The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-01-17
Original Cemeteries in Which the
Good Indians Sleep the
Last S eep
Barbaric dolgothaa Where White
Men Cease Fro m Troubling
the Red Men.
Aud the Latter Are At Perfect Rest
The Lonely Tomb Of faisfaos
Pioneer.


from a little about the burial customs OF
the aborigines of those regions but scarcely
gain more than an inkling. From the
stone cairns along the bluffs Of Snake river
the elevated platforms i'm the treeless val
leys. 60 the canoe graves amid the branches
II giant frs. the elaborate deadhouses,
with their guardian totem poles. and the
funeral pyrcs of the Alassans, he finds a
great variety of burial methods. vet all
conserving the same purpose-that Of an
effort 80 70 dispose Of the dead warrior that
he shall end entrance 70 the spirit land and
he properly equipped for enjoyment Of its
pleasures.
One idea seems TO be common toall tribes.
no matter how widely scattered. aud that
is that the future state shall be "a continu-
Gus enjoyment Of what they consider the
highest pleasures Of this life. For this rea-
son the dead Indian is buried with his weap-
ons of war and the chase and ofttimes his
dogs and horses are killed and buried with
him.
The disposing Of the body above ground
is the almost universal custom. partially,
no doubt, because earth burial involves la
Dor an Indian has neither the inclination
nor the tools to perform. but chiefly be
cause the deceased may the more easily
reach the happy hunting grounds
Along The deep canyons of Snake river,
IN the absence OF timber. cairns Of loose
rocks are built above the dead body and its
accompanying accessories. These little
mounds OF rock may be seen high up ON the
canyons side In the ad jacent reckless and
treeless valleys bodies are elevated upon
scafolds supported by poles cut from the
slender cottonwoods that fringe the
streams. Here it Is no unusual sight to
see the dead body Of an Indian securely
dashed upright upon pony and arrayed in
feathers and gaudy blankets, the pony trot-
ting along with his inanimate burden to-
ward the burial place.
In the Columbia river there are several
islands that have been used exclusively for
burial plHes for many years. probably for
centuries. One Of these is Coffin rock. near
kalama, seen by passengers on all steamers
plying between Portland and Astoria. Here
thousands of Indians have found sepulturc.
Farther mp. between the Cascades and The
Dalles, is the famous Mcmaloose island. n
burial ground from time immemorial. The
name is a word of the Chinook jargon. sig
nlfying Dead island. Upon this island are
heaps Of gr.nniug skulls aud unassorted
bones the rough wooden sheds once built
for their protection having long since sue /
cumoed 10 the dlsintegrating power Of the /
elements
Adjacent TO one of these lighthouses rises
an elegant granite and marble monument
erected TO the memory Of Victor Trevitt. a
pioneer Of Oregon widely known through I
out the Pacific coast. lie was an old resi- I
dent Of The Dalles, and uDon his death /.
some 10 years ago, was at lis own special
request buried among the bones of genera +
lions of Indians who were laid TO rest long
before the white men were known on this .
coast. Farther down the stream Is Brad I
fond s island, also covered with bones and I
skulls.
In Puget sound there is an island SINH
larry used and known locally as Burial +
island The various tribes about PUGET
sound and the inland seas simultaneously /
ward toward Alaska often utilize the canoe .
OF the dead warrior for coffin. His care
fully wrapped body, with bow and spear. il
in the "canim" and placed on a
platform high in the branches OF a tree or
raised on poles.
Farther north these deadhouses are still
more elaborate On Shell island. az Fort
Rupert, near the upper end Of Vancouver
Island, j. C., there is an Indian cemetery of
considerable pretensions. consisting OF huge
canoes AID deadhouses Of various STYLES of
architecture. These northern tribes also
erect huge carved images and totem poles
by their dcadhouses They have consider
able skill ia carving.
A tradition Of the Columbia river Indians
VIII illustrate the beliefof tneuboripines i'm
the activity Of the spirits Of their departed
friends.
The greatest demigod OF all was Speelyai
-he coyote. AZ one time the people were
NlHr HfU 90 d q
mourning Nhaia-ma. the eagle, who had
lost many friends, was told by spec'yai that
the ocad would not always remain ia spirit
land, but, like the brown and dead leaves Of
autumn, would come to earth again with
Tie opening buds and flowers of spring
" hal -Iut was not willing TO wait unf1l I
spring. and persuaded the coyote to 20 with
him % spirit land aud bring them back M
once After many days they came to a great
water, on the other side Of which was a larre
village
Spirits conducted them across Che water.
aud they entered the principal house me
y lliage' which was lighted by the moon.
and TINS luminary was guarded bya mon
'tef frog that had jumped 90 it from the
sartn. Speelyai killed the frog and swat
lowed the moon, leaving the house in dark
ne--- ln the confusion that cnsued Whai-
anna caught the spirits and confined them
10 large hoN. ~peelym pun the box on Lis
shoulders, and The two invaders started
lacN FOR Che land Of the living. soon the
SPIRITS iu thc box began t. come 10 life.
ind -peelfW- burden grew too heavy for
aim 20 carry. Thinking they were 80 far
rom the spirit land that the ghosts could
lot Ind their way hack again. Speelyai
iIted The lid aud let them out. They van
he'd Immediately aud returned tot the land
ID the dead Whai-a-ma was much disap-
pointed, but said when the buds opened ia
he spring be would try again. but the GOV
lie SAID Do was better 90 lct tlcdead remain
where they were. Had uotS pcclyai opened
IRE box the dead would now come 10 life
-very spring, according 90 the belief Of those
who put their faith ia Tie legend. San
Francisco Examiner