Wichita eagle., 1888-10-13
DIGGER INDIANS
CEREMONIES At THE FUNERAL o.
4 MEDICINE MAN.

| CEREMONIES AT The FUNERAL "
4 MEDICINE MAN.
Scene as the Hut Of Mou-nine-A Waste
| fnl Religious Duty-The Indisa Burial
| DEMONSTRATING Hands with the Corps.
/ Tho Preachers" Sermon.
When all were gathered ut the hat Of
mourning the services seemed to consist
of concert OF walls. carried on princi-
pally by the women The corpse. wrapped
IN q gray blanket. on q rude bier. was
placed at a distance from the hut, aad
/ some Of the big men" Of the tribe rade
/ Q bundle of the personal effects of the de-
ceased. and proceeded to burn his hut, his
wagon and all bis household furnishings.
There seemed to be great deal OF alter
cation accompanying the performance Of
this wasteful religious duty. When the
excitement Was over the women went on
waiting. while the young bucks went OF
10 have a good time. shooting at marks
and performing various feats of strength.
1t is the custom of the Indians 10 bury
their dead at sunset. and the funeral
procession started from the Big Spring
only in time to reach the burying ground
at that time. There was no discsrnibls
order to the cortege as 1t passed along the
road for six miles. group SITTER group going
by us IN much the same fashion as in the
morning. There wXS no separate convey
ance for the corpse; il was put in the bot
tom Of a wagon. even tipped up little
on one side 10 make room for the mahals.
who sQuatted beside It, waiting and sway
ing her body back and forth
The Indian burial ground Is mound
on the lower end Of the valley called Big
Meadows. on the north fork of the Feather
river II covers scarcely an acre Of
ground, and juts ont abruptly into TIE
valley with background Of wooded
mountain. and before it green stretches
of the meadow land. with it's winding
river. Here their dead have been buried
ever since the first habitation of the
country and although the land is private
property it will probably always be left
to the undisturbed possession Of the
Indians.
SCENE At THE GRAVE
Here very deep and long grave hsd
been dug, much larger than would Do
made for n white man. for il was 10 con-
tain not only the corpse but all of the
personal effects which had not been
burned He was medicine man. and
was considered worthy of coffin. and
when the funeral procession arrived at
the grave well made pine coffin. manu-
featured by a local carpenter, arrived
from an opposite direction. The body
was placed in II without removing the
gray blanket covering the face But the
right hand was extricsted from its cover
ing and ell the men passed by it in line
and shook hands with the medicine man.
Some gave the cold hand u hearty grip
but tho touch of others was noticeably
gingerly Then the hand was covered
again. and a young fellow dressed in a
very stylish custom made suit of black
took his place at the foot of the coffin,
sCiemnly wound small nickel plated
alarm clock, set the alarm and placed It
within the coffin al the dead mans feet.
The lid was closed and the women gath
cred around, apping tho coffin with their
knuckles. passing their hands up and
down over l. nowiing and moaning eli
the time
The grave was lined with new rush
baskets, split mp the sides and spread out
fiat. AID L BON tins carpet the coffin. with
much difficulty and many experiments.
was safely deposited Then til walls
women were hoard above the rest IL il
impossible to describe that wailing 1t was
not concerted. every one seemed 10 DO
acting independently of the others. there
was no attempt at tune. but every now
and then the musical voice Of "a young girl
clear and high pitched, would lead in a
sort of cadence, and the heavier voices
joined Ii an lncoherent duh cry The
women swayed their bodies from side 10
side. waving in the air little tufts Of
cedar which they tossed into the grave.
But in all this there was very ii,tle sign
OF real emotion The young girls would
smile and si;upsr and duck their heads II
they met the gaze Of any Of the white
bystanGers Only one Of the women shed
any tears. and shC WAS the sister OF tho
medicine man. quite al old woman. who
stood at the head Of the grave really cry
ing behind O big white handkerchief
CoaICAL OBJECT.
There stood beside her an old buck. .
most conlicaI looking object. whose long
locks were surmouAted b jaunty white
straw hat. and whose bony figure was
radiant in 4 red flannel miners shirt and
q pair of ragged gray trousers. lie was
"a kind Of preacher one Of the Indians
said and his loud vociieration and violent
gestures were the only eulogies which
were TO console the nournerx and do
honor 10 the virtues tie deceased For
he was the Only medicine man Ia This part
OF California. and hts death left the tribe
unprotected against tbs ravag-s Of rheu-
rnatisrn and consumption We could noe
understand the Indian language. bat .
sturdy farmers son by our side who has
picked up some of their voca 5ulsry trans
lated for rs what the preacher was say
Ing, "lnjin doctor gone now; all iniinz
die. sick here. here. here pointing 70
head. lungs and hearth DIE. die. never
&c. wall Baby sick. no medicine. 10 get
any better. pretty soon die. Then tho
nlahaias. with their papoosas On their
backs. walled louder. AID the battles joaned
In the cry and tried ia vain 10 hgat away
the fies with their Little assA The
preacher talked On a. intervals. describing
the restitution q the Tribe. and The skill
and goodness o! the departed doctor. Two
blind mAhalas stood on the edge Of the
grave. and every now aud then had 20 10
held back from slipping into the bole.
Finally tie preacher lad the dead mans
bow and srroxs on the oofln- Then
ron Of blankets Wa thrown In q; the foo:
Of the coffin. and two large far robes.
Some mistake was ev1dcntlJ made In tho
selection Of articbs. for . loud vOsce -
vituperA.ion broke out from the non
otonous waiiing. AID bed gni.t. Ensd
with turkey red calico. W. huri.e by
that fierce old rsshAlA WITH the short
skirts, over The hesds II tbs crowd bssx
70 the pie eruea which n h.d be<71 taksn-
The old boots, leather hun3e.s has xnd
Q pair Of synns scales we're hid In. add
Thea al was ready for the sayth 20 b