Griggs courier., 1893-07-14
euRIALs oE THE uIEs.

euRIALs OF THE UTEs.
Psculiar Iortuary Customs Of the lroans.
ain Indians.
Up to . very recent period the Indian
tribes living ON the plains were accus-
TONED to place their dead on scafblds,
which were erected in trees. It was
not until these resting places began to
be desecrated by the whites, in order
to obtain the costly trinkets that were
often wrapped up with the bodies, that
our own method of burying in the
ground was adopted. Their funeral
ceremonies are very elaborate, often
lasting for days The Utes are mount
ain Indians, quite different in appear
ance and customs from the plains
tribes. If one Of their number is af-
Aicted with mortal sickness the white
man il excluded from his presence and
often from the village. After death
such of his property as he has not dis
posed Of by will is destroyed, there Is
no funeral sermon whatever, and all
traces Of the final resting place of the
remains are carefully concealed. It is
only by accident that the details of the
Ute customs in regard to their dead
have been discovered.
The moment life is extinct the body
is wrapped in a blanket, placed across
a pony's back, and taken to some re-
mote place which has previously been
decided upon. A steep bluff or hill is
favorite spot, and if a natural cave or
cleft can not be found an artificial one
is made by digging, and is afterward
lined with stones and cemented with
clay. The body is placed inside and
the opening walled up and plastered
on the outside with mud. If on a hill
side, dry earth is then thrown over
the whole for concealment. The foot
prints of the returning party are then
never afterward be induced to talk to
the white man of the dead or his grave.
Occasionally, however, in travelling
through the mountains of western Col
orado human bones will be found at
the base of some almost inaccessible
declivity, and investigation reveals the
fact that the rain has washed out Ute
tomb or grave. In such case it would
not be we'll for a member of the tribe
to find white man making an explor-
alton, for the latter's life would proba-
bly, pay the penalty.
About ten years ago Ouray, the chief
of the ten or twelve tribes of con-
federated Utes, and man of great
strength Of character and influence,
fell sick while ON visit to the south
ern Ute agency. The Indian medicine
men took sole charge of him, keeping
off the white doctors, Of whom there
were several present. The latter, how
ever, gained access to the sick mans
tepee long enough to find out that he
was hopelessly afflicted with Bright's
disease. After death the funeral cere-
mony, or rather the lack of it, was just
the same as if an ordinary brave had
died. 1t was only when Ouray's own
tribe, the Uncompahgre Utes, request
cd the removal of his remains to
his old home, that white men were per-
mitted to see the place where they had
been deposited. 1t was in a natural cave,
the entrance to which had been walled
up and all signs of disturbance careful
ly obliberated. Some distance away
were the bod les of five ponies, which
had been slain for Ouray's use in the
happy hunting grounds. His own body
was in an unfit condition for removal
The government had built house
for Ouray and IN addition gave him a
salary of one thousand dollars year.
Being thrifty, he had accumulated much
property, but, unfortunately, died
without making will. In accordance
with ancient custom his tribe desired
to destroy all his possessions, but by
the interference of the agent and some
Indians who had adopted the white
mans ways much was saved. Nothing
could keep the other members of the
tribe, however, from killing seventeen
ponies and burning their dead bodies
at the foot of the bluff on which stood
Ouray's Chicago Times.
KNOWLEDGE Iw SMALL DOSES.
THE first permanent settlement in
New Jersey was made at Elizabeth
town in 1914.
Down to the days Of Apelles, Greeks
knew but four eolors-white, red, yel-
low and black.
The dining-rocm of the Campania,
the new Cunard steamer, is 100 by "a
feet, and seats 4s0 persons.
The average weight Of adult Boston.
ians of both sexes is only 1873 pounds.
Western people average six pounds
heavier.
THERE are two kinds Of cattle brands.
The chair brand" doesn't mark the
hide. The ''cherry-red brand" shows
on the inside of the hide after the ami.
NAL is killed and skinned.
The Chinese 'Six Companies" of San
Francisco have raised a large sum OF
money and employed able counsel to
fight the Chinese registration law.
YOU can't tell by the blossoms which Of
the apples will be wormy.-Texas Siftings
] The H0me Medicine