The Lamar register. [volume] (Lamar, Colo.) 1889-1952, 1893-06-24
scenes At the Cremation Of MeJave
Chief-Pninted with AxIs Grease.

bceDes At the CremAt1Oa Of . M0lavO
Chief-P.inted with AIDE Grease.
Dan Murphy, who owns the greater
part Of all that is valuable in the
town of Needles. was at the Grand
talking with q San Francisco Examin-
er reporter.
"A short time ago." he said as he
leaned over the counter and pulled
his big soft hat thoughtfully over his
eyes. Il took part in one OF the
strangest funeral ceremonies that
was ever seen in the West The
corpse was that OF Captain Joe, tho
old chief OF the Mojaves, and who
was one OF the best known Indians OF
the West. Joe was one Of my friends
for years, and while Just a plain
everyday sort of buck, in life he
was something OF a philosopher and
an all-round good fellow in his way,
although he was inclined to drink a
little too much when he could get il.
"A couple of years ago Joe came
to me and in one of his bursts OF con-
fidence told me that. as he was grow
ing old and he realized that his
strength was failing. he had decided
to prepare FOR death. He had told
his relatives. he said, that when he
died he wanted me to take charge OF
the body to give him the best send
off l could. He wanted the thing
done up in regular Indian style. but
he wanted it to be about the finest
thing of the kind that could be ar
ranged.
...Me heap big Injun. Dan, he sug-
gested. Heap hoss, heap COW. heap
sheep. Byum by die You fix um.'
II promised to do the best could.
and thought no more about it for
long time. One night. however,
some weeks ago, was aroused from
a deep sleep by noise in my room,
and when / awoke ] discovered a
number of bucks and squaws standing
about my bed. They had an old-fash-
ioned tin lantern. such as our grand
fathers used. with holes punched
in to let the light shine through from
a tallow candle that burned dimly in
side. They told me that the chief
was dead and that they had come as
requested to have me arrange for tho
funeral They were bent on having
1t take place at once. but persuaded
them to wait until morning.
..On the following day we buried
Captain Joe on the banks of the Colo
RADIO, about two miles from town. Tho
Indians came for miles and gathered
by hundreds to see their chief started
on his long journey to the happy
huating grounds Bundles OF mes-
quite wood were brought by willing
hands, and when they had been
formed into an enormous heap the
body OF Joe was placed on the top
and a match applied at the bottom.
As the flames caught the dry wood
md licked their way upward the In
dians formed a great circle about the
funeral pyre. and with the most fan
tastic gyrations of the body walled
funeral dirge SO weird that Iactually
felt the cold chills chase each other
up my spinal column This contin-
ued for hours. but at last the pyre
burned out and the body was reduced
to ashes. These they covered with a
heap of dirt and then the feast be-
gan
Mine horses, six COWS and seven
sheep were slaughtered in quick
order. and while the flesh was still
quivering they cut the carcasses into
huge sections and threw them into
steaming pots that hung over great
fires, built in pits dug for that pur-
pose While this was going on tho
Indians stood about eager for the
feast. and the moment the flesh was
cooked through there was scramble.
A buck or squaw would seize a
chunk of half-cooked horseaesh. and
eating 1t with the avid1ty of a wild
animal would make raid on tho
beef. following it with an attack on
the mutton. In this way they would
eat until completely gorged. and
would crawl off in the bush and
sleep. only to AWAKEN and feast
afresh. For three days and nights
this continued until every mouthful
Of meat was eaten and the bones
picked clean.
During the entire time the widow
of the chief was not allowed to eat,
but with her face painted black with
grease taken from the box of rail-
road car was compelled to sit alone
and mourn with all the weird walls
she could command.
..When it was all over the Indians
went back to their old lazy life to
Il ha, 9 -