Of thu war
rior rest with him in his grave; his
favoritc horse is killed, his flesh serv-
ing for tile feast, his hide, legs, and
tail remaining. The body is stuffed
with dried grass, and when concluded
the horse mummy is tied head and
TAIL in Il standing position, to the two
poles. Now the warriors ride around
i'll i large circle in rapid succession;
each with his dumb show tries to re-
count and initiate the brave deeds Of
the dead. The feast of the medicine
women is then in order. sishtless,
speeches., they are then conducted to
the stake and securely fastened to it.
Savage cruelties are perpetrated upon
their bodies. The dry wood is spread
about them and lighted, amid the
shouts and Civilizations Of the multi
tude, who watch their victims us they
suffer and are roasted alive and con-
sumed. This is followed by u banquet
upon horse or mule flesh and whisky.
a scene of drunkenness follows for
days. At times some warrior will seat
himself upon i stone OF stump, and
his voice will utter scrceching or half
singing words to the assembly before
him. Often he will appear frantic, nj
other times suhdued and quiet An
other warrior will leave the circle, and,
coming in front of the first, Will appar-
emily answer him. Both will then
unite IN wild walls and cries, the crowd
At last Joining their voices. Parties
who have seen these ceremonies, and
are acquainted with the Araucano Ian
guage, say they never can discover
what is said or meant, and through
the Indians could never get satisfac-
tory answers to solve the question.
The Most Banged-lp Man in America