The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-06-15
GRAVES OF INDIANS.
ABORIGINAL CEMETERIES WHERE
GOOD WARRIORS SLEEP.


Barbaric Goigothas Where the white Men
Cease From Troubling and the Redskins
Are at Rest--The Lonely Tomb of "a Pale
face Pioneer.
Travellers along the Columbia and Puget
sound and on north through British Co
hmbia and Alaska, occasionally observe
queer Indian sepulchers and learn there
from 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 in the treeless val
leys, to the canoe graves amid the branches
Of giant srs, the elaborate deadhouses,
with their guardian totem poles, and the
funeral pyres of the Alaskans, he finds n
great variety of burial methods, yet all
conserving the same purpose-that Of an
effort so to dispose of the dead warrior that
he shall find entrance to the spirit land and
be properly equipped for enjoyment Of its
pleasures.
One idea seems to be common toall tribes,
no matter how widely scattered, and that
is that the future state shall be IA contnu-
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 disposng 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.
A 3 th.aI al Of Snt.l-a sitr
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
scaffolds 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
lashed upright upon n 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 places 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 sepulture.
| Farther up, between the Cascades and The
Dalles, is the famous Memaloose island, a
burial ground from time immemorial The
name is IA word of the Chinook jargon. sig
nifying Dead island. Upon this island ART
heaps of grinning skulls and unassorted
bones, the rough wooden sheds once built
for their protection having long since sue
cumbed to the disintegrating power Of the
elements.
Adjacent to one of these deadhouses rises
an elegant granite and marble monument
erected to the memory of Victor Trevitt, q
pioneer Of Oregon widely known through
out the Pacific coast. He was an old resi-
dent of The Dalles, and upon his death
some 10 years ago, was at his own speca
request buried among the bones of genera
tions of Indians who were laid to rest lonl
before the white men were known on thi
coast. Farther down the stream is Brad
ford's island, also covered with bones ant
skulls.
In Puget sound there is an island simi
larly used and known locally as "Buria
island" The various tribes about Puge
sound and the inland seas stretching north
ward toward Alaska often utilize the cauo
Of the dead warrior for coffin. His car,
fully wrapped body, with bow and spear
deposited in the "canim" and placed on
platform high in the branches of tree G
raised on poles.
Farther north these deadhouses are sti
more elaborate on shell Island, at Fol
Rupert, near the upper end OF Vancouvt
island, Is, T., there Is an Indian cemetery
considerable pretensions' consisting OF hug
: canoes ana ueadhouses OF various styles
architecture These northern tribes als
erect huge carved images and totem poll
by their deadhouses. They have conside
/. able skill IN carving.
A tradition OF the Coiumb!1 river indial
VIII Illustrate the oeieloi thea eaoorigihes
e the actlNlty OF the spirits Oh their departe
friends
yhe greatest ueIiigoa oi an was Speeiya
the coyote AT one Time the people we
dying at RAPID rate ana 'here was gre
mourning w Whai'a-nia' .ne eagie' VINO n'
lost many iriehds' was told py speeiyai Tn
the aeau wouiu not always remain IN spli
iand' put' hke ,he brown ana ueau ieaVes
autumn, wouiu come 10 eartn again WI
the opening puus anu MOWERS oi sprih
Whal-a-ha was no. wlillhs 70 wall UNI
spring ana persuaueu 'ne coyote ogo WI
MIN 10 splrlI ihhu anu pTihS theh pach