The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1893-06-15
Highest of all in Leavening Powe-atest u Govt Report
&zaI BakiHs Bs.sds':
ABSCzLgTE PURE
GAVE HIM A GOOD SEND OFF.

San Francisco Examiner: Dan
Murphy, who owns the greater part
OF all that Is valuable in the town of
Needles, is here.
"a short time ago." he said last
night, as he pulled his big soft nat
thoughtflllly over his eyes, 4 took
part III one of the strangest funeral
ceremonies that was ever seen in the
West. The corpse was that of Capt.
Joe the old chief of the Mojaves, and
who was one Of the best known In
dlans 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 l-around good fellow in his
way, although he was inclined to drink
little too much when he could get ii.
"A couple of years ago Joe came to
me and IN one of his bursts of conf
dence told me. that as he was growing
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 his body and
give him the best send-Off [ could.
He wanted the thing done up in regu
lar Indian style, but he wanted it to
be about the finest thing Of the kind
that could be arranged
Me heap big Injum, Dam he suc-
gested. Heap hoss, heap COW, heap
sheep. Byum-by die. You fix UNI
Il 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
L awoke | discovered a numberof bucks
and squaws standing about my bed.
They had an old fashioned tin lantern.
such as our grandfather5 used, with
holes punched in it to let the light
shinethrough from a tallow candle that
burned dimly inside. They told me
that the chief was dead and that they
had come as requested to have me az
range for the funeral. They were
bent on having it take place at once,
but | persuaded them to wait till
morning.
On the following day we buried
Capt. Joe on the banks of the Colo.
RADIO about two miles from town. The
Indiana nc.nao fo1- 1.IiiOo anu 55dLuereG
by hundreds to see their chief started
on his long journey to the happy hunt
ing grounds. Bundles of MESQUITE
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 match
applied at the bottom As the flames
caught the dry wood and licked their
way upward the Indians formed
great circle about the funeral pyre,
and with the most fantastic gyrations
of the body walled a funeral dirge so
weird that | actually felt the cold
chllls chase each other up my spinal
column. This continued for hours.
but at last the pyre burned out and
the body Was reduced to ashes. These
they covered with heap Of dirt and
then the feast began.
mine horses. six cows and seven
sheep were slaughtered in quick order,
and while the flesh was still quiver
ing they cut the carcasses into huge
sections and threw them into the
steaming pots that hing over great
fires, built in pits dug for the pur-
pose. While this was going on the
Indians stood around eager for the
feast, and the moment the flesh was
cooked through there was a scramble. |
A buck or squaw would seize a chunk
of half-cooked horse flesh and, eating
1t with the avldity of q wild animal
would make raid on the beef, follow
ing it with an attack on the mutton.
In this way they would eat until they
We're completely gorged and would
crawl off in the bush and sleep, only
to awake and feast afresh. For three
days and nights this continued until
every mouthful of meat was eaten aud
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 o 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
await another feast"