Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1889-09-20
At AIN INDIAN FUNERAL.
sozLBBR SIoHT SCENE ~ = mgr IN
SAN DIEGO.

Fervor strangely impressive - The
Mothers GFlef as ths Csmn side.
TEARS for the Dead.
An expanding gray cloud spread out
low over the mesa heights In san Diego
on a recent evening, and mist lifted up
70 Il from the slaty waters OF tho bay,
boing the long arm OF tho promOntOry
with the cleaning gem on It's finger,
iashlng from white TO red more intensely
as tho gloom deepened over the city
Tho electric lights blurred into white
lrlngod yellow blotchss, and points Of
fire burned on the slopes OF blaokn0ss
that were embraced by tho fog-welded
sea and sky. The colcr OF the night
seemed Ia designed accord with tho ex-
hibltiOn of human anguish that q San
Diego "Sun" reporter was witness to
at the Indian ranoheria In the city park.
Here IL Is that "a group OF Indians have
lived since coming from Baia California
over twenty years ago, with no more
prosperity visible la their four huts or
the small cleared space where their food
Is cooked and their horses and wagons
accommodated than tho early settlers
found before the city of San Diego, now
encircllng the spot, was more than "a
handful Of cottages.
The only addition to their rough shell
ters Is a circular hut, thatohed with
ball sage, fan palms and mansanitg,
thrown over narrow boards crossed each
way. The supports are cotton wood
boughs, and network OF willow
branches and elder IS woven two feet
from tho ground for waInscotn5.
The opening Is at the southeast cor
ner. Palms and sumac bOugh5 were
originally hung from the roof to the
wninscoting, but those have mostly
fallen off and the interstlco5 arc filed
with pieces Of calico skirts and patch
work pinned across to keep out the
sun. The hut had become a place Of
mourning on tho evening OF the re-
porter's visit. The Indians from tho
canyon In the eastern part of the park
were coming up the slopes, tho men in
their shirt sleeves and the women Wear
ing the black rebosa about their heads,
In the center OF a hut on a bare
wooden lounge was a cherIy-sraiued
pine coffin containing tho remains OF
Antonio Gonzales, who had been shot
dead by q negro.
Tho head OF the corpse was toward the
east A bandana had been tied around
and brought up to cover the chin to hide
tho dishguring wound in the neck, as the
discharge from the gun had nearly SOW
cred the head from the body. A black
tissue veil protected the swollen and de-
eaying features from the flies. The
hands were crossed over u dark wooden
shroud, and q hatiron served to hold
them in place. From feet to neck was
stretched q soiled curtain OF coarse
white lace, and on it, below the chin OF
tho corpse, lay two short tWIgs OF
smilax. The cover Of the coffin was
set up against the lounge on the
north side, where n comely, copper
| colorod Indian girl stood brushing
away the flies with ragged white silk
! handkerchief. She had bandana, such
as the corpse wore, knotted around her
! head in the same wey, but tied under
| instead of over the chin. She wore
skirt of olive green wool, sack OF brown
and yellow striped calico, white apron
and q short black shawl. She was the
| chlldless widow of Gonzales, and her
face wore look Of apathetic endurance,
as she gazed tearlessly upon the putrity-
| ing features.
The father Of the dead sat on a box at
the foot of coffin, q 2appled rheumatic
who had to be caHied in from his
wretched hut of bougEs and canvas. His
hair and beard were Fhite, and his face
had an expression OF dlgnltied haughti-
ness, indicating his ugsition among the
| tribe. A patchwork Rfapery was drawn
around his shoulders and knotted on the
chest. He sat with his hands on his
knees, apparently waiting for some ex-
erclses to begin.
The mother, wrlnkled creature in
black dress and rebosa, was enthroned
beside him. The aged squaws orouched
on squares of mating near the venerable
buck, and two young ones knelt IN
the dust the other end Of the hut, h CODED
In black shawls. Outside on pieces of
mating were half dozen more bucks
and squaws about lowering camp fire,
finishing their supper of bread and coffee.
| BY the time they had done and the
blackened tin utensils were slowed in one
of the small huts, the guests had gath
cred, one party coming up In wagon.
The old buck reached behind him for four
wax candles In bottles and tin holders.
| He lighted them, and tho mother placed
| one OF them at each cornerof the collin.
Three squaws wearing black robosas
were the first to enter the place OF
mourning. simultaneously, as they
ranged themselves opposite the window,
the entire group began low, pathetic
moan, that deepened into volume of
sound terrible to hear and awesome to
comprehend. The dignity Of their atti-
tudes as with uplifted faces they mourned
| for the dead, was one of dramatic fervor
not equalled in the red lights of the stage,
| The tears streamed over their features
unchecked, and the passionate intensity
of feeling that Is represented beneath
their usual stolldity transformed the dull
faces into statues of savage, passionate
suffering.
The voices dropped to q wall as
young squaw holding stick reached the
entrance. Behind ker and grasping the
other end tottered very old creature
with black band like q crown over the
white hair hanging short and thick about
her neck. She was led to the head of the
coffin, where she felt for the edge like
one who Is nearly blind. She moaned
and sunk to the ground with uplifted
| hands. Her head swayed back and forth
and she sobbed aloud. every cry being
heavy, deep and soul stirring. They
crowded in, bucks and squaws, until the
smell place was full, except the side
where the widow stood And as they
came the terrible cries. penetrated with
subtle shades of feeling, rose and fell like
the tide, breakers Of anguish dnshing
themselves into spray Of signing sound
over the poor coffiR.
At sign from the old buck they aA
Enelt and chanted a prayer He straight
ened up and spoke to them of Gonzales