Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1889-10-20
a auA1EmALAn FUNERAL
Some OF the Peculiar Customs or Centra
Amcr.can CnribS

Some OF the Peculiar Customs OF Centrni
Amcr.can Cnrib~
! heard u jingle Of bells this inter-
noon, and. surprising u fro had broken
out, was about to start for the scene
Of tho conGagration. when b land
lady informed mo that it was only n
funeral and said it would pass the
house. A fow minutes lator. hearing
q sort OF wild music, mingled with
shouts and laughter. I ran to tho door
just in time TO SOC a couple OF hall
i. unken men, shoeloss and hntlcss,
coming along ut n brisk pace, bear
Ing u coffin on their shoulders. 1t
was simply n rough box wrapped In n
piece OF striped calico. nnd swayed
from side to side Us tho bearers rolled
along. Following was II woman. tho
widow was told. carrying n rude cross
covered with flowers and laughing i'm
moderately. Noxt TO tho hilarious
chief mourner came tho band, con-
sisting OF one accordion. two Gddlcs, q
tin horn and n drum. all u to their
full capacity.
Next came n mixed crowd OF men.
women and children. Tho men wcro
attired In the usual costume OF tho
country, n pair of cotton drawers and
shirt worn outside. Tho women wore
n single garment, sleeveless and low
necked. coming barely 10 the knees.
The children were arraycd in their in
noccnce only. All were smoking,
laughing, or dancing by turns. Alto
gothcr IL was tho most cheerful funeral
/ had cver witnessed
had returned TO the table when my
attention WAS once more called to the
street by n chorus OF wild yclls and
upronrious merrimont Stepping out
l discovered tho cause. One OF tho
bcarcrs had stumbled and fallen,
throwing tho coffin to tho ground with
such force that one side was partly
broken out, exposing n arm and u
ghastly hand half closed. But 1t was
a ~contentcd. wcli-behavcd corpse. and
took tho whole thing rs II joke. Pres
emily tho bearer staggered 10 his feet,
the coffin was replaced. and the pro-
ccssion moved merriIy on
Tho landlord, however. insists this
was u very tame affair. and assures
HiO hiAi SAlc Oui 4. bGlN I'D vi lltc L
are very much l~ivelior. In such cases
tho body is dressed up in tho best
shirt tho estate affords. 1t is then
carefully tied in a chair in IN upright
position. and thus carried to tho
graveyard. while tho whole town
turns out to do him honor by dis
charging. crackers. rockets and u
variety of native fireworks. while tho
drinking is general and tho joy I'M
bounded! hopo to DO able to record
Il Girat-cluss affair soon. Tho owner
OF three huts and n pair Of mules is
quito low. and we arc waiting patient
" for him to die. Tho natives also
exhibit n good deal Of anxiety. and
every little while ono OF them will steal
up 10 tho window to note progress and
report TO the eager crowd
As usual in times OF great public
excitement tho news is very contra
dic,ory. A little while ago it was an
nounccd that no was almost gone. a
confused murmur ran through the as
sembly md an occasional shout, with
u random cracker or two, was heard.
Tho ncXt report. however, was most
discouraging. Tho watcher was seer
fleeing MS for his life and the sick man
following close in his wake with n hugo
club. The last bulletin was moro IA
vorabic. tho doctor having arrived
with his whole stock in trade, and
those who arc posted predict that tho
sick man will DO ready for burial to-
morrow.
These arc tho Caribs, tho direct do
s%condants Of those wild. fierce tribes
discovered by Columbus on his first
voyage and found inhabiting tho
southern islands OF tho West Indies
differing entirely in appearances. Gus
toms and disposition from tho sur
rounding nations, to whom they were
n constant terror.-Guatcmala Cor.
Pittsburgh Post