Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1889-07-19
A GUArEMALhN FUNERAL
Some Peculiar Customs of Central Americs
CsrihS

Caribs.
l heard q jingle of bells this afternoon,
says Livingston, (Guatemsls) letter to
the Plttsb2rg Post, and, supposing a fire
had broken out, was sbout 70 start for the
scene OF the conhsgra,ion when the land
lady informed me that it wsy only fun
eral and said it would pass the house. A
few minutes later hearing a sort of wild
music, mingled with shouts and laughter,
ran to the door just in time to see
couple of half drunken men, shoeless
and hstless, coming at q brisk pace,
bearing 3 coffin on their shoulders. 1t
was simple rough box, wrapped In a
piece CT stripped calico, and swayed from
aide to side IS the bearers rolled along.
Following was q womon. the widow. [ was
told, carrying rude cross covered with
flowers and laughing immoderately.
Next TO the hilarious chief mOurne- came
the band. consisting of one accordion,
two 1ddlers, tin horn and dram, ell
run to their full capacity.
Next came mixed crowd of men,
women, and children. The men were at
tired in the usual costume of the country,
pair of cotton drawers and shirt, worn
outside. The women wore single gar
msnt, sleeveless and low neckeS, coming
barely 10 the kaees. The ch;lu.,u were
srrayed in their innocence only. All
were smoking, laughing, or dancing by
TURKS, Altogether is was the most cheer
full funeral had e"er witnessed.
had returned to the table when my
attention was once more called TO the
street by chorus of wild yells and upr-
barlous movement. Stepping out | dis
covered the cause. One of the bearers
had stumbled and fallen. throwing the
coffin to the ground with such force that
one side was partly broken out, exposing
one arm and 6 CHASTITY hand half closed.
But it wss q contented, wet-behsved
corpse, and took the whole thing As joke.
Presently the bearer staggered 10 his
feet, the ooftin was replaced, and the pro-
cession moved merrily on.
Inc lsndlady, however, insists this was
very tame affair, and assures me that
the burial services of the rich are very
much llvelier. In such cases the body is
dressed up 10 the best shirt the estate af
fords. 1t Is then carefully tied in a chair
Ia an upright position, and thus carried
to the graveyard, while the whole town
turns out to do his honor by ischarging
crackers, rockets, and a variety of native
fireworks, while the drinking is general
and the Joy unbounded! | hope TO be
able to record a frst-class affair soon.
The owner of three huts and pair of
mules is quite low, and we are waiting
patiently for him to die. Tbs natives
exhibit good deal of anxiety that every
little while one of them will steal up to
the window to note progress and report
to the eager crowd.
AS usual in time of great public excite
ment the news is very contra 1ictory. A
little while ago it was announced that he
was almost gone. A confused murmur
ran through the assembly and an oocas
ional shout, with a random cracker or
two, was heard. The next report, how
ever, was must discouraging. The watch
er was seen fleeing as for his life and the
sick man following CLOSE in his wake with
a huge club. The bulletin was more fav-
orable, the doctor having arrived with his
whole stock in trade, and those who are
posted predict that the sick man will be
ready for purial tomorrow.
These ere the Caribs, the direct des-
cendauts of those wild, fierce tribes dis
covered by Columbus on his first voyage
and found inhabiting the southern is
lands of the West Indies-differing en-
tirely in appearance, customs, aud dis
position from the surrounding nations,
TO whom they were constant terror.