The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1880-12-30
SMOKED INDIAN CHIEF.
How the Body Of an AraucanO Chief
Is Treated After Death-HOrrible
Orgies

Is Treated After Death-Horriblr
Orgies.
A correspondent of The San Francisco
Bulletin, writing of the Araucano In
dians of Chill, gives the following de-
scrlptlon of the manner of disposing of
the remains Of deceased chiefs:
''Ihe 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 a 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 pelleyed
to be more than mortal and can only
die by assassination, battle; or by at
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 ap-
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
a wife or two, are subjected at intervals
to the torture.
"All the ciciques and their followers
for leagues away are notified that at a
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 up without cessa-
ton, morning and night. The body of
the smoked and dried chieftain is
placed in a hollow log of canoe-shape,
prepared for the occasion, and at the
appointed time the funeral cortege
prepares for it's march. The body is
at the head Of the column, and sur
rounded by the women criers, with di-
shevelled hair, tears running down
their cheeks, and agonizing howls fill
ing the air. Next come the wives on
foot, the children next, the relations
behind them, the rear and fanls sur
rounded by a large concourse of war
riors, armed and on horseback. Pro
ceeding to some mound, they dig a
deep hole, deposit the dead chief un-
der the soil, and heap a pile Of dirt over
the tilled-up grave, sometimes as high
as fifteen feet above the surface Of the
earth. A long pole is placed upright
at the head of the grave, and one at
the foot. The implem ents of thA war
rior rest with him in his grave; his
favorite horse is killed, his flesh serv-
ing for the 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 a standing position. to the two
poles. Now the warriors ride around
in a 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. Sightless,
speechless, 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 as they
suffer and are roasted alive and con-
sumed. This is followed by banquet
upon horse or mule flesh and whisky.
A scene of drunkenness follows for
days. At times some warrior will seat
himself upon a stone Or stump, and
his voice will utter screeching or half
singing words to the assembly before
him. Often he will appear frantic, at
other times subdued 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"
Eo,no1o Onium SmoEnrS