The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1897-06-05
BURNING A CHIEF.
Weird Scenes at the Funeral Of a
Mcjave Indian.
An Occasion of Feasting Among the
Hungry Children of the Desert-A
Strange and Revoltin
Ceremony.

Ceremony.
Dan Murphy, who owns the greater
part of all that is valuable in the town
of Needles, was in San Francisco re-
Gently.
GA short time ago." he said to an Ex-
aminer reporter, as ne leaned over the
counter and pulled his big soft hat
thoughtfully over his eyes, Il took
part in one Of the strangest funeral
ceremonies that was ever seen in the
west. The corpse was that of Capt
Joe, the old chief OF the Mojaves, and
who was one of the best known Indians
IN the west. Joe was one of my friends
for years, and while just plain every
lay sort of n buck in life, he was some
thing of u philosopher and an all
round good fellow in his way, although
he was inclined TO drink little too
much when he could get it. A couple
of wears ago ice came to me, and, in
one of his bursts Of confidence, told
me that, as he was growing old, and
he realized that his strength was fail
ing, he had decided to prepare for
death. He had told his relatives, he
said, that when he died he wanted me
70 take charge of the body and give
him the best serd-of L could. He
wanted the thing done up in regular
indian style, but he wanted it to be
about the finest thing of the kind that
could be arranged.
"'Me heap big Injun, Dan,' he sug-
gested. Heap hoas, heap COW, heap
sheep. Byum by die. You fix um.'
Il promised to do the best l could,
and thought no more about it for
long time. Onc night, however, some
weeks ago l was aroused from deep
sleep by noise in my room, and when
l awolze 1 discovered u number of
bucks and squayy3 standing about my
bed, They had an old-fashioned tin
lantern, such as our grandfathers
used, with holes punched in it to let
the light shine through from tallow
candle that burned dimly inside.
They told me that the chief was dead
and that they had come as requested
to have me arrange for the funeral.
They werc bent on having it take
place at once, but l persuaded them to
wait until morning.
''On the following day we burned
Capt. Joe oa the banks of the Colora-
do, about two miles from town. The
Indians came for miles and gathered
by hundreds to rec their chief started
on his long journey to the happy hunt
ing grounds. Bundles of mesquite
wood were brought by willing hands,
and when they had been formed into
an enormous heap the body of Joe was
placed on thc top and a match applied
at the bottom. as the flames caught
the Cry wood and licked their way up
ward the Indians formed great circle
about the funeral ryrc, and with the
most fantastic GyratiOns OF the body
vailed funeral dirge so weird that 1
actually felt the cold chills chase each
other up my spinal column. This con-
tinued for hours, but at last the pyre
burned out and the body was reduced
to ashes. These they covered with a
heap of dirt, and then the feast began.
''Nina horses, SIX cows and. seven
sheep were slaughtered in quick order,
and while the fcia was still quivering
they cut the carcasses into huge Sec
tions and threw them into steaming
pots that hung over great fires built
in pits dug for that purpose. While
this was going ON the Indians stood
about eager for the feast, and the mo-
ment the flesh was cooked through
there was scramble. A buck or a
squaw would seize q chunk of half
cooked horseaesil, and, eating it with
the avidity OF wild animal, would
make a raid on the beef, following it
with an attack on the mutton. In this
way they would cat until they were
completely gorged, and would crawl
off in the bush ard sleep only to awake
and feast afresh. For three days and
nights this continued until every
mouthfrl OF meat was eaten and the
bones picked clean. During the entire
time the widow of the chief was not
allowed to eat, but, with her face
painted black with grease taken from
the box of q railroad car, was COM
pelled to sit alone and mourn with all
The weird walls she could command.
When it was all over the Indians went
back to their old lazy life to await an
other feast"