Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1894-10-06
QUEER FUNERAL RITES.
coNvIvIAL MOURNING AMONG
EAST INDIANS.
The Festivities Last Three Moath' ana
Then the Corpse Is Buried - Iho
Obssauies over the Remains OF 'he
Good Chief Lai Ruma,

/ w men lucy A0h NAAANNNAA
monies attending "a funeral Ia Ihdls
they have the proud satisfaction o.
knowing there are little remains
left. these consisting OF the earthen
baked skeleton. The balance Of the
lamented has been drained away
into the ground by means OF oam-
boo pipe cleyerly inserted into the
deceased's stomach. All this requires
some three months During this
period there is "lashins Of dhrlnk
in the house of mourning
This is one method Further 10
the south they have another which
is equally original This time they
make war medicine" The details
are given as follows;
The body Is embalmed by some
crude process. and. dressed up Ia
full war paint is seated in the cen
ter OF the room. food and drink al
ways before him, and attendant
lady mourners with feather brushes
to keep away dies. His friends and
relatives drop in at different periods
to drink to the departed ones sue
cess along the pathway Of the I'M
known world. and the quantity Of
liquor consumed is tho approximate
gauge Of the popularity 81 the do
ceased. every house being supposed
10 oder its share TO the feast, This
goes on for week to ten DAYS, when
the body Is forclbly aightened
out, wrapped in new cloths and Is
deposited ia the seputCh0r, few
shots being fred over the grave as a
final goodby.
The friendly chief Lal Ruma died
suddenly In the village Of PokpuL
A party frola Lungleh decided % 20
out and do honor % his widow by
being present az his wake ana
sIaughterlng 4 gayal (Bos Gauros)
in his honor. Messengers were dis
patched TO secure o tina specimen Of
the breed and 70 notify tho family ot
his determination When Ii was
learned that the guyai had turned
up al Pokpul the visitors packed d
goodly ttifin basket aud set forth on
the mourntul task. Tho road 70
Pokpui Is easy, and only some four
miles north Of Lungleh. They did
not leave till a. m. arriving at the
village in an hour and halt They
had settled their countenances into
solemn appreciatiye melancholy, but
had TO relax this on being greeted
BY shouts Of delight BY crowds Of
naked little boys and girls who
ciambered loudly for nice scramblss.
The superintendent, With his
usual parental love for the little
savage, as also with an eye on tho
further consolidation OF the British
power. had flled his pockets with
pice before starting. and soon the
mass Of infant sagaSedom was fight.
ing and groveiug N the dust ana
natural dir: Of the village The
pice being AL expended though the
children were not nearly apprassd,
the visitors resumed tnsir solemn
mien and approached the de'unct
kings house.
The royal widow came forth to
greet them. and with voice .haky
with the bitter grief OF drink 81.
sought them 70 enter. This they
attempted to do. bl. w3~o driven
back by the force OF the atmosphere
from within, comprised entirely 81
liquor and tobacco fumes However.
having gathered thcir strength TO
gether they made another and this
time q successful effort and entered
the royal palace The inner cham.
Der was crowded with men ia va.
rious stages Of imbccilty who were
drowning their sorrows ii tho low
ing bowl. When their cges got ac.
customed to the gloom ana tobacco
fumes they disccrnsd that the colin
was placed In the center Of tho side
wall, facing big fireplace
IL was solid timber. seven feet
long. two feet wide aud two and one.
half feet high. At the head Of tho
coffin was placed cooked meal and
a couple Of bottles Of the bast home.
brewed pothcen and ala In cas tho
spirits should either hunger Or.
thirst, and one can we'll imagine
that 10 the latter respect the said
spirit Is Unsuitable. Anyhow. tho
preparation it had passed through
was conducive to create taste for
drink.
The body the moment the rough.
hewn coffin Is SCOPE out u placed
inside face downward. a hollow
bamboo pipe Is run into the pit of
the stomach through the bottom 81
the coffin and the floor Of the house
into the ground. The coffin n then
filed up with clay; the ton. being
affixed, is hermetically sealed down
with stout leather. a freplaca ~
match the length Of tho coffin Il nro.
pared alongside and a huge fire kcpt
burning, with the result that Tho
lamented ones remains are SLOWLY
cooked away and are carried of bv
Their dain pipe into tho earth.
In three months. by which timo
experience shows that only clean
skeleton remains. tho coffin is opened
and the skull, arm and shin bonea
are removed and placed amid tho
family treasures in big basket
These become heirlooms and arc
handed down from son TO son. Tbev
are much priced and are well taken
caro- OF, being richly polished un