Evening star., 1895-06-08
CREMATE THEIR DEAD.
The Custom as Observed Among tn
MOjaye Indians,

The Custom Observed Among the
Mojave Indians.
That the cremation of the human body
is of greatest antiquity is abundantly prov
ed by the fact that it exists among the
Mojave Indians. This tribe is, without
doubt, the widest and most uncivilized Of
all the red men of America. They have
rebelled always against the arts of the
whites, and today. taken in their entirety,
they are as isolated as they were when the
followers of Cortez first penetrated New
Mexico and Arizona From many charac-
teristics they can be traced to a close af-
fnity with the great ard warlike Apaches.
The men are ma gnificent specimens of phys
ical developnent-being on an average
over six feet and finely proportioned. In
tellectuaily they are naturally superior to
their ne:ghbors. They are without belief
in Il Supreme Being. Some trace of the
PythaSoreaa doctrine of transmigration of
the soul was imbibed from remote tradi-
ton.
They believe that when a Mojave dies
his spirit or soul enters into the body
Of a wild animal. which haunts the habta-
ton CT men and prowls, especially during
the time OF the fun moon, near their vii
lagos. The howlirgs of this animal are
listened to with the closest attention. The
leaders really seem to believe that they
understand the language of this animal
To them ii means certain instructions to
perform those things that the deceased left
urdore. They. in consequence impress
upon The younger members of the tribe
that if these things are left undone dire
calamties will supervere.
They are cremat.onists. and burn all
their dead. together with their ponies sheep
and other personal property. a hole is
cug IN the ground of about seven feet in
length and three n width. In depth it Is
generally two feet 1t is then filled with
dry wood. and the corpse, wrapped in a
blanket, is placed upon the pyre More
lad oil iS final lly
arranged the wood is ignited. Hired mourn
ers dance around the burning pile, and
their lamentations are most discordant.
After becoming completely exhausted their
places are taken by others, while those
who have been succeeded gorge themselves
with roasted horse meat cut from the
ponies which had been added to the pyre.
This continues till the body IS entirely coa-
sumed. The ashes are never collected, but
the place of incarceration is ever held
sacred.
When the Pacific railroad was completed
to the town of Needles, southern California
the Mojaves occupied It's present site The
Fridge over The Colorado river had not been
fully completed, and the men engaged upon
It's Construction We're the toughest char
acters of a generally tough community. A
certain Mojave having more curiosity than
discretion visited the camp and partook
freely of so-called firewater. This caused
hlm to become an ardent seeker after
trouble, which he had little difficulty in
finding. On the following night he was
cftmated amidst all the weird surround
inSS attendant upon such ceremonies This
was the first cremation by the Mojaves
ever witnessed by white man. Since that
time the continual encroachment of civili-
zauon has driven them farther and farther
INTO the deserts of Arizona and southern
California.
The Mojaves are the most superstitious
OF peoples. If the Colorado river is full
and an overflow is threatened, they fashion
an iooI out OF clay, and set it up in their
nuts. Their faith is of that unreasoning
Kind as to invest the idol with the power
10 prevent damage TO their property. They
are only driven away after their dwellings
nave become completely submerged. These
Indians are fast becoming extinct. and in a
rev years they will cease to be known to
man.