The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-07-07

KTLN-DRIED DAMsELs.
Queer Marriage Customs of an In
dian Tribe in Southern California.

From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Newark, n, J.-Thomas Mccormick of
this city. has made his home for the past
few years among the Indians OF the west
and southwest. He was sent by the gov
eminent as special agent TO obtain some
particular Information regarding the Dig
ger Indians in Southern California lie
has written number OF interesting let
tiers to his friends here regarding his ex-
periences, and the following, recently re-
ceived. is especially worthy of pcrusal:
The Digger Indian was among the first
taken in hand by the Spanish mission
aries, but their conversion to the ways of
civilization is only feigned They will pre-
tend TO be good Christians and will adopt
the customs of civilization when they are
70 their own advantage, but in his inner
most heart the Digger remains a heather
anu savage He will openly profess
christianity, and in secret will continue
INC practices OF the religion of his fore
Idthers- IN the same way he keeps up
the ancient customs and ceremonies.
~ was my very good fortune during my
visit 10 the tribe In the neighborhood Of
san Bernardino last summer TO be a wit
ness 10 some of their strange customs
and rites. One of the stranCest Indian
custom ! ever saw was the celebration OF
the coming into womanhood of Digger In
dian girls; The latter always marry young
" hNiA lHcE dTTlNe at the age OF II years
they are considered women and ate mar
| riageable, but the ceremony of the passing
from girlhood into womanhood must first
be passed through before an Indian girl
can wed. The Shaman, or medicine man
ascertains the number OF girls in the viii
Iage VINO have arrived at the proper age,
GU sneIt lnothers proceed 10 the outskirts
OF the village. where they dig a square
Pit about large enough TO hold ali the
girls in lying-down position. After the
pit Is dug out a fire Is built in it. This is
blazing
enough TO dry and warm the ground
Ihen the embers are removed, and COW
erns OF brushes Is laid on the floor of the
pit. Ihen the girls who are to become
women by this ceremony come forward
They are entirely naked. and each one lies
down on the PUSHES. Their fathers come
forward and cover them over with blan-
kets; even their heads are covered over
This done, the older women OF the tribe
gather in circle around the edge of the
| PIT and indulge in weird and monotonous
! chant. This sort of thing is kept up for
| Two or three days, and in the meantime
| the indian girls swelter under the blan-
| kets. Food is given them from time to
| time, and at the discretion of the Shaman
| the ceremony il brought to an end The
hnal act is the, clambering of the nude
| girls from the pit.
AS soon as they get out they make a
| wild dash toward some rocks about a
! quarter of mile away. Arrived there each
| girl makes mark upon the rocks, which
designates herself. This, as l understand
| 1t, was a sort of bulletin proclamation
| that Minnehaha, or whatever her name
| happened TO be, was woman now and
was in the marriage market Digger girls
| do not remain in the market long; there is
always brave on hand looking for a
| Joung wife.
| Marriage among the Diggers is thought
as lightly of as 1t is in Chicago. The
| chief of the tribe can have more than one
wife II he wants to, and is rich enough to
/ support more than one; II he is not rich
| enough, he can have more than one anV
way, and make them work for him.
| Divorces are as easily obtained and as
common among the Diggers as in Dakota
| All the pair have to do to get a divorce is
! to agree to disagree, and they go thence
forward their separate ways Tnfaithful.
ness on the part of a squaw is a mighty
serious thing for her, and she is punished
severely for it, and sometimes marked
| for life In some peculiar manner.
The marriage ceremony is a simple af.
! fair, but the wedding feast that follows is
| something to be remembered. When a Dig.
ger dude falls in love with Digger dam
| sci he calls upon the father OF the Cir
and makes him present of some kind
| Then the fathers of both families have a
| little powwow between themselves. and
| conclude that itsis all right, and the old
men exchange presents.
| When the ante-nupital agreement has
peen cllnched the male members of the
| groom family proceed to visit the bride
FAMILY and they make presents of shell
money to the ladies. They in turn make
presents of baskets and meal On the
happy day the bride toys herself in her
| nnest and gaudiest apparel and a Digger
bridal occasions just as much excitement
among the female Diggers of the family
as 1t does 1t Newark. All her friends turn
| out to attend the nupitals. A brawnV
! member of her family carries the bride
in his arms toward the residence of the
groom. She is attended by her friends,
who scatter berries and seeds in her path
| way. Midway between the two residences
| the bridal party is met by a company OF
J the groom's friends, and one of them Il
| guess he must be the best mani took ny.
bride INTO his arms and carried her to the
! groom's house, where he stood her on her
feet over the threshold alongside her flu
| seeds and berries about Little and hie
! Indians scramble to obtain some, Then
the door Of the groom's house was closed
| and the happy couple" as your eastern
| paper describes it, began HOUSEKEEPING
Later on the wedding feast takes place
The women do all the work and the men
do the feasting.