The Osceola times., 1880-03-06

are divided into tribes, settlements and
families. These are largely in condi-
ton of degraded superstition and liable
to all the herrible cruelties of heathen-
ism. The old, sick and useless are put
TO death with various cruelties and dis
gusting rites.
The Indians are again subdivided into
various families, each of which have
their family lodge. The badges are the
whale, the porpoise, the eagle, the coon,
the wolf and the frog. These crests
extend through different tribes, and
their members have closer relation to
one another than the tribal relation.
for instance, members of the same tribe
may marry, but not memberso of the same
badge. Thus, wolf may not marry into
the wolf family, but may into that of the
whale.
Upon all public occasions they are
seated according to their rank. This
rank is distinguished by the height of a
pole erected in front Of their houses.
The greater the chief, the higher his
pole. Some of these poles are over 100
feet high. Mr.. Duncan, the missionary,
relates how, upon one occasion, a head
chief of the Nassee River Indians, put
up pole higher than his rank would
| allow. The friends of the chiefs whose
heads he woul Id thus step over, made
fight with guns, and the over ambitious
chief was shot in the arm, which led him
| to quickly shorten his stick.
Their houses are from twenty-five to
forty feet square, without window, the
only opening being a small door for en-
tranceand hole in the roof for the escape
of the smoke. The door is three or four
feet above the ground level, and opens
on the inside upon broad platform,
which extends around the four sides.
In front of their leading houses and at
their burial places are sometimes i'm
mense timbers covered with carvings.
| Those that attended the Centennial will
remember such posts. These are the
genealogical records of the family. The
child usually takes the totem of the
mother. For instance, at the bottom of
the post may be the carving of whale,
over that fox, q porpoise and an eagle
-signifying that the great-grandfather
of the present occupants of the house,
on his mothers sides belonged to the
whale family, the grandfather to the fox
family, the father to the porpoise,an he
himself to the eagle Iamily. These
standards are from four to five feet in di-
ameter, and often over sixty feet in
height, and sometimes cost from 81 900
TO $1,000. Forming the entrance to the
house was hole through this standard,
| but latterly they are commencing to have
regular doors hung on hinges. Among
| the Stickines these badge trees or totems
are usually off to one side of the door.
a man wantinga a wife sends message
to that effect to the girls relations. If
he receives favorable answer, he sends
them all the presents he can procure.
upon the appointed day he goes to her
fathers house and sits down on the door
step with his back to the house. The
relations who have assembled there sing
marriage song, at the close of which
furs and calico are laid across the floor.
and the girl is escorted over them from
the corner where she has been sitting,
and takes her seat by the side of the
man. Then dancing, singing and eating
are kept up by the guests until they are
tired. In these festivities the couple
take no part. After this they fast for
two days, and then, after slight repast,
they fast for two days more. Four weeks
after they come together and are recog-
nized as husband and wife.
Among the Nehaunes and Ta-colins,
when man dies his widow is compelled
to ascend the burning funeral pile, throw
| herself upon the body, and remain there
until the hair is burned from her head
and she is almost suffocated. She is then
| allowed to stagger from the pile, but
must frequently thrust her hands
through the flames, and place it upon his
bosom, to show her continued devotion.
Finally, the ashes are gathered up and
placed in little sack, which the widow
carries on her person for two years.
During this period of mourning she is
clothed in rags and treated as a slave.
Among the Chuckees the old and fee
| BILE are sometimes destroyed. This is
done by placing a rope around the neck
and dragging them over the stones. If
or speared, and left to be eaten by the
dogs. Occasionally the old ask to be
killed. Then they are taken, stupetied
with drugs, and, in the midst of various
Incantations, bled to death.
Among the Tuski and many of the
| Orarian tribes, the bodies of good men
are burned, and the ashes carefully pre-
served. But in some sections, where
wood is scarce, the bodies of women are
not considered worth the wood that
would be consumed in the burning, and
| they are either cast out, to be consumed
| by the foxes and crows, or cast into the
sea as food for the fishes,
A summary cure for CRYING babies is
| to take them to the seashore and hold
them in the water until they cease cry
ing. As soon az they can walk children
are bathed in the sea daily, and they
learn TO swim about as soon as they do
10 walk, Festivals are given on erecting
new houses, naming of children, mar
riages, deaths, etc. These festivals con-
sist of dancing, singing and feasting.
Some of them are so expensive as TO i'm
poyerish a whole circle Of relatives.
The story of Gramonts Escape After the
Fall of sedan.
The story of the escape of the late
Duke of Gramont from France after the
disastrous collapse at Sedan is full Of ro-
nance. The Duke, as minister of foreign
affairs, naturally heard of the emperor's
surrender day before the news was
published in Paris. He saw at once t!ut
flight was necessary, as the wrath of the
mob was sure to be turned against the
ministry which was responsible for the
war. He accordingly went to his bank
ers to provide himself with money and
various securities, but was informed
that the partner who had charge of hfs
affairs was in the country, whittier the
Duke pursued him. The partner was
found engaged in burying his property
in the garden, but returned TO Paris and
delivered up TO the Duke de Gramont
| al IL,
quired On the.next day the bad news
| uas discavarpd anl tho dulp nol Ha