The daily silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1903-1907, 1903-08-24

zontal position in the crotch of a limb
and securely dashed there. A few
we're placed in a standing position,
those buried In this way Usually being
children. Where there was not a suit
able disposition of the branches a
platform of strong poles was often
constructed, the remains being placed
upon this and firmly fastened to it and
the body of the tree. So firm were
these f~astenings that it was the rarest
accident for a body to fall. A tree with
thick and interlacing branches was al
ways selected; to such an extent was
this true that it was a matter of con-
siderable difficulty to locate a grave
Of this kind. Among the Sioux the cot
tonwood is said to have been prefer
red for mortuary purposes and many
Of these people esteemed this tree
as wood for domestic purposes.
Scaffold burial was about as gener-
ally used as that in trees, of which 1t
is only modification, depending, nj
doubt upon the scarcity of trees Of a
suitable size in the territory where
pTacticed. The prime reason for both
forms of aerial interment was the
preservation Of the remains from mu-
tilation by animals. But the belief
held by many Indians relative to the
souls of TIE dead was to a large ex-
tent responsible for this method in
Gisposing Of their dead. In brief they
believed that every one possessed four
souls. These left the body after death
the first to enter the body of a bird,
the second to remain about the home
of the deceased. the third to remain
in the vicinity of the grave, while the
fourth wendell it's way to the spirit
land, there to remain until after the
lapse Of enc year, when all four would
be reunited in tn. veritable person In
habited during life. Burial in the
manner mentioned contributed to the
convenience with which the first and
third of the souls might perform their
functions. Upon this weird belief was
dependent the ceremony entitled 'let-
ting the ghost 60" which was form
erly always held just one year after
death.
Canoe burial was entirely confined
to tribes ~inhabiting the Pacific Coast
line, particularly its northern half.
This method of interment differs
materially from popular impression,
which is that the dead are placed in
canoes and set adrift. Such procedure
is rare and then only in case of quite
young infants, girls especially. When
a little one died the sorrowing moth
ed took the little form to some Sc
cluded spot, deep in the recesses of a
pine forest. Here she tenderly placed
the little form in a canoe shaped era
die and committed her dearest
treasure to the spirit of the water, by
casting it adrift upon the bosom Of
some still pool. These pappoose burial
cradles were so we'll woven of rushes
as to be practically water tight, max
ing a miniature canoe, that fioated
with its | light burden whenever
thrown rnon the water.
In the burial of adults the custom
airy course was to select a large ca
noe or boat preferably the one the
dead had used and valued during life.
At the death of any one especially
prominent a funeral canoe was not
lnfIequently constructed and was very
ornate affair, painted with designs
representing the principal events in
the life of the deceased. The body was
always washed thoroughly clean, an
undertaking Of some magnitude, if the
Indian of the past paid as little at
Itertion to personal cleanliness as his
fellow of the present. 1t was then
swathed in many folds of new rush
mats OF buckskin and within it a few
OF the little m priced dur-
ing life. Ii was placed in the canoe
and covered with additional mats. In
the canoe were placed many articles,
such as clothing, weapons, etc, the
whole being covered with a heavy
waterproof mat or dressed hide, firmly
dashed to the sides of the canoe. When
all was thus completed the canoe was
taken into the forest, to the bank Of
some stream. Here four stout posts
were set in the ground, with cross
pieces dashed to them at a distance Of
four or five feet from the ground.
The canoe, with its burden, was Their
raised and placed upon these supports.
All the personal effects of the de-
ceased were collected, broken or
mutilated and hung on the posts and
cross pieces. They included clothing,
cooking untensils, weapons, fishing
tackle, etc. After burial but little at
tention was paid to the remains. At
the end of a wear the hOdv WAS takan