Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-02-12
STANLEY7S CURIOSITY
His Investigation Of a Mummifled
Indian.
An Incident OF the Grent Explorers So
1ourn I'm the Sioux Country Quar-
ter OF a Century ARo-BuriaI
Customs ofThat Tribe.

In recent interview the incident of
Henry NJ. Stanley's part in disrobing
the NUM- omitted. body of an Indian maiden
In 1867, wtile with the Indian Peace
Commissioners, was given so briefly and
hurriedfy, says writer in the St. Louis
PostDispatch, as to put the matter, per-
haps, In Instantaneous light. Civ
ing the facts as they occurred. az fully
as. memory serves alters lapse OF near q
quarter OF a century, will set the matter
right, besides afford an opportunity of
relating one OF two other. personal Incl
dents connected with theIndian method
OF buryingr their dead. It is welP known
that the various bands Of the Sioux tribe
followed the custom Of disposing of their
dead by placing them on scaffolds and in
the branches of trees when available to
prevent them from being deVoured by
dogs and the coyotes or prairie wolves,
the, hYen1s, Of the western plains
The first we saw of this. method Of
burial was at Fort Laramie, where ir
the soldiers cemetery in the rear of the
town and overlooking the barracks, we're
thRee collins, each covered with pail Of
bright crimson cloth, elevated on the
top OF four stout cedar posts some
twelve feet is height.
One of tire collins contained the body
of "PEnk," an Indian woman, welN
known for her. attachment to the ftes,
In another were the remains Of young
child, the daughter OF an OEalIhlnh
squaw and wealthy post trader, and
the center one contained the body.of
Mon-irka, the daughter of the
81. 1F
romantic history OF whose life. and
death were elCquently described by
tho correspondents. Hog dying wish
was to be buried among the whites raaE'
the fort. In compliance with. hey re-
g quest, her father, with three hundred
warriors, came down in the month of
FEBRUARY, 1866, after a journey Of fifteen
days, and the commanding officer o.
dcred that the girl should be buried in
the soldiers cemetery. The. scafr6ld
was erected and the dead maiden's two
ponies. wcro slaughtered and nailed to
tho posts, the heads and tails of which
we're still dangling there when we Wis
Ited the. cemetery
Near sunset n procession of three hum
drcd INDIANS, and ALI the officers and
soldiers of the post marched with the
solemn music of ohe mil&sary band ~ the
c]ace of sepulture. The services were
performed by Rev. A. Wright, Chaplain
If the post. Chaplain Wright kindly
thVnished Stanley and the writer with
comfortable room, and one day he piloted
Us two or three miles itbo 80 the fort to
Deer creek, an aflluent Of the Laramie
river where, in large grove .ofscotton-
woods, he pointed out some ten or
twelve skeletons Of Indians, grated as.
it were, on the trees. The bodies .wcre
wrapped in blankets. and buffalo robes
and deposited in a sort Of trough made
OF poles, the ends OF which wcre
fastened to limbs at height of about
twelve Feet from the ground! Mr..
Wright pointed out tho wrappings OF
ahiefs daughter that had been reposinGs
Eur many years. undistur5ed. in q large
cottonwood tree, and we began our
archaeological explorations. The Chap
1hfn returned to the fort after remind
Eag us that our scalps would not be safe
should a stray Indian happen along, as
1say held5 as the highest dissertation, to
disturb thoir dead.
The Indian maiden was found wrapped
In % BuIIdle Of coroments composed of
tho skin of an antelope, plhid shawl,
several patterns of colored calico prints,
1Gld over all was bound buffalo robe,
aicd with thongs Of bril's hide. The
GGGe was not unpleasant, though the
SSSan and flesh was shrunl1en TO the bono,
presenting the appearance Of an Egyp-
tFh mummy, the dry climate producing
an. embaltning effect. The wvappings
we're restored to the condition in which
Macy wero found. and. Stanley brought
tSrGg % ring from ono of tho toes, and
lagsolf' nicelNworlted fgure with Dor
2n9she'qui&Ts or the buffalo robe, which
'ooD after was cast away in disgust. So
that onr curiosity boing appoasod,. it
did not amount to case of body-snateh-
ing. ...----..-.--.-.,.,.,.-.-........ .