The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-07-29
SMOKED INDIAN CHIEF.

a correspondent of the San Francisco
Bulletin writing of the Araucano Indians,
of Chill, gives the following description
of the manner of disposing of the remains
of deceased chiefs:
The men never practice medicine,
which duty is left to the medicine women,
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 incantations, which pro-
duce a horrible din. Should common
man or woman 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 n mortal, and can only
die by assassination, battle, or by attacks
Of theevil spirits. The medicine women,
when they find all their remedies and
arts useless, and the Cicique breathing
his ,ast, fly in all directions to escape
Indian vengeance, many making their
way to the Chill settlements; others, hid
den, die of starvation. The neighboring
tribes will not succor them, and they are
hunted up in all directions. No matter
how many years elapse, when caught they
must be sacrificed to appease 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 dwelling under the open Chin
Dey, where all the smoke passes over
him. The family live in the room, and
never remove from it to another dwell
ing. During the time of smoking the
body, the poor medicine woman, or per-
haps a wife or two, are subjected at in
tervals 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 attend
ance is expected. The women criers and
howlers are assembled, and lamentations
are kept up without cessation, morning
and night. The body of the smoked and
dried chieftain is placed in hollow log
Of canoe shape, prepared for the occasion,
aud at the appointed time the funeral
cortege prepares for it, march, The
body is at the head of the column, and
surrounded by the women criers, with
dishevelled hair, tears running down the
cheeks, and agonizing howls filing the
air. Next came the wives on foot, the
| children next, the relations behind them,
the rear and fanks surrounded by large
concourse Of warriors, armed, and on
horseback. Proceeding to some mound,
they dig a deep hole, deposit the dead
chief under the soil, and heap pile of
dirt over the filed 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, ard one at the
foot. The implements of the warrior
| rest with him in his grave; his favorite
horse is killed, his flesh serving for the
feast, his hide, head, legs and tail remain
ing. The body is stuffed with dried
grass, and when concluded, the horse
mummy is tied head and tail, in stand
! ing position, to the two poles. Now the
warriors ride around large circle in
rapid succession; each with his dumb
show tries to recount and initiate the
brave deeds of the dead. The Feast of
| the Medicine women is then in order
Sightless, speechless, they are then con-
Quoted 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 multitude,
who watch their victims as they suffer,
and are roasted alive and consumed
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 viii utter
screeching or half singing words to the
assembly before him. Often he will ap-
pear frantic, at other times subdued and
| quiet. Another warrior will leave the
circle, and coming in front of the first
will apparently answer him. Both will
| then unite in wild walls and cries, the
crowd around at last joining their voices.
Parties who have seen these ceremonies,
and are acquainted with the Araucano
language, say they can never discover
what IS said or meant, and through the
Indians could never get satisfactory an.
swerers or solve the question.