The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1888-10-06
A WAKE IN HONDURAS.
e-Minded People Who Have Not tn,
Least Fear OF Death.

pie-Minded People Who Have Not the
Least Fear OF Death.
Az was in British Honduras that |
lFst attended oelorio, or the ceremony
"a Watching with corpse. The family
hYme consisted of a single long or mar
row apartment, rounded at each end,
WIN earthen floor, and roof matched
WIN guanO leaves. From the cross
p9les hung few hammocks, and in the
middle OF the room, upon rude bier
maze OF two boards upheld by casks,
lay the dead woman, with wee infant
clasped in her arms. The face of the
mother, who could not have been more
IMAM fourteen years old, was calm and
peaceful, but that of the baby was
strangely distorted, as if terrified with
It's brief look on life. Fresh flowers
were scattered upon the scarlet blanket
That partially covered the still figures;
lighted candles stood at the head and
loot and near by sat the sisters and
parents of the dead woman, silent and
sad Inquiring why the husband and
lather was not among the mourners, |
was carelessly informed, as though it
were nothing to cause remark, that Ia
pr0braerta (the poor, dear girD had
never been welded; and as for the
father-quien sabe?
Agreat crowd occupied the house OF
mnrning, laughing and jesting as
] 2igh the occasion were one of re-
,as@ng, rather than sorrow. Many
wen playing cards, outside under a
pomgranate tree refreshments were
spresa, and music and uproar re-
soundd il startling incongruity with
the dread mystery of death.
The csremtny of Ell UelOrio is always
observed whele there is death in the
family and is Intended to keep up the
spirits OF the relatives and prevent
their thoughts rom dwelling on the
sad side Of the occasion. We are told
that considerable difference is made
between the Vel0rO Of a grown person
and that child, because the latter be-
ing without sin is sure to go straight
to eternal happiness, and therefore it's
demise is properly asubiect of rejoic-
ing. With adults it's not so certain
where the soul may have been sent to
do penance for the deeds of the body,
and so at this Uejorj0 there is less mer-
riment and more card-plying, the OBJ
10
mourners, since the dead are indiffer-
ent to smiles or tears.
With these supplemented folk death
is looked upon without fear or terror,
as one of the common accidents of life.
With a laugh upon his lips the Indian
lies down to die, remarking cheertully
T0y deSca7SGS, 81 am going to rest. ~
Their superstitions are singularly
materialistic. They believe that their
sinful soul reaches hell (lNictIan) after
long and painful journey. A deep,
dark river intervenes, and to cross il
the aid of a yellow dog is necessary,
with string tied around his neck,
which is held by the corpse. Any dog
but yellow dog would not do at all; a
black one would say, Il have been
stained, y q white one, II have been
Iwasded," and neither could find the
only fordable place in the river. There
fore, yellow dogs are reared for that
especial purpose-which may account
for the host of ours in and around Santo
Toribiro.
In crossing this Styx the poor corpse
loses all his clothes, after which the
dog leads him, naked, between two
lofty mountains that are constantly
clashing together; then over another,
which is covered with stones sharp as
needles; then over eight hills, upon
which sleet cuts the flesh like knives,
and on through eight deserts, where
the sands are hot as burning Goals.
After all this he is led through path
where poisoned arrows are continually
flying and, worst of all, fierce tigers
come and eat out his heart, and he falls
into a foaming lagoon filed with liz.
ards. How he gets out of it is not eX-
planned; but at length he appears be-
fore the King of Mictlan, when his
Journey is ended and his identity lost
forever
Another superstition is that Of the
heavenly milk tree, for dead infants,
which grows in mansion called Chi
huacuahio. From its twlgs milk is con-
stantly oozing' and it is believed that
babies thus nourished will return tC
earth after thousands OF years, to popu.
late the world anew when the present
races shall hare passed away.-Phtia-