Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1892-12-30

2 w,
I trlotism, exploits and influence OF the
deceased. The corpse is then carried
/ by four pall-bearers, selected from the
| young braves, from the hurdle TO the
/ grave. which is about six feet deep and
/ eight feet long. At each end OF the
/ grave stands, deep driven down, pine
pitchfork. The bottom of the grave Is
then covered with bark.
The corpse is then lowered very slow
| ly by two belts with which the Indians
carry their burdens A ridgepole Is then
laid across the grave in the forks and
then rooted over with pitch pine logs.
These are covered over and over with
bark, on which the earth dug from the
grave is thrown and beaten down. Thus
the body lies in a vault. nothing touch
ing it, practically mummitied by the
embalming pitch process OF the pine.
After time the body is exhumcd. the
bones cleaned and laid in an ossuary.
/ The dead was spoken to by mediciue
men, who sped him on his way The
Sacs and Foxes observe this manner OF
burial in their mortuary customs The
Otoe and Missouri tribes followed
somewhat this mode OF burial. with
slight variations. The Indian women
cut their hair oft. Then the relatives
danced tomahawli 20 drive away tho
death spirit.
The Pimas Of Arizona bury their dead
by night Sometimes after the graves
are dug the sick recover In that ease
the grave Is always left open ,ill the
person dies. The place OF burial Is cl-
ways if possible. In grow, 90 mes.
quite trees. The custom of destroying
all the personal ELECTS IL the husband
when ne dies ii1purerishe- the N~ile
As a consequence women Go mo-, care 20
have many children and ut-u.irilc
prevails 20 "a great extent. The Nuilis
OF California a.op. tae eaEo custom
The Comanch-s of the Indian terri
tory adopt precisely the other evtrcmc-
Before % person Dies his knees ara
doubled up and the head bent down
upon the knees. The dying person is
roped FIRMLY In this position a blanket
Is wrapped rolud tbc body and ropcd.
The body i, then placed ~ 70 sitting
posture la g. SADDLE ou q pony. for q
Comanehe is all ho~sylalsh.p o. the
last % sluaw ridiny behind q hn,l the
body up A. soon rs tAe grave is
reached the corpse is literally tal1lod
In. The grave Is found generally a. The
heads II canyons or deep washes
Broken bows and arrows ar, t,..t IN
after the body. Is pony is 'u and
away rides the spi-it Of The departed -
the happy hunting ar,-l-s.
The Pucblos OF New NcXi-o bury
:, cir dead horizontally tnc crave ard
level it with the ground. 80 th-t you
cannot find t. They pain, the body
and put ornaments in the grave. and
also food 70 feed the departed on his
journey wake, with lighted candles
followed by q supper, preccdes the bur
ial The Pueblos howl over the body.
mourn for one year, have high raass said
for the rcpose Of the soul and are hap
py The Wichita Indians Of the tai
tooed eyelids cry the town at death,
ride the corpse 20 the grave on pony.
build a palisade of poles round tic
grave and shave of the grass within.
The relatives do not as a rule 60 70 the
grave. The Caddocs or Timber Indians
leave their dead, If killed in battle. 70
be devoured by birds or beasts Of prey.
Outside Of this instance they follow the
foregoing custom.
The Parsee towers of silence on Mala- !
bar hill, filled with dead and crowned !
with a circle OF living vultures. waiting !
to glut their greed upon the bodies
below, are type of this. They !
have in a rude way their followers !
among the Indians, though the cxcep- |
tons are few. The Trinity and Klamath |
Indians of the Northwest coast bury in |
a grave with circular stone coping, on |
which the birds sit
Black Bird. the great war chief of the |
Omahas, at his own request was buried |
on the top of a high mill, logged out i'm |
all his plumed fnery and seated astride |
the back of his living snow white steed. |
the turfs were heapcd around |
the limps and flanks OF the animal. /
covering him all over the body as they |
rose higher and higher. till at last only |
the nozzle of the noble brute pecped |
out Of the mound for a last breath, /
when with IA single large turf the |
smooth mound closed over forever and /
not a struggle beneath its smooth surface |
told the story OF the living stecd that /
lay folded beneath il.
There is still another form Of burial. /
II is aquatic burial The Karague
bury their common people by sinking |
their bodies in a stream. Sometimes \ /
canoe is turned adrift on a stream or 1
over a fall Niagara has seen many |
such funeral both Of the dead and oi
the living. There are a few very de-
PRAYED tribes who eat their dead and |
thus become living sepulchrcs entombed
with the departed
Posts, with Indian characters graved |
on them. are sometimes placed at the |
heads of graves fires are kindled
dances are performed, sacrifices offered,
feasts made and gambling INDUCED in
with plum stones. Enthusiastically /
marked. The superstitions INDUCED IN
are as sadly grotesqne and as cruelty
as the ignorance Of the prim-
tive race can make them.
The Indian breads death. lie will
10 M oman ar avar, .bouras for his !