Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-01-16
IN AUSTRALIA.

have died natural death; but warriors who
have fallen in battle are treated very differ
entity. They are placed in a seated attitude
upon high platform, the legs crossed and the
arms extended by means of stlcks. The legs
and arms are covered with zebra-like stripes of
red, white and yellow and the weapons of the
deceased persons are laid across his lap. Then
hres are lighted under the platform and kept
up for ten days or more, during the whole of
WHICH time the friends and mourners femain
by the body and are not permitted to speak.
Scntineis relieve each other at appointed inter-
walls, their duty being to see that the fires
are not suffered to so out Having been sub
lected to this prolonged smoking process the
body Is rendered hard and mummy like, so that
wild dogs will not touch it. 1t remains sitting
on the platform for two months or SO and is
then taken down and buried, with the excep-
ton of the skull, which is made into drinking
cup FOR the nearest relative.
MOURNING oBsEEvAScEs.
The cutting of mir as a mourning observ-
ance is of very great antiquity, and among the
ancients whole cities and countries were shaved
when great man died The Persians not only
shave themselves on such occasions. but extend
the same process to their domestic animals.
Up to within 4 very few years the Indians of
Alaska were accustomed to express their grief
for the death OF any important parsonage by
human sacrifices. and the same practice Is
largely followed in some parts of Africa. At
lima Indians In former times al the wives of the
detunct and his male relatives also were slain
In former times nearly every tribe of In
dians cast OF the Mississippi river was accus-
toned at regular periods TO collect and clean
the bones of those persons vino had died dur
lnS the intervening time. interring them in a
common sepulcEer, lined with choice furs and
marked with u mound of wood stone or earth.
Such Is the origin of those imme nse tumuli
filled with the mortal remains OF nations, which,
the antiquary finds in all parts OF this country
and is so fond Of digging into with irreverent
curiosity. According to law enforced among
some American abOrigines widow is always
compelled TO carry about with her for four
years the bones of her dead husband, inclosed
III a casket-
AQUATIC BURIALs.
Among the peoples of antiquity the practice
was not uncommon of disposing of the dead by
throwing them in to the sea, by sinking them in
water courses and by setting them afloat in
boats The lchthyOphagi. or fish eaters. who
lived In q region bordering on the Persian
gulf. are mentioned by Ptolemy as having the
custom OF invariably committing their corpses
TO the ocean, thus repaying the obligations they
mad incurred to Its inhabitants According to
the same authority the famous lotus caters when
they found themselves about to die threw them
selves into the sea. The Clerokees of Ten
neSsee formerly made u practice of throwing
their cead into the rivers In Africa people of
the tribe called ObonSo take the cadaver to n
running stream, which has been previously di-
yerted from 1t course A deep grave is dug in
tile bed OF the stream. the body Is placed in il
ana covered over, and finally the stream is re-
stored TO It's natural course History SAYS that
Alarlc WAS buried IN a similar manner in the
year 4lO A. d., at Cosenca In Calabria. The