Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-09-07

IOliOWs: 1ue part VI AlIlCd VI WAOSC
burial customs write is on the west coast,
under the line of the equator, a region ly-
ing along the course of the Ogove river,
with which many of your readers have
acquaintance through the writings of Paul
Du Chaillu, and more recently by the ex-
plorations of Count Pierre S. De Brazza.
There are local distinctions here Of rich
and poor, higher and lower classes, just as
there are and always will be all over the
world, Communism to the contrary not
withstanding. And these distinctions fol-
low the subject TO their grave, just as Ia
our own civilization one is laid in the
sculptured cemetery, and another in the
Potter's Field
The burial grounds are mostly in the
forest, in the low lying grounds and tam
gled thickets, along the banks of rivers.
Hills and eligible building sites are re-
served for villages and plantations. Ii a
traveller, in journeying along the main
river OF country, observes long reaches
OF uncleared thickets, he will probably be
correct in suspectlng these are burial
grounds. His native crew will be slow TO
inform him Of the fact, or to converse on
the SUBJECT unless to object to going
ashore. Some of the interior tribes bury
oil their dead under the clay floor of their
houses. The living are thus daily actual
ly treading on and cooking their food over
the graves of their relations. This dis
tinction Is reserved In the case of the
coast tribes, for only very few OF their
honored chiefs, Most generally the loca-
tion for burial, as before mentioned, Is In
the forest. Over or near the graves OF
the rich are built little houses where are
lald the common articles used by them in
their life, pieces of crockery, knives,
sometimes a table, mirrors and other
goods obtained in foreign trade. Only
recently, In ascending this Ogove river,
observed tied on the branches Of large
tree extending over the stream from the
top OF the bank, o wooden trade chest, five
pitchers and mugs, and several fathoms OF
calico prints. / was informed that the
grave Of lately deceased chief was near.
and that those articles were signs OF his
wealth, and were intended as contributions
to spirits to induce them to draw trade to
the villages of his people. A noticeable
fact about these gifts to the spirits is that,
will not steal from q grave. The coveted
mirror will lie there and waste In the rain,
and the valuable garment will flap itself
10 rags in the wind, but the human hands
will not touch them.
Actual lnterment is therefore given to
all worthy of respect. The implements for
excavating being few and small, the max
ing of grave Is quite q task, and 1t is
made no deeper than Is actually sufficient
for covering the corpse. This, according
to the greatness of the dead, or the wealth
of the family, is variously encased. Some
times II is actually placed in coffin made
of the ends of canoe, or even so expen-
sively as to use trade boxes, making one
.ong by knocking out an end from each
and telescoping them.
Several years ago was ascending the
river, and had unwisely refused the wish
of my crew to stop for our morning meal
at desirable ulako, or camping ground,
as the hour was rather carly, and l deter
mined 10 60 on and stop at some other
place. But / regretted presently, for, in
stead of finding forests and high camping
ground, had come to long stretch of
papyrus swamp. We pulled on a mile af-
ter mile, the sun growing hotter along the
unsheltered bank, and we were growing
FAINT with hunger as the hour verged to
noon. Becoming desperate, / directed the
crew 10 stop at the very first spot that was
solid enough for foothold, intending to eat
our dry rice without fire. Presently we
came TO q clump of palms, and ran the
hnof oshnro Tho nhiaofoH-
though they were-that' it was not a good
place." but they did not mention why. l
jumped ashore, however, and ordered
them TO follow and gather sticks for fire.
AS they were rather slow IN 50 doing, and
/ overheard murmurlng that ''firewood
was not gotten from palm trees (Which is
t1ue), set them an example by starting
off On search myself.
had not gone far before 1 observed a
pile of brushwood, and rejoicing ut my
success, called out to my crew to come
and carry it. While they were coming l
stopped down and laid hold of en- eligible
stick. But its odor startled me; and the
other sticks that had dislocated falling
apart, there were revealed human foot
and shin, which, from the ornaments still
remaining about the ankle, suppose was
q woman's. NY attendants fed, and re-
embarked in my boat, sufficiently uncon-
scious of hunger TO await late breakfast
that was not cooked until we reached a
comfortabl towne.
A less respectful mode of burial Gf in.
deed the term be not a misnomer) Is ap-
Piled TO the poor, to the frlendless aged
WLo have wearied out the patience of re-
latlons by long sickness, and to those
whose bodies are leprous or otherwise
ulcerous condition. Immediately that
life seems extinct (aHd sometimes even
Defore) the wasted frame Is tied up in the
mat on which it was lying, and, slung
frcm pole on the shoulders of two men,
1t is flung out on the surface OF the ground
in the forest, to become the prey of wild
beasts and the scavenger "drlver" ants,
Of one tribe, in the upper course of this
O,gove river, am told who, in their in
tense fear of ghosts, dread tho possible
evil influence of the spirits of their own
relations. With very material idea of
spirit, they seek to disable it by beating
the corpse until every bone Is broken. Tue
mangled mass Is hung in bag at the foet
of tree in the forest. Thus mutilated,
the spirit is supposed to be unable to re-
turn to the village to entice to its fellow
ship in death any of the survivor.
Some dead bdd1es are burned, particu-
larly of CRIMINALS. Persons convicted of
q charge of witchcraft are almost lnvari-
ably killed. sometimes they are simrly
beheaded. have in my possession some