The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-09-21
DIGGER INDIANS.
CEREMONIES AT THE FUNERAL OF
4 MEDICINE MAN.


ful Religious Duty-The Indian Burial
Ground Shaking Hands with the Corpse.
The Preachers sermon.
When al we're gathered at the hut OF
mourning the services seemed TO consist
Of concert of walls. carried on princi.
pally 10y the women. The corpse, wrapped
iii a pray blanket. Oh ride bier, was
placed 81 distance from the hut. and
some e the big men" Of the tribe made
a bundle of the personal effects of the de-
ceased. and proceeded TO burn his hat. his
wagon and ell his household furnishings.
There seemed TO be u erlat deal Of alter
cation accompanying tho performance OF
this wastcful religious duty. When the
excitement was over the women went on
wailing. while the young bucks went of
70 have a good time shooting at marks
and performing various feats Of strength.
1t is the custom of the Indians to 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 10 discernible
order 70 the cortege as IL passed along the
road for six miles, group after group going
by nc IN much the same fashion as in the
morning There was no separate convey
ance for the corpse; it was put in the bot
tom Of wagon. even tipped up little
on o. silc 10 make room for the mahala,
who s2ua:ted beside IL, weiiing and sway
ing Lc. body back and forth.
The i.dian burial ground is mound
on the lower end OF the ,1lley called Big
Meadows on the north fork OF the Feather
river II covers scarcely an acre Of
ground. aad juts out abruptly into TIE
valley. with a background Of wooded
mountain. and before it green stretches
Of the meadow land, with its winding
river. Here their dead have been buried
ever since the first habitation Of the
country, and although the land is private
property it viii probably always be left
to tho undistu-bed possession Of the
Indians
SCENE AT THE GRAVE.
Here a very deep and long grave had
been dug, much larger than would be
made for a white man, for it was TO con
ta.n not only the corpse bit ell Of the
personal effects which had not been
burned. He was a medicine man. ard
was considered worthy Of p coffin, and
when the funeral procession arrived at
the grave a well made pine coffin, manu-
featured by q local carpenter, arrived
from an opposite direction. The body
was placed in it without removing the
gray blanket covering the face But the
right hand was eytricated from It's cover
ing and all the men passed by 10 In line
and shook hands with the medicine man.
Some gave the cold hand q hearty grip,
but the tOach Of others was uOtcoably
gingeriy Then the band uas covered
again. and o young fellow dressed Ia q
very stylish custom made suit NJ black
took bis place at tho foot of the coffin
sClemuiv wound q small nickel plated
alarm clock. set the alarm and placed 10
within the coffin at the dead man feet
The iii was closed. aud the women gath
cred around. rappiug The coffin with their
EuCcsles. passing their hands up and
down over it. bowling and moaning az
tie tine.
Tie grave was lined with now rush
baskets. split mp the sides and spread ont
fit. AID upon tins carpet the coffin With
much difficulty and many experiments.
was s.fciy deposited Then the walls |
grew loader, and always the voices OF the /
women we're heard above tho rest. 10 is /
impossible % describe that v9iling. II was |
not concerted. every one seemed TO be /
acting independently Of the others there |
was u0 attempt at tune. bat every now |
and then the musical voice Of young girl, |
clear and high pitched would lead IN a I
sort a. cadence. and tie heavier voices /
Joined IN an inc0hereut dull 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 little sign /
Of real emotion The young girls would /
smile and simper and duck their heads II /
they met the gaze OF any OF the white |
bystanders. Only one Of the women shed /
any tears, aud she was the sister Of tho /
medicine man. quite an old woman. who |
stood at the head Of the grave really cry |
ing behind big white handkerchief.
A COMcL OBJECT
There stood beside her en- old buck,
most corical looking object, whose long /
locks were surmounted b. @ jaunty white l
straw hat. and whose bony figure was /
radiant in q red flannel miners shirt and /
q pair Of ragged gray trousers. lie was /
"a kind Of preacher one OF the Indians /
said. and lis loud yOcifcrati0n and violent !
gestures were the only eulogies which !
were 20 console the mouruers and DO /
honor % the virtues Of the deceased. For /
h. was the only medicine man in this part /
of California. and his death left the tribe /
unpro.ected against the ravages Of rheu- /
matism and consumption. We could not /
understand the Indian language, but q /
sturdy farmers son By Our side who has /
picked up some OF their vocabulary trans /
lated for RS what the preacher was say
ing: "Iniin doctor gone ROW, all lnjins /
die. Sick here. here. hero pointing 10 /
head. lungs aud hearo Die. die, never |
get we'll Baby sick. no medicine 30 get |
any le.tc- pretty soon die. Thea the /
mahalcs, With their pap90ses on their |
backs. walled loader and tAo babies joined |
in the cry. and tgied ia vain TO fight away |
tie flies with their little fists. The |
preacher talked ON 90 intervals describing !
ihe desttuton OF the tribe, and the skill
and GOODNESS Of the departed doctor. Two |
blind maLalas stood ON the edge Of the |
grave. aud every now and then had 20 be
held back from slipping into the hole.
Finally the preacher led the dead mans |
bow and arrows on tie coffin Then a
ron Of blankets was thrown in NJ the foot /
of the coffin, and two large fur robes. |
O. 49,. .it~tf.r t..aI., -, cha |