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Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the '<'nethod: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent Atre fiimis A des taux de rMuction diffirents. I.orsque le document est trop grand pour dtre reproduit en un seul cliche, )l est fiimi A partir de Tangle supirieur gauche, de geuche A droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant l9 nombre d'images nicessaire. Les diagrammes suivant& iliustrent ia mithode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 Ikl .!J|,j ■]\i -11 <\Q .5" SftllTHSONIAN INSTITUTION— BDKEAU OP ETHNOLOGY. J. W. POWELL, DIRECTOU. ' A FURTHER CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF THE MORTUARY CUSTOMS OF THE NORTH AMERFCAN INDIANS. iiy Dr. H, G. YARROW, ACT. ASST. SURG., U. 8. A. S ' ! 87 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. Pnge. Figaro 1. — Quiogozeon or dead-house 91 2.— Pima burial 9d 3. — Towers of i. — Grave pen 141 10. — ^Tolkotin cremat ion 145 11. — Eskimo lodge-burial 154 12. — Burial houses 154 13. — lunuii. grave 156 14. — Ingalik grave 157 15— Dakota scaffold-burial 158 16.— Offering food to the dead 1.59 17. — Depositiug the corpse 160 18.— Tree-burial 161 19. — Chippewa scaffold-burial 1(!2 20. — Scarification at burial 104 21. — Australian scaffold-burial I(i6 22. — Preparing the dead lt)7 23.— Canoe-burial 171 24. — ^Twana oanoe-bnrial 172 25. — Posts for burial canoes 173 26.— Tent on scaffold 174 27. — House-burial 175 28. — House-burial 175 29.— Canoe-burial 178 30. — Mourning-cradle 181 31. — Launching the burial cradln 1H2 32. — Chippewa widow 185 33. — Ghost gamble 195 34. — Figured plum stoneH 196 35.— Winning throw, No. 1 196 36.— AVinuing thro\r, No. 2 196 37.— Winning throw, No. 3 196 38.— Winning throw, No. 4 196 39. — Winning throw, No. 5 196 40.— Winning throw. No. 190 41.— Auxiliary throw. No. 1 196 42. — Auxiliary throw. No. 2 196 43.— Auxiliary throw. No. 3 196 44. — Auxiliary throw. No. 4 196 45.— Auxiliary throw. No. 5 196 46. — Burial posts . 197 47.— Grave lire 198 89 ■Mftuuiiatfia \f A FURTHER CONTRIBUTION STUDY OF THE MORTUARY CUSTOMS OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. ItY II. C. Yaiiuow. • INTRODUCTORY. In vio>v' of the fact that the present paper will doubtless rear.lt many readers who may not, in consequence of the limited edition, have seen the ])reliminary volume on mortuary customs, it seems expedient to re- produce in great part the prefatory remarks which served as an intro- duction to that work ; for the reasons then urged, for the immediate study of this subject, still exist, and as time flies on become more and mo)0 important. Iho primitive manners and customs of the North American Indians are rapidly passing away under influences of civilization and other disturbing elements. In view of this fact, it becomes the .ay of all interested in preserving s. record of these customs to labor assiduously, while there is still time, to collect such data as may bo obtainable. This seems the more important now, as within the last ten years an almost universal interest has been awakened in ethnologic research, and the desire for more knowledge in this regard is constantly increas- ing. A wise and liberal government, recognizing the need, has ably seconded the eflbrts of those engaged in such studies by liberal grants from the public funds ; nor is encouragement wanted from the hundreds of scientific societies throughout the civilized globe. The public press, too — the mouth-piece of the people — is ever on the alert to scatter broad- cast such items of ethnologic information as its corps of well-trained reporters can secure. To induce further laudable inquiry, and assist all those who may be willing to engage in the good work, is the object of this further paper on the mortuary customs of North American Indians, and it is hoped that many more laborers may through it bo added to the extensive and honorable list of those who have already contributed. It woidd appear that the subject chosen should awaken great interest, since the peculiar methods followed by different nations and the great importance attached to burial ceremonies have formed an almost inva- riable part of all works relating to the different peoples of our globe j in fact, no particular portion of ethnologic research has claimed more attention. In view of these facts, it might seem almost a worlc of snper- 01 92 MORTUARY CUSTOMS OF NORTH AMKRICAN INDIANS, m d fi -■ 4 or(){;;;iti()ii to coiiliimc ;i I'lirllu'r cxamiiiatioH of the Hubj((ct, for nearly evory iiutlior in writing of our Tiidian tribes makes some iiieiition of biiiial observaiKies ; but these, notices arc seatteiHHl far and wide on tiio sea of this special literatnre, and many of the acooniits, unless supported by corroborative* eviden(!e, may bo considered as entirely unreliable. To brinj; together and harmonize conllicting statoments. and arrange collectiv(!ly wliat is known of the subject, has been the writer's task, and an (^nonnons mass of information has been a<;quired, the nietiiod of Ke(!urin}f whicli has been already described in the precediiif^ volume and newl not be repeated at this time. It has seemed undesirable at present to enter into any discussion rejjardinfj the causes wliicli may liave led to the adoption of any particular form of burial or coincident ceremonies, the object of tliis paper beiuj? simply to fnrnisli illustrative examples, and request further contributions from observers ; for, notw itiistaiuling the large anumnt of material already at hand, nuicli still renniins to be done, and careful study is needed befon* any attempt at a thorough analysis of mortuary customs can be made. It is owing to these facts and from the nature of the material gathered that the paper must bo considered more as a compilation than an original effort, the writer having done little olso than supply the thread to bind together the accounts furnished. It is proper to add that all the material obtained will eventually bo embodied in a quarto volume, forming one of the series of Contributions to North American Ethnology prepared under ihc direction of Maj. J. W. Powell, Director of the Bureau of Ethnology, Smithsonian Institu- tion, from whom, since the inception of the work, most constant encour- agement and advice has been received, and to whom all American ethnologists owe a debt of gratitude wliich can never be repaid. Having thus called attention to the work, the classification of the subject may be given, and examples furnished of the burial ceremonies among ditferent tribes, calling especial attention to similar or almost analogous customs among the peoples of the Old World. For our present purpose the following jjrovisional arrangement of burials may be adopted, although further study may lead to some mod- iGcations. CliASSIFICATION OF BURIAIj. Ist. By INHUMATION in pits, graves, or holes in the ground, stone graves or cists, in mounds, beneath or in cabins, wigwams, houses or lodges, or in caves. 2d. By EMBALMMENT or a process of mummifying, the remains being afterwards placed in the earth, caves, mounds, boxes on scattblds, or iu charnel-houses. 3d. By DEPOSITION of remains in urns. rAiiiiow. I INHUMATION MOIIAWKH. 98 4tli. By HURFAOK BuniAL, the roiiiiiiiiM bciii;,' placed in hollow treoH or logs, pons, or simply »i'''illy on the siufaco of tbo earth, occasionally beneath, the resnlting bones or ashes bein;; [)laue(l in i)ifs in the gronnd, in boxes placed on scallblds or trees, in urns, soinctinics scattered. (itli. By AKUiAL HiU'Uiyruun, the bodies being leCt in lodges, houses, wibins, tents, depositee^ on scaflblds or trees, in boxes or canoes, the two lattxir receptacles snpportod on sci'i "olds or posts, or placed on the ground. Occasionally baskets liave boon i s d to contain the remains of children, these being hung to trees. 7th. By AQUATIC BUUIAL, beneath the water, or in canoes, which were turned adrift. These heads might, perhaps, bo further subdivided, but the above seem suflicient for all jmictical needs. Tiie use of the term burial throughout this pajjcr is to be understood in its literal sigiiilicance, the word being derived from the Teutonic Anglo- Saxon ^^birfjan,'" to conceal or liido away. In giving descriptions of ditferent burials and attendant ceremonies, it has been deemed expedient to introduce entire acconnts as furnished, in order to preserve continuity of narrative, and in no case has the re- lator'i; language been changed except to correct manifest unintentional errors of spelling. INHUMATION. PIT BURIAL. The commonest mode of burial among North American Indians lias been that of interment in the grcand, aiul this has taken place in a nnmber of different ways ; the following will, however, servo as good examples of the process : One of the simplest forms is thus noted by Schoolcraft : • Tho Mohawks of Now York made a l.irgo rouiul liolo in which tho hody was ploccd upright or upon its haunches, after which it was covered witli timber, to support tho earth which they hiy over, and thereby kept tho body from being pressed. Tli(\y tiu-n raisiMl tlio earth in a round liill over it. Thoy always dressed (lie corpse in all i ts ('•nery, and put wampum and other things into the gravo with it ; and the relations HiifTorcd not grass nor any weed to grow upon tho grave, and frequently visited it and made lamentation. In Jonest is the following interesting account from Lawsonf of the burial customs of the Indians formerly inhabiting tho Carolinas : Among tho Carolina tribes tho burial of tho dead was accompanied with special ceremonies, the oxponso and formality attendant upon tho funeral according with tho rank of tho deceased. Tho corpse was first placed in a cano hurdle and dcpr.sitod iu "Hist. Ind. Tribcfl of U. S^riK'STpt" 3, p. i'Xl t Antiq. of Southern Indians, 1873, pp. lOS-UO. t Hist, of Carolina, 1714, p. 181. 94 MOIiTlJAUV CIFHTOMH OK NOKTIt AMKRKJAN INDIANS. nil niitliuimii iiiudo fur tho purpose, whoro it wim Hiiffered to ruiiiuin for u day and n night, unariliMl iiiid iiioiiriiod ovor liy tho ncivrost roliitivos with dmhuvtOcd hair. Thnsci who iiro to ndlciatn at tint funeral Ko into tint town, and from tho liackH of the lirst yoiin({ nion thoy rnoct Ntiip Hiich MaiikotH anil niatidiooatn as tlioy diicni Hnitahln for Ihrir pnrpoao. In tlioNo tho doad liody is wrapped and thou eovorod with twoorthrco niat.s made of rnshos or cano. Tho coHln is mado of woven rc'eds or hollow <'anc'K tied fast at both ends. When overythinK is prepared for tho iuturniunt,thu corp.se is car- ried from the hon.so in whieh it has heoii lying into tho orchard of peacli-troos and is there deposited in another hnrdle. Sei'ted npon niatsaro there congrcf^ated the family and trilie of the ih'ceased and invited guests, Tho niodieine man, or conjuror, having I'M.joined silenre, then pronounces n funeral oration, during which he recounts the (^xploits of tho deceased, his valor, skill, lovo of country, property, and intlueuce ; alludes to (ho voiil caused by his death, and counsels those who remain to supply his place liy following in his footsteps; pictures tho happtness Im will enjoy in the land of spirits to whtidi he has gone, and conclndos his address by an allnsiou to tho prond- nent traditions of his tribe. Let lis lici'(* pause to remind tho rcatler that this custom lias prevailed tliroiighout tho civilized world up to the present day — a custom, in tim opinion of many, "more honored in tho brea(!h than in the observance." At last [says Mr. L.iwson], tho Corpse is brought away from that Hurdle to tho Grave by four young Men, attended by the Uelatious, tho King, old Men, and nil (ho Nation. When they come to tho Sopnlcro, which is about six foot deep and eight foot long, having at each cud (that is, at the Head and Foot) a Light-Wood or Pitch-Pino Fork driven close down tho sides of the Grave tlrndy into the Ground (these two Porks aro to contain a Ridgo-Pole, as you shall understand presently), before they lay the Corps into the Grave, they cover tho bottom two or three time over with the Hark of Trees ; then thoy let down tho Corps (with two Belts that tho Indians carry their llur- dens withal) very leisurely upon the said Barks ; then they lay over a Polo of the samo Wood in tho two Forks, and having a great many Pieces of Pitch-Pino Logs about two Foot and a half long, thoy stick them in tho sides of the Grave down ouch End and near tho Top thereof, where tho other Knds Ho in tho Ridge-Pole, so that thoy are declining liko tho Roof of a House. These being very thick plac'd, tl.oy cover them [man/ times double] with Bark ; then they throw tho Earth thereon that camo out of the Grave aiul beat it down very firm. By this Means tho dead Body lies in a Vault, nothing touching him. After a time the body is taken up, the bones cleaned, and deposited in an ossuary called the Quiogozon. Figure 1, after Do Bry and Lafitan, represents what the early writers called the (Juiogozon, or cliarnol-hcuso, and allusions will be found to it in other parts of this volume. Discrepancies in these accounts impair greatly their v^alue,for ono author says that bones were deposited, another dried bodies. It will bo seen from tho following account, furnished by M. B. Kent, relating to the Sacs and Foxes {Oh-sali-Jce-,i,clc) of tho Nehema Agency, Nebraskii, tliiit these Indians wore careful in burying their dead to pre- vent the earth coming in contact with tho body, and tl:i8 custom has been followed by a number of ditt'erent tribes, as will be seen by exam- ples given further on. Ancient hurial. — ^Tho hod.v was buried in a grave made about 2J feet deep, and was laid al w;iys with tho head towards tho cist, the burial taking plivce jis soon after death as possible. Tliogravo waspropanid by putting bark in the bottom of it before t he corpse I'lK. 1. — (^iiiiif^ii/.oii nr J)<'iiil lliiimr.. :|i •j; M(;l;n AUy <.IWTO\^.S Of N(»UT11 .VMi;iUCV>J INUIANS. U§'t »;. 'Uli4Mic*i iiimlo ftr Mik jinrpo*;, whi^ro :l. \\,m suiTonvl i.i rouiaiii for ;i daj niiil a n!t int i tlic »'k-. ul" tin- lirsf. .yoiiiitf lutM llii'.v iiu'oi. 8ti'i|> Hiich Ijlankufj* ami laiitilinoittx ik ;ho.v tli-'nii puititblo for tin-ir piiriiifso. Tn Ihcuu tlifi douil IwkIt i , wr.i)i)«'il unA llum cnv.jii'jl with rwoor tlir<>o lii;ilH iiij.tio ol'riiHho* or Siviui. Tlin rofflo i* (Q(m1>) of wovou rceils or hiKh^ir '"ant-s tiwl !".ial at Imrh . i\(lH. Wlicii ovorythiti;' |MmUtil in anotlu rliiii.'K'. ^aud'ipoii maUan" tlitirocoufrMptf.tcil tin- (.iiitily ami trilx' i-C .ho (Irrcoascil end l-r- .t void can.ti"'! liv •! >^ d-ili, (nnl connsido (hiwi who iviuain to aupjily his !i!.i"o ii.\ rullowio- in hi.. uHrf^^jK', . ,icfiir,,» (h4' linpoi-x*^ Iio ivill onjoy in f be land of s)iiiirs Id whit.iwt> f.v !•. minu rl*v rt>ii.«c» '»•■•* •.^,^ '.u,tt.>.h h.- f!< \iii?i ■! tlmtijoflioiit 111,' i i\ lUzed \»'.>riil itj* '•* tUv i.r««>t,f -ij^^^ .-^cnstm'i. m Ui«' oiKiiioii < (' :«a!!.v. '-uuifi^ l.oju^rtMl <; ttie 'i(i'«<%'j rinai iii flic f>?W(M v jtnc*' " \i hi.' ;•;:;■.. M' r,iniv»>'. ;. t(j„ Viir(ji.< it brouway •V.-ttt t>i;v! iltiiviit, u, tl-.o Gnw., l.v fonryntutyt ,Si=^, •.ilrmiml by tlic I{.d.<»t=>oiis. (h.- Kitif;, . !.l Mou.ainl -til tlio Niktiosi. U'hi'ii tVi.'F .-*'»(.■■- {„ too l=k>pnlcr;lit foot ! -nK. !:;>% inj! i.t .a. !i rn.i (that, i.-?; at tij.- Hoad and root) a Lieht-Wood or I'ld'h-Pino Fork diivfii vh"v :i<>i"\ tho MtUn oi iho Grivo ftrmiy into tho Ormind (f'lrso t«o ForK.'i tin lo fo.iluiii a Ri.ig.-I' di,. ;t!» you Hiifi.'i iiiidi'rst;>nd prcwiitlyl, bcfor.- (hey lay Iho (;:>ri>.H iitMi the Grave, rli.«y covvr thii l-ottciu t«o or ilnvi> tinio ovcv 'litli thti Hark of Tvi'cs j tli.Mi tlioy lot; (lo't u Iho (Joriw wit>. , » ■ rS.'U« tlmt Iho Indiaim curry thi ir l!iu- doiiN nil !«! i vory h iMnniy •.,(icn t.iip »;ti(! t>,.r i,» ; »'m.» t'-.-r lay ever u I'olo of fhn .xaino W,.,.d M. Mv,- iw„ t'ork^, ii;.d li.'Viin'; a f^roiit iii.,i,i> ?«,;■.,>. .-,« ;>:*,..(vPin« Lofj.s svhoiU; .11 !''>•',. lid ik half I.. M<;. thi-y .tiick thorn in thi' i.i. ?» . i -.1.. firi^,, . ,-n,Ai g, ,; i),..i j.j'r Ms.,' Top ihwof, v» hero tho othor Ends Vw In thi- K.iljn- s a • . f <' ■:•■ M»i y *f» d-cli ,M,ji ; l- Ui(> l^-MU of !» Itoaso. TInwi Iwiui; vci v Hnck i»h\i."a Ihftv ..-. v.r t>,(.. f>n:« i.> tim.s .!,.;,(.!., I VT t.h r.irk; lluii tliuy throw iiw' V.nrth fhrr,-M>n thu «imo onl of ill.. t*»-vv,! '.-..i .Hi.i, if dawn v.'iy tifni. Uy thi*i Meiiua tho d >«d rSody Ij. * jii « Vanlf, iioiiii'H.' ' "!■.',!, 11 '?'.'.'. r-' Aflor -k Uifio Uio b..»(£.v it » j.k. u uj), ih, boiif"< .•(.■nn,.,!, unl lU no.^iu i! in iiii !iiii.s will bf fo«ir...S h. ;: in iflHT n;ur» i.i tiii.s voliiim;. DisriH'panci*'.- m thoso nccomiiM iii.|iair f'fcjtlv I licir valiit', foi- one, aut hio "n,.v8 that Imdk-h went .lof>(wit»'<(, JMiother (hifii bodii'.v it will 1)0 seen (Vom tho roUovvuiy aocomu, fidiii.shod h\ M. IJ. Kent, rolatinn- *u tlio S.nw and l-'oxos iOh mh 1-- ift-k) (>1" tho Nohemn Af,'eiic.v, N< '>i-'ska. that tlio.so liniian- n-orc t^ivix fi.' ,1 haivfi;; tlioir tit'ail ti> |ii-o- .0111 tho caul; i-<>!iiim.o: in i:o!itiU't, with :i" ImmIv, aiitl Uiih custom has Im'.'ii loll.iwcd liy u mtmloT (;o/,oii or IJfiid lliinsr. r ARROW. I INHUMATION CREEKS AND 8EMINOLES. 95 was dopoHited, u plank coveriug made and secured some distance above the body. The i>lauk was made by splitting trees, until intercourse with the whites enabled ♦;hoin to obtain sawed lumber. The corpse was alivays enveloped in a blanket, and pre- pared OS for a long journey in life, no cofSn being used. Modern burial. — This tribe now usually bury in coffins, rudo ones constnxetod by themselves, still depositing the body in the grave with the head towards the east. Ancient funeral ceremonies. — Every relative of the deceased had to throw some arti- cle in the grave, cither food, clothing, or other material. There was no rule stating the nature of what was to bo added to the collection, simply a requirement that some- thing must be deposited, if it were only a piece of soiled and faded calico. After the corpse was lowered into the grave some brave addressed the dead, instructing him to walk directly wctitward, that he would soon discover moccasin tracks, which he must follow until ho came to a great river, whicli is the river of death ; when there ho would find a polo across the river, wlii;h, if he has been honest, upright, and good, will bo straight, n^m which ho con'd readily cross to the other side ; but if his life had been one of wickedness and sin, the pole would bo very crooked, and in the attempt to cross upon it ho would bo precipitated into the turbulent stream and lost forever. The brave also told him if ho crossed the river in safety the Great Father would receive him, take out his old brains, give him new ones, and then ho would have reached the happy hunting grounds, always be happy and have eternal life. After burial a feast was always called, and a portion of the food of which each and every relative was partaking was bnrned to furnish subsistence to the spirit upon its journey. Modern funeral ceremonies. — Provisions are rarely put into the grave, and no por- tion of what is prepared for the feast subsequent to burial is burned, although the feiist is continued. All tho address delivered by the brave over the corpse after being deposited in tho grave is oii\ited. A prominent feature of al! ceremonies, either funeral or religious, consists of feasting accompanied with music and dancing. Ancient mourning observances. — ^Tho female relations allowed their hair to hang entirely unrestrained, clothed themselves in the most unpresentable attire, the latter of which the males also do. Men blacked the whole face for a period of ton days after a death in the family, while the women blacked only the cheeks; tho faces of tho children were blacked for three months; they were also required to fast for the same length of time, tho fasting to consist of eating but one meal per day, to bo made entirely of hominy, and partaken of about sunset. It was believed that this fasting would en- able tho child to (lre;.m of coming events and prophesy what was to happen in the future. Tho extent and correctness of proi)hotio vision depended upon how faithfully the ordeal of fasting had be ju observed. Modern mourning observi ncen. — Many of these of the past are continued, suoh as wearing the hoir unrestrained, wearing uncouth apparel, blacking faces, and fasting of child' en, and they aro idliered to with as much tenacity as many of tho professing Christians belonging to the 'ivangelical churches adhere to their practices, which con- stitute mere forms, the iutriuoio value of which can very reasonably be called in question. Tho Creeks and Seininolesof Florida, according to Schoolcraft,* made the graves of their dead as follows : When one of the family dies, the relatives bury tho corpse about four feet deep in a round hole dug directly under tho cabin or rock wherever ho died. The corpse is placed in tho 'lolo in a sitting posture, with a blanket wrapped about it, and the legs bent under and tied together. If a warrior, ho is painted, and his pipe, ornaments, and warlLko appendages are deposited with him. Tho grave is then covered with canes lied to a hoop round tho top of tho hole, then a tirm layer of clay, sufficient to support tho weight of a man. Tho relations howl loudly and mourn publicly for four day. If >ho deceased has been a man of eminent character, tho family immediately remove • Hist. Ind. Tribes of U. 8., ISiS, pt. 5, p. 270. 9G MOKTUARY CUSTOMS OP NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. diatoly roinovo from tho house in 'vliich ho in huriod nnd croct a now ouo, with a ho- lifif that whoro tho bonos of thoir dead are deposited tho place is always attended by goblins and chimeras dire. Dr. W. C. Boteler, physician to tho Otoo Indian Agency, Gage County, Nebraskii, in a personal comuuinication to the writer, furnislies a most interesting acconnt of tlie burial ceremonies of this tribe, in winch it may bo seen that graves aro prepared in a manner similar to those already mentioned : Tho Otoe and Missouri tribes of Indians arc now located in southern Gago County, Nobri'ska, on a reservation of 43,000 acres, unsurpassed in beauty of location, nat- ural resources, .and adaptability for prosperous agriculture. This pastoral people, though in tho midst of civilization, have departed but little from the rude practice and customs of a nomadic life, aud hero may be soon and studied those interoating dramas as vividly and satisfactorily as upon the remote frontier. During my residenco among this people on different occasions, I have had tho op- portunity of witnessing tho Indian burials aud many quaint ceremonies pertaining thereto. When it is found that tho vital spark is wavering in an Otoo subject, the pre- paration of tho burial costume is immodiately boguu. The near relatives of tho dying Indian surround tho humble bedside, aud by loud lamentations and much weep- ing manifest a grief which is truly commensurate with the intensity of Indian devo- tion and attachment. While thus expressing before tho near departed their grief at tho sad separation im- pending, the Indian women, or friendly braves, lose no time in equipping him or her with the most ornate clothes aud ornaments that are available or in immediate pos- session. It is thus that tho departed Otoo is enrobed in death, iu articles of his own selection and by arrangements oi his own taste and dictated by his own tongue. It is customary for tho dying Indian to dictate, ore his departure, tho propriety or im- propriety of the accustomed sacrifices. In some cases there is a double aud in others no sacrifice at ail. Tho Indian women then prepare io cut away their hair; it is ac- complished with scissors, cutting close to the scalp at tho side and behind. Tho preparation of tho dead for burial is conducted with great solemnity and care. Boad-work the most ornate, expensive blankets and ribbons comprise the fimeral shroud. Tho -lead, being thus enrobed, is placed in a rocumbont posture .at tho most conspicuous part of tho lodge and viewed iu rotation by the mourning relatives previously summoned by a courier, all preserving uniformity in tho piercing screams which would seeuj to have been learned by rote. An apparent service is t hen coudnctcd. Tho aged men of tho tribe, arninged iu a cir- cle, chant a iieculiar funeral dirge around one of their number, keei)ing time upon a drum or some rudo cooking-utensil. At irregular intervals an aged relative will arise and danoo excitedly around the central person, vociferating, and with wild gesture, tomahawk in hand, imprecate the evil spirit, Avliich ho drives to tho laud where the sun goes down. The evil spirit being thus effectually banished, the mourning gradually subsides, blending into succeeding scenes of feasting and refreshment. Tho burial feast is in every respect equal in rich- ness to its accompanying ceremonies. All who assemble aro supplied with cooki^d veni- son, hog, buffalo, or beef, regular waiters distributing aliko hot cakes soaked iu grease aud coffee or water, as tho case may be. Frequently during this stage of tho ceremony tho most aged Indian present will sit iu (he central circle, and iu a continuous and doleful tone narrate tho .acts of valor iu till! life of (he departed, enjoining fortitude .and bravery upon all sitting anmnd as an essential qualilicatiou for admittance to tho land whoro tho Great Spirit reigns. When tho burial fe.ast is well-nigh completed, it is customary for tho surviving friends to TAHHOW.) INHUMATION OTOE. 97 presi'iit tlio bi'i'i'uvfii I'liiiiily with useful iirticlcs of doincstic noeds, such an calico in bolt, llimnt'l cloth, rohcs, and not unfrcciuciitly ixniics or hoisos. After the couclu- siou of the I'cremoui.'.s at the lo(l;;e, the hody is carefully placed in a wa;;oii mid, with an escort of all friends, relatives, and aciiuaintances, conveyed to the j^rave ]aeviously prepared by some uearridatioii or friend. When a wagon is used, the inunediate rela- tives occujiy it with the (-orpse, whi(di is propped in a semi-Hitting jtosture ; heforo the use of \va;;ons amoni; the Olnes, it was nt^ccssary to hind the hody of the deceased upon a horse and then convey him to his last rcstin;; placu union<; his friends. In p,".st days when biitralo were more available, and a tribal hunt was more freijuently in- artakes of a double nature; upon the one hand it is sanjfuinary and cruel, aiul ujion tlu) other bleuihMl with the deepest grief and most heartfelt sorrow. Before the interment of the dead the chattels of the deceased are iiidoaded from the wagons or unpacked from the backs of ponies and carefully arranged in the vault-like tond). The bottom, which is wider than the top (graves here being dug liki^ an inverteil funnel), is spread with straw or grass matting, wov4'n generally by the Indian women of the tribe or some near neigh Ihu'. The side? are then carefully hung with handsome shawls lU' bhinkel.s, ami trunks, with domestic article , pottery, &,<^, of less importance, are piled around in abundance The. sacri- tices are next imiugurated. A pony, tirst designated by tlii^ dying Indian, is led aside au of intrinsic worth than pervades whites of like ailvantages and conditions. We art; told in the Old Testament Scriptures, "four days and fournights should the llres burn," &c. In fullillment of this sa(a'ed injunction, we ti.nd the mid- night vigil earefnlly kept by theses Indians four days and four nights at the graves of their departed. A small lire is kiiidleil for thi! purpose near the grave at sunset, where the nearest relatives convene and niaiutain a I'onlinuoiis lamentation till the moniing dawn. There was an ancient tradition that at the expiration of this time the Indian arose, and mount ing his spirit pony, galloped otV to the happy hunt- ing-ground beyond. Happily, with the advancement of Christianity these superstitions have faded, and the living saerilices are partially continued only from a belief that by parting with their most cherished anil valuable goods they jiropitiate the Great Spirit for the siu.i committed during the life of tli- decc'ased. This, though at tirst ri^voltiiig, we lind was the xiractice of our own forefathers, ottering up as burnt ofterings the lamb or theux; hence we cannot censure this people, but, from a comiiarison of conditions, credit them with a more strict ob.servance of our Holy Book than pride and seductive fashions permit of us, 7 A K ^4^fejA?j-jifc<#^ajjtatc^.^>^iii^"^ii^ '4 :'l: I 91' 98 MORTUARY CUSTOMS OF NORTH AMKRICAN INDIANS. From a careful review of tlie wliole of llieir attendant ccromonioH a rpmarkable Him- ilarity e niarkeil. The arrangement of the corpse preparatory to iiilerment, the funeral feast, the local wrvice by the ajicil fathern, are all observances that have been noted anuiuK wliitoH, extenilint; into tiineHtliat are iii the memory of those still living' Tli(> Pimas of Arizona, atrtiiatoil by ai>j)arcntl,v tlio sarno motives that led tlio more eastern tribes to endeavor to prevent contact of earth with the eorj)se, adopted a phin whi(!h has been «lescribed by (Japt. V, E. Cirossinan,* and tlie account is corroborated by M. Alphonse I'inartf and JJancroft.t Captain (Iro: .wnan's account follows: Tli(! I'inias lie the bodies of llieir dead with ropes, jiassinj; the latter around their neck and under the knees, and then dra\vin;j; tlieiti tif;ht until the budy is doubled up and forced into a sitting posiition. Tlicy dig the graves from four to live feet deep and perfectly rouiul (about two feet in diameter), and then hollow imt to one side of the bottom of this gravi' a siu't of vault largeenough to contain the body. Here the body is deposited, the grave Is tilled uj) level with the grouml, and pedes, trees, or pieecs of timber placed upon tlu! grave to protect the remains from coyotes. Fici. 2.— I'iiiKi liuiiiil. Burials usiuilly take place at night without much ci'remony. The mourners chiint during the liurial, but signs of grief are rare. The bodies of their dead are luirieil, if po,ssil)le, im'uedialely afti'r diNith has taken place; and the graves are generally pre- )>ared bct'ore the patients die. Sometimes sick persons (for whom the graves had already be(ni dug) recover. In such ca.ses the graves arc left open until the ])er.s(ms for whom they are intended die. Open graves of this kiml can be seen in several of their burial grounds. l'la<'es of burial are .selected some distaiwe from the village, and, if possi- ble, i I a grove of mesiputt^ trees. Il' mediately after the remains have been buried, the house and personal effects of tl' > deceoHodaro burned, and his horses ami cattle killed, the meat buiug cooked as a * Rep. Smitlisonian Institution, l"^!, p. 107. t Voy. dans I'.Vrizona, in Hull. Soc de (Ji^ograidiie, lrt77. !Nat. Races I'acif. States lH7t, vol. I, p. .■)5,\ INHUMATION COMANCHE8. Jt9 'opast for tho inournorM. Tlio nearest rolativi-s of tlio (U-ncaHcil as a sinn of their sor- row romaiii witliiii tlioir villii){(i for wcoks, and soinetimvs iiiontlis ; tli(( men cut otf about six inches of tliuir Ion;; liair, wliilo the women cnt tlicir hair (|nite short. » » » Tho cnstoni of destroy n;? all tlio property of the hnsbaiul when ho dies impover- ishes the widow and cliil. Iron and prevents increase of stock. The women of t lie tribe, well aware that they will be poor shonld their hnshands die, and that then they will havo to providl^ for their children by their own exertions, do not care to have n\any children, and infanticide, both before and afterbirth, i)revails to a jjreat extent. This is not considered a crime, and t>ld women of tho tril)o practice it. A widow may marry again after a year's moiirninlae(!d a |tie(;e of meat on tho end of a lodge-]iole and extended it to him. Ho soon apjieareil at liis own camp, creating, if possible, even more dismay than anuMig the WIf'hItas, and this resulted in both Wichitas and Comauches leaving their villages and moving en mojise to a )>lae() on Kiish Crock, not far distant from tho j)reHeut site of Fort Sill. "When the troubled spirit from the snn.s«tting world was questioned why he thus appeared among the inhabitants of earth, he made reply that wlum ho came to tho gates of |>aradlso the keepers would on no aeeonnt permit him to ontet upon such an ill-conditioned beast as that which bore him, and thus in sadness he returned to haunt the homes of tho.se whose stinginess and greed permitteil him no better ecpiip- nu'ut. .Since this iu» Comanchu has been i)ermitted to depart with tho sun to his chambers in tlu; west without a 8teoli, tiiese people call themselves Weeka-nahs. TlirHo arc roiiiiiioiily known to tlio whites hh Viron. Tlio iniinniT of bnriiil by tlii'HO IiulinnH, lioth ancient and nuMli'i-ii, an tar as I can ascertain from infurnuition ob- taineil from the most intellijrent of the tribe, is tliat the boily m tlie (teuil is anil has lieeii always bnrieil in the ^ronnil in a horizontal position with the flat bottom of thu Urave. Tho );iave is generally dng out of the frronml in the nsnal ami onlinary nuvu- lier, being abont (S feet deep, 7 feet long, and abont "i feet wide. It is generally llnished after receiving its occnpant by being hoveled witli the hard gronnd aronnd it, never leaving, as is cnstomary with the whites, a nionnd to mark the spot. This tribe of Pneblo Indians never crenuited their dead, as they do not know, even by tradi- tion, that it was ever done or attempted. There are no ntensils or ini|)lenients placed ill the grave, but there ari^ a great many Indian ornaments, siicli as beads of all colors, sea-shells, hawk-bells, round looking-glasses, and a profusion of ribbons of all imagin- able colors; then they paint tho body with red vermilion and white (^halk, giving it a most fantastic as well as ludicrous appearance. They also place a variety of food in tho grave as a \vis(^ provision for its long Journey to the happy hiinting-groiind beyond the eloitds, Tho funeral cercmonit-.i of this tribe aro very peculiar. First, after corpso l««lon«> up or riiflHT liiilnl lip ill a Inrjfo niid wcU- liiiiiiril liiilliilo riilir, anil lii'il ariiiiiKl ti^lil. with ii iiipr iir Iiinmo iiiaili> lor tin' |iin|iiiNr; tlii>ll nK or i'i);lll liirii art UN piill-lirai'i'lN, rii|ii< iliii^M iiliNrivi'tl liy llio ('atliolii' cliiircli all over tlirwoilil. While the Kiiivc-illnni'iM arc lllliii); up the j{l''ivr, tlio frii'iiils, rclativi'.M, iiciKhlioiM, anil, in fact, all pciHoiin lliaf altcml the fiincnil, j;iv<' vent to their nail feeliii);* liy inakiii); tile whole piielilo howl; after the Ireiiienihiim ii]ii'oarNiil>Hlili's, they iliNlianil anil leave the lioilv to rest until (jaliriel IiIowh Imn tniiii- pel. When the cerenionieN are perfolineil with ail the pomp of the ('uthiilie. rhiireh, (he priest reeeives a fair eompennation for \\\t* Hervieen; iilherwise he otliiialeN for the yearly rentH that all the ImliaiiH of the piielilopuy liini, wliieli aiiioiinl in the siim total lo alioiit S'.'.IKKI per annniii. Thi'se I'liohlo ImliaiiH are very Htrintin thitir inniirMin^ oliHi-rvaiiee, which la.sf for one yeitr after the ilciniNC of thi< ileceaNod. While in nionriiiiiK for the ih'iiil, (lie iiioiiriicrH do not part ici put c in the national IcHlivitiesnf the trilie, which areoccaNioiiH of Niale with them, lint they retire into a Ntate of .snlilime i|iiictiide which iniiUeH more civili/.eil peoph- sail to oliMc>rve; lint when (he lerm of nioiiriiin^ leases, at the cnil of till' year, they have hif^U luasaBiiiil for the hcnelll of the soul of the (lc]iaiicil ; iiflor this they a;j;aiii a|ipear upon the arena, of their wild sports and continue lo lie piy and happy until the uu\l mortal iscal'cd from (his (errestrial sphere to (he happy liiiiilin);-Kronnd, which is (heir pictured celestial paradise. 'I'lie aliove cited facts, which are the uiosi inlcrcstiii); points counccti'd w itli the inirial I'listonisof the Iniliaiis of the piiclilo Sail (ieroninio de Taos, arc not in the Iciisl exai;nerated, hut are (he ali- solnlc facts, which 1 have wituessod myself in many instances for a ])eriiMl of more (hail twenty years that I have resided hnl ii short distance from said |Mielilo, and, licint; " close oliservcv ot' (heir peculiar Imi'ial custoins, am aide to n\\r yon this true and iindls;riiised informalioii relative to your circular on "Imrial customs.'' AiiotliiM- i^xitniplo of tliM cave which is tniicii to i)rcv('iit. tlic eiirth coin- in;; ill coiitiict with t JKM-orp.sc iiiiiy be foiiiid in the iu^'onnt ol tli(> biiriiil of the Wichita liidiaii.s of Indian Tciritoiy, fiirnislicd by Dc. l''ordyciiii{ tirst wrapped in lilankets and then laid prone ae.oss the saddle, one iiersou walking on citliersidetosniiporl it. The fjravc isiliij; from three tot'onr feet deep and of snlllcient h'ujjlh for (he exti'iided body. I'irst lilankets and hutValo-rohcsare laid in the liottom of tho sravo, (hen (he body, licin<; (aken from (he horso and unwrapped, is dressed ill its hesi apparel and with ornaments is placed upon ti conch of lilankets and rolies, with the head towards (ho west and the feet to ilie east; (he valnahles liclon^in<{ (o the di'ceased are iilaceil with the Imdy in (he jirave. Witli the man are dciiosi'ed liis hows and arrows or f;iiii, ami with (he woimiii her cookiuj; ii(ensils and odier iiiil>lemeiils of her toil. Over the hody sticks are iilaced six or ei^ht inches di'cii and fjrass over these, so that when the earth is tilled in, it need not come in contact with the hody or its trappings. After the grave is tilled with earth, a, pen of poles is liiiill around it, or, as is freipienlly (he case, stakes are driven so (hat they cro.ss e.ich other ("rem either Bide ahout iniilway over the grave, thus forming a coin|)le,te protection from the invasion of wild anim.als. After all this is done, tlie grass of other (khfin is carefully scraped from ahout tho grave for several foot, so that tho ground is left smooth and clean. It is solUom tlic cnso that the relatives nccompany MORTIIAKY (I'STOMS OV TMK PKKSIANS. lo.-i till' riMii.'inix to the K>'<1^'''> '"It IIk'V iiiiy iitliris to liiirv tlir lioily lor tlii'iii, iiKi; illy woinoii. Miiiiriilii;; \h itiiiiiliii' In tliiN trllii< iih in oIIiitn, iiiiil it nnmlHtH ill riittiiip olV tliK liair, I'tiHtiii^, \i\ lIoi'Mi'H an- iiIho Uillnl iit tlic ^ravf, Tlit^ ('iuldofs, Ascrnii, oi' 'i'iiiilx'r liwliiiiis, as tli*-,v ciill llu^iiisolvt's, t'olldw lUMily tlio siuiu^ iniMh^ ol' biiiiiil ii.s tlio Wirliiliis. hut uii» (!iiHtoiii IHcviiiliiiy; is worthy of iiiiuitioii: % ir a Caililo IH Mllril in liattli\ tlir lioily i^ iirviT linritMl, Iml \n li It to hr ili'voiiii'il liy hi'UNtH or IiIi'iIh III' ]iiry, ami llir roiiililioii ol' nihIi iniliviiliiiils in llii> otlici' worlil in riiiiHiili^iril In lio fill' liotli'i' (lian that ol' |ii'i'HonH ilviii); a natnial ilratli. Ill 11 work by Hriiliitir* tlio lollowiii}; rt'iiiiirks, f'rct'ly tniiishitt'tl l»y tlio wri^i-r, miiy 1m^ roiiiitl, wlii<'li iiotc^ ii ciisloiii liiiviiij; j^iTiit similarity to lii(< "xposiirci of ImkUcs to wild luMists iiit'iitioiuMl iiltovc: 'I'lio .tiirii'iit I'rrNianNtliiTW ojit tin- lioilii'sol' tlii'irilrail on tlii' roailn, anil it' llicy wno |il'olii|illy ilrvoni'i'il liy wilil liranlH it was cHti'miril a ^irat lioiior, a iniHroiliinit il' not. Hoini'tinirM tliry inti'ii'i'il, always wrappiii;; tlir dinil in a waxilotli to inrvml oilor. Ar. Piurn^ Miir(^t,t t'roiii wliosu hook l>riiliit>r proltaltly oMaiiK'd liis iiiioriiiation, '/\\v>* at ('oiisil(> lcii};lli an account of this |>f<-iiliar iiictliod of treating' tlu^ dcnul anion;*' t\w Persians, as follows: II is II nialtrrol' iiHtoiiiHiniiiMit, coiisiili'iin^ tlio I'ltniiiiix havr cviT Iniil tlii< ri'iiown of licin^ our of llii' niosi rivili/.i>il Nations in llii' worlil, that notwltlislaniliiih tliry slioiilil liavn iisi'il siirli liarliai'ons ciistniiis alioiit llir Di'ail as ai'f srl ilown in llio Wiilin^is of somr Historians; anil tin' rallirr lirransc at this ilay llirro iiri' still to lie si'i'ii anions llniii tliosi' ri'inains of Anlii|iiity, wliirli ilo I'nily sal islio lis, that tlirir Tonihs havo lirni vrry ina(;niru!i'iil. Anil yi't novrrthi'lrss, if wr will l^'wr ririlit to I'miopiiiH anil AijiiIIiUik, llio I'cvs'mnn wrro novrr wont to hiiry llirir Drail Uotlirs, so far wi'ro thuy from hrstowini; any Kiincral irononrs iiixiu tlii'in: ltiit,as tlii'so Authors trll IIS, (hoy rxiiosi'i^ tlipiii stark naked in tin' oprii tiolils, whirh is thr ^n-ati'st shanir oar tiaws ilo allot to the most iiifainons Criminals, liy laying? thrni oiini to tlio vitiw of all ii|ioii tlio hiffhways: Yi'a, in thrir opinion it was a Kri'at nnhappincss, if I'ithi'r lliriln or llitasls iliil not ilovoiir tluiir Cari'asi's ; anil thry roinmonly niailo an rstiniato of tho Fiilirily of tlii'se poor Koilirs, ai'i'orilin;^ as (hoy wcro sooni'r or latrr inailr a proy of. Conci'i'iiiiif; tlirsi', they ri'solvi'd that tliry iiiiist nrrils havo lioin vrry hail inih-ril, sinn- I'vi'ii the hoasts thrinsi'lvcs would not tonrh tlii'in; whirh ransi'd an rxlieani sorrow to tlii'ir Uolations, tlii'y taking it for an ill hoilinjj to their Family, and an in- fallihle presage of soiiie ;;reat misfortune, hanfjin;; over their heads; for they persuaded themselves, that the Souls whieh inhaliited those liodies heinj; dranji'd into Hell, would not fail toeonie and tronlile them ; and that hein<; always aceoinpanied with the Devils, their Tormentors, they woiilit certainly give them a great deal of distiirlianee. And im the contrary, when these (lorpses were ]),esi'iitly devoured, their joy waH very great, they enlarged themselves in praises of the Deceaseil ; every one esteeming them nndonhtedly happy, and eame to eongratnlate their relations on that aeeoniit: Kor as they helieved assnredly, that they were entered into tho Elijuinn Fields, so (hey were persuaded, that they would iirociire the saiuo hliss for all those of their family. They also took a great delight to see Skeletons and Hones scatercd up and down in the t'lelds, whereas we can scarcely endure to see (hose of Horses and Dogs imed so. And these remains of Hiiinann liodies, (the sight whereof gives us so much horror, that we presently hnry (hem out of our sight, whenever we Hiid theiii elsewhere thnu in Charnel-hnusi's or Chiirch-yards) were the occasion of their greatest .joy ; heeanso tliey coueludi'il from (hence the happiness of (hose that had liceii devoured, wishing after their Death to meet with the like good luck. * L'incprtltudo dea Signes do hv Mort, 1741), t. 1, p. 439. t Rites of Funeral, Ancient and Modern, DiH;!, p. 45. 101 MOKTITAUV CirSTOMS OP NOItni AMKRICAN INDIANS. Tii<> suiiir iuitlior statoN, and !triiliii;r rorrolxmitivs aie iiNsortion, tliut tb(^ I'lirtliiiiiis, .Mt'ilcs, IbtMiaiis, Cas|tiiiiis, iiiiil ii I'lnv otliciN, liiid sii(;li a liorror and aversion oC tlir corniptidii and dccoiiipositioii of t\w d<>iul, and of tlicir bein;; eaten li.v woiiiim, that they thriiw out tlie bodies into tlie open tlelds t(» be devonied l»,v wihl Iteasts, a part of tlieir itelicf hoiug tlnit persons so devonred woidd not be entirely extinct, bnt enjoy at least a partial sort of life in their living,' si^pnh^hers. It is (|nite proi»- able that for these and other reasons the Uaetrians an*l Ilireaiiians trained doffs for this spi'cial purpose, called CinitM HepalchrnlcH, which received the greatest eare and attt'ntion, for it was deunicd proper that the souls of the deceased should have strong and lusty frames todw«'ll in. The Huddhists of IMiotau are saiil to expose tlie, bodies of their dead on top of hi^di rocks. According.' to T<'t,% whose work is tpioted Irc'piently, in the Ijoudon Times of .lanuary US, 1S7(), Mi'. Monier Williams wiites from Cahuittare- }j;ardinK the "Toweisof Silence," so called, of the I'arsccs, who, it is well known, are the desceiidaids of the ancient Tersians expelled from Persia by the Mohammedan con(|uerors, and settled at Surat about 1,100 years since. This H:entleman's narrative is freely made use of to show how the custom of the exposu'c of the dead to birds of prey has continued uj) to the |>resent time. 'I'll!" !>iililiiiiiis, III' l';iiM(!(' Inwc'i'M 111" sil"n( T, nrc rri'oti'd in ii ;;iii'ii tlm lii^host |)iiiiit of Malaliar Mill, ii Ik aiitil'iil, riNlii^ ^roiinil on one nIiIc hI'- llliirk Iliiy, noted for llii^ linnj{!ilo\v,H iinil coinpoiniils ortlic ICnro|ii'iin ninl wi'iiltliirr inliiililtaiils of lloinbay soatti'icd in oviT.v direction over its surface. The garden is ajiproaclu'd li.v a well-constrncted, lirivale roiul, all access to which, except to I'arsceH, is barred by stronjr iroji ({ates. The fjarden is described as beiiifj very beautiful, and he says : No t'o^lish nobleman's );arilen could be better kept, iiiul no pen could do JiiHfice to till" glories of its lloweriiin shrubs, cypresses, and |ialins. It seemed the very iduul, not oidy of a jdace of sacred silence, but of peaceful rest. .ilic towers tire live in number, built of hardest black {jranitc, about 40 feet in diameter and 25 in hei{^ht, iuid constructed so solidly as almost to resist absolutely the ravages of time. The oldest tind smallest of the towers was constructed about liOO years sincic, when the I'iirsees first settled in Hoiubay, and is used oidy for a certain family. The next old- est was erected in 1750, and the three others during the next ceutin-y. A sixth tower of scpmre shape stands alone, and is only used for criminals. riie writer proceeds as follows : Though wholly dcstitutt) of ornament and even of the simplest moldings, tho pnra- ])ot of «ach tower possesses an extraordinary coping, which instantly attracts and fnscinatos tho gazo. It is a coping fornu'd, not of dead stont", but of living vultures. These 1)irds, on tho occasion of my visit, had settled themselves side by sido in per- fect order and in a complete circle around tho parapets of the towers, with their heads pointing inwards, and so lazily did they sit there, and so motionless was their whole luion, that, except for their color, they might have been carved out of tho st(me- work. I'm. :t. — l'ttrso« Towith of Hilciice (ii 'orior). ■ 'JM'' ■"€" , ,- y, m ^•: TT VAimiiwl r\B8Ei-; nuuiAL. lor. >.-;t.'^._ "J' No ou(j •»< iillowod to enter tlw towors except the coi-pHt'-b»«ir<'rs. nor is any otipi )vweriJtt*Ml witltiu thirty Aiel of th<> iinm(Mliiit«) imM-incts. A iiKxlt'l wa.s Mliowti Mr. Wi(Uam«, and frt»m it lu> drew up this ilesciiptifm : liiiugiiie « rouuil column or in»sMVn < yliud-r, I'i or H iVol liijjh iiiui ivt lojist in O'ot ill (tiiHuiitor, liiiilt tliroii'.ilioui ol wilUt (itoiic t'X(:o)>t in th^^ lU-utor, wIhtc u wc^H, 5 or ti foct jiorosM, Iiviil." down ti> nil oxiiiviitiou uuiU-r lli<' miujoury, coutuiiiiiu;' four ilntiiin lit ri){lit. iHi;i;l»w l'> I'lioli otlv-n-, to,rmiuut<"i)(>r MurfaiK of this solid lirouhir cjlimlci, .'iml t•ollllll(^tl^ly huliujj the mlnrior I'liiiii viow, in » stono i)uv;ii) iiiec.ii wiMi tin; solid stoiu- uorli. iiiuI tx'iuif, '''^*' ''■ covi'i-ed with otiuuitm, f^ivoh he whole iho (.ppi-ariiniw of n !yn !civ«r. Tho uiiyii-r surfar.ii of t.lin iwdid stoim <^ollImIl individi-d iut^iTii comi>rirtti!c;it»t, or ojx'ii rercniaclcs, ijwiiatiiiK likt" tho spokrs of ii whfi'i from tho ccutral vn:\i. niul arraiij;i'd in tliico cou- curitrio riiiij;N, si'iuiruttMl from ciioh other hy narrow ridvt«cio-'< into the w--!! iiinl into iho lower drains. U Nhonld he noted that thii iiiiniher " :i" in tMuMeiuiifien.! of Zoroa>iter's three iireeejits, and the niuiilxr "TiJ" of llm chiiptev.s of bin Y.iHiiH, a por- tion of the Zend-AM-atii. Kaih 'irele of open utone eoiUils t.s divido-l tj-om tUf nest, by a p»th,«i».ir, »" t".. it there ttf thre" circnUr f.»ttw\i<, f.(i<> i>tMt t\ ir- UjjjJ thctieritrt! wtV. ixs\it ;h»!>«5 thn>fl i<*tl>»*A|ri« *tf -x'i*>fv4 hf «a,:.i* i/(M'p»»!- V4r<\r* tVoni rtw rsti^nor, iu th«'i tmtwriiiom. rirt '." oi th<^ ntono ■••iifiiM" are phw<«« iHwIieM of tunlo*, iu th-' mi^«irw,c ' ' ' ''■.1"' ji ■'<<■ .t.i..* . '!)*ii<^ i»> r«i.u o>n i.i\«i>». ... 1. A..V it li!rJior>i t.miu! nuo of liii' towers lMt|t>*t) ionh«« nviuptoiiiHof BXeU^f^wnt, wUil« utbti-y ,swik>pwl 40*8 iVvw i)tw'(d»'.«tMti« it»;'* •J:1!«« -jsjitw ,•«jrr j>ri'- »S ifi^-Jf .V i»«tv?" «if «ii«ii !« h* ^tppioiwUjtiK. >i.".'( iit» !» rich or pmir, Jiij»li or low in rank, hi* hiHly is always eftiricd to the towers l>y the ofUruti rvif.v-l»iir''r«, tfilled .Viwn3t'7l eai h couple joined liy lioldleir a while hand kerchief between theni. The piirtirular funeral I witnesMiid was tVi.ii of ;i . Uild. When the two c-.irpse-hcarerM rewhcd the path leading; hy a .strep iin line to the doc- oi lln- tower, the mounier.'-. ah'.itt eiii;hl in nniulicr, tiirueil haek ami entered oae ..f the pr.»M-r-bon»eJi. "There,'' said the secretary, "they repeat eertain Kiithac, ami pray lt>al tb« spirit of the d(>epa»ed uiay he. wifely trantif.ivrteil, en the noi rlh day aft'M' death, to its ttnal ie.'!tii:;5-plaee." The tower aelet (-id for the pi-esent fiiiir ral was one in whii )i other memhurs o( flc "nme ttuuily IumI '>«for« Ih'Cii laid. The I wo hea/ers speedily nnhu l.r.d the iloor, rev- 't'litly convoytMi IImi V»o,>'* hey ri»»in»e»'>'d ihey »-.!.*«w4 * • "lOr wliun ,» doeeii vnltiires .sHoopeil down upon the luxiy and wiiii' rapidly follviw .i ' ■rtiei-fi. In i»* *;• '-ar«T« wew m">ii to enter a l.iii'Miiij;Hlia|"-d liki-a high inrp'l. There, "'i^i' .■'ui8 apathy soon revealed itself. A finieral was seen to be approaching. However distant the house t)f a deceased pin-s.in, and whether he be rich or i)oor, liigh or low in rank, his body is always carried to the towers by the oflicial corpse-bearers, called Nasmaldr, who form a distiiu't <'lass, the mourners walking behind. Before they remove the body from tlu) house where the relatives are assembled, funeral pray(ir8 are recited, and the corpse is exposed to the gaze of a dog, ri-gardi'd by the Parsees as a sacred animal. This latter ceremony is called mgdid. Then the body, swathed in a white sheet, is placed in a curved metal trough, open at both ends, and tln< corpse-bearers, dressed in pure white garments, proceed with it towards the towel's. They are followed by the monrneis at a distance of at least liU feet, ill iiairs, also dressed in white, and each couple joined by holding a white hand- kerchief between them. The |)articular funeral I witnessed wasthatof a child. When the two cor|)se-bearers reac^hed the path leading by a steep incline to the door of the tower, the mourners, about eight in number, turned b.ick and eiitc -ed one of the prayer-houses. "There," said the secretary, "they repeat certain gatluis, and )iray that the spirit of the deceased may besafely transported, on the fourth day after death, to its linal resting-place." The tower selected for the present funeral was one in which other members of the same family had before been laid. The two bearers speedily iiidocked the door, rev- erently conveyed the body of the child into the interior, .iiid, unseen by any oiu', laid it- uncover. d in one of the open stone recei>taclcs ni'an'st the central well. In two minutes they reappeared with the empty bier and white cloth, and scarcely had they closed the door when a dozen vultures swooped down upon the body and were raiudly followed by others. In live minutes more we saw the sat iated birds tly b.ick and lazily settle down again upon the parapet. They had left nothing behind but a skeleton. Meanwhile, the bearers were seen to enter n building shaped like a high barrel, There, ion MORTUARY CUSTOMS OF NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. 08 tho secretory informed mo, tlioy changort tlieir clothes and washed thomgolvcs. Shortly iiftorwards wo saw tliom poiiio out and doposit thoir cast-oft' I'unoral garments in n stonn recoptaclo near at hand. Not a tliroail l"aves tao garden, lest it shouhl ciirry dodlcniinit into tlio city. IVrfcctly new garments are supplied at eacli funeral. In a fortnight, or, at most, four weeks, the same bearers return, and, with gloved hands and impl<'menls resembling tongs, pla(M^ the dry skelelou in the ee.uti'al well. There the bones lind their last resting-plaee, and there the dust of whole generations of Par- sees eounniugling is left undisturbed for centuries. The rc^voltiug sight of the gorged vultures uuvde mo turn 'ay back on the towers with ill-coniM'aled abhorn^nee. I asked the secretary how it was possible to becume recon- ciled to such usage. His reply was nearly in tho ftdlowing words: "Our prophet Zoroa.ster, who lived G,0()0 years ago, taught us to regard the (dements ns symlKds of the IJeity. Earth, fire, water, he said, ought never, under any circnmstanccH, to bo detilod by contact with putrefying tlesh. Naked, he said, canu! we into the world and naked we ought to leave it. Hut the decaying particles of our bodies Khuuld bo dissi- pated as rapidly as possible and in such a way that neither Mother Earth nor tho beings she supports should bo contaminated in the slightest degree lu fact, our prophet w.as tho greatest of health ofticers, ;iud, following his sanitary laws, we build onr towers on the tops of the hills, above all human habitations. We spare no expense in constructing them oftho hardest materials, and w(( expose our ])utr;i.'Mr(nj8 <>i' .N\)Krii amkicican Indians. un ','• '>,y,-^v:i0f ti«j5t>«w,j> "j^-nji*.* «»<. (Bjw (iwii, roiii«.< out. mill dfjiHwit tbr.ir civst-oll' I'uiurijl gariui^nts III > *i trv '«»*.j4f3ii! Not n, t luTinl !(.'avi»8 I lirj.^.inlcji, Irsl it. shuulil iitrry <<• !Vr> ..: •«i. iHi.i rf,.! »ii>. l\**'«i(.Uy iifw jiiiriiiciiif iii-n Hiipplicil at "u-h l\iotni»l. In a t^rt'i.if^t*! ->. >*4 'iWw»l, .t»iif w«t>lt.<, |ji(< smuo l'5H:«<'i'S retuni, iiiul, wltli jjlwrtHl liiuds »*.Hit 'i?»}+!'tm''»i.'*?'->- !;t.*>Uis!< ><*'i5j.<, pluoii llip ilfv »k<'!t>iim iii tlin poiitral vvoU. liirii' !.tk' t. "* ft^iii lin 4! itt*i r(Wlin;r-I>liiO'*, an'l then- i1)h ilust '»rr5ti(ni»i of V%r- »«»'.. iij'Aui'jfHns^ \» l*vft ttn(U«l.inlnMl for contiirins. fli^ ri%.ili.>'i(jf nifjii* ot ;li« K'TjjmI vnltitrcmuiKlii mc turn my buck r,ii tlioU'worn witis :*! • ■,'««'«?c't nhhi'STPtK^p. r aHkcil tin? si'nri'litry how it wiw poasibl" totwnnFii- ri.-coti- .>i. f<-lliiwiiin wotdi: "Our proplii'l. /.'iii.'itlur, \!'^ii iiviil 0,'KIO v«!iiis !u?ii, liniglif iiM to ri'garil tli.; olfmcntfi .is syniUilH ol" 'hi; J)«i(,v. Kartli, lii-e. w:i.t{'i'. In- cuiil. oiiplit ijm'or, uiider imy on)?lit itt -cAvi^ i( ISiif (111' ilfv 'kyii.){ |mrl1.-ii-s of our hiMtie.x JrihotiUt lin diwi- ' .•«•.■! iu*iii|)i'!lj IMS jiosBiliin ;knd in !.iw,b uwjyUifit lu-itlief M'>t , . wii^ ■},.? j^rtiiit^st of liiMvKh utnii'iM. %m\. j',jfir«»tiH; t)J-i ,T*>sj««ti *s^*j •»»> '"."id 'iiir t;'-.i- ;..:. %»«r:&ii tm* ;.55-(}>sj»»v ' W., <^f!ie*' ;:'i ' .,:."'.«• i): .-.;i«B'C(,'iK;i._:; !.}*«!•. i4«*>.«' it»Wi«fi «,,*«-*(»*-■ *««i ■,*«■ ■'.»;,';»■:- .h-j- i.i,-;-,f»ii»i<«i(i!* ■ 'it»i; t|.> t»*t»«i»«rf<'!!ci:^f.it'h, )vt»{.in>f I'li ftnat^TOf fi-'st 'if *>lirt ({rariitP, (Hit i)i*c«'>!i»»ri ly .. i.<- iiinctuiKMl tiy vviiiur'!!, iitit to l>i' (Vnwiittttfa-'d in Dk; Npl'•■lli<■:^t jios.'^ibth iriiiiiiior anil i!iim1 tllo jioMsibiliiy I't pif:i.i!i!ii; the I'unliitd < oiitftuiliuitiiiij a siugl.' buiiiH'il wi'Hiii;; •> •-.t-.-u (coiii iuUpeiJ, jit liiln lt)i' v'ii!tiiro,, K\ri! flio raiii-wftfcr A\!iic!i \v;wh>*i* our Hki.'Iotoii;i is coiidtiiitcd . i i;;iiiit.'ll^i. lion; in flii-9t» (ivo (owims li'st (be hmu'S of all h- i'lirwi-f. that I'.ffl*- iivfd in Boiiibi;_\ lor ili • i»^' 'wo limuUcd yi-ari. W't- fmiii :i ■.t,.;,-.i t"idy ill \,\,: Mi', .v, vf- iJiuii-.! il! dcii'^i.'' 1= i-.i,i«jU' ,tjj|H,f.,f i »n« ilin m.k'iOii.s iiivtju fur riiis [WMUiiuu' uutsie »>f ili.H :■><»! ,fj Hi liu? (It'.u! b;, xh^' riirsee .st-ion^titiy are qiiito 'it variao'v, wilU •"..' 'Ai'-i.^ iMha;(f»-y] ;./, Mmrt t^'i^w^hivz ilt<. .*fH'4r-.t fVtiiii*.) i, ^« ,' to '• hii-l* ;t„i!t.ii(>:i ^jsii* Jj««s*«y " «*»«»t miifJrt ii? ;»is'^' '*- ««■*•«■"«■«■' tU'A- ■ '■:■)<'■*• bill !s, t>iir till' liH'ory bcfOJUf.^ uiltenabl* when it is ix'coIIccUmI tljat {ii'eitt. i>- i.-i talccij Id pmsiMvi) tlte (U-ad ffiwn liic iHvagcs of <'.»rnivnrc>ii.s liinl.M, >i»'' ii>i'ps«> btiHg carcluiJy tjuvclopeti.iu skins and littwlv tiwt pp w'lih ■\}i'H *«i tllOtJfiS. ■•■ ' '■■_ i'!;;i!rv.s .i aatl 4 :ir<' ro]>n:tientAtioiis of tljn t'-Aii'j* f^iWorN uf .srte«.s" ;jjtvi'H the i'olinwinjr av.roitiii of biitiai amoii.y Mw Fvla- ■Kii'ii .uM T(iitil-y Intnaii.s o/ riic NorUtwi^si iw»a.>t, tho inforiiiiition hnv- >.u i- ■"'J ontriiially rninislfd him ly JatH,ciUi «artlj t»>(»omn.de|itU ; n litiavy I'l.m!. . :! ;ii >'?ii|)art<«d by iiorijjht head and iiK»t xtoih*, if) IttSd ny>«n tho top, or stiWii.i •il.. Ui;;.- ufi iiiio J ^ixM .ibuut afoot nbovo this ground, aoid tlio.top, fliiggod with ' Siin >.|. .all Hiri 111.!. Tnbfsofthi lbnt,.l .'^cit.ss, l«,".:i. Ft. ,i, y. MO. YAininwl INHUMATION — WAII-I'ETON AND SISSKTON SIOUX. 10 othtTH. Till' jjrjivcs of tlio cliicfM arc HiirrouiKlpd liy neat wikhIcm palint^H, onoli palo oriiainiMitRil with a fciitliiT from tho tail of tlin l)alif{ knifi\ After the expiration of three days it is all well with thvin. Tlie question may well be asked, is the bifj knife a " sop to (Cerberus" ? To Dr. Ciiarlos K, MuCliesney, acting assistant snrgeon, United States Army, one of the most eonseientious and (^iirefnl of observers, tiie writer is indebted for tiie following interesting account of tiie mortuary cuis- toms of tli(^ WAH-PKTON AND SISSETOX SIOUX OF DAKOTA. A large proportion of these Indians being nienibors of the PreHliyterliin ehnreh (the missionaries of whieh ehnreh have labored among them for more than forty years past), the dead of their families are buried after the enslouis of that ihureh, and this inlluence is felt to a great (extent among those Indians who are not strict ehurcli mem- bers, so that they are dropping one by one the traditional customs of their tribe, and but few can now be found who bury their dead in accordance with their (Mistoms of twenty or more years ago. The dead of those Indians who still adhere to their mo(h«ni burial cuKtonis are buried in the ways indicated below. Warrior. — After death they paint a warrior red across the mouth, or t hey j»aint a hand in black color, with the thumb on one side of tlie month and the fingers separated on tlio other cheek, the rest of the face being painted red. (This latter isonly done as a mark of resp(xt to a specially bravo num.) Spears, clubs, and tlu! medicimvbag of the deceased when alivo arc buried with the body, the medicine-bag beiny placed on the bare skin over the region of the heart. There is not now, nor has there been, among these Indi- ans any special preparation of the grave. The body of a warrior is generally wra|)i)ed in a blanket or piece of cloth (and frequently in addition is placed in a box) anil buried in the grave jireparcd for the purpose, always, as the majority of these Iiulians inform nio, with the head towards the noitlh. (I have, however, .seen many graves in which the head of theoccupaut had been placed to the mit. It uuiy be that these graves were those of Indians who belonged to the church; ami a few Imlians inform me that the head is sometimes i)lacod towards the west, according to the occupant's belief when alive as to the direction from which his guiding medicine came, ami I am persmially inclined to give credence to this latter as sometimes occurring.) In all burials, when the person has died a natural death, or had not been nuirdered, and whether man, woman, or child, the body isjilaced in the grave with the face up. In cases, however, when a man or woman ha.s been murdered by one of their own tribe, the body was, and is always, idacod in the grave with the face down, head to the mi/f/i, and a piece of fat (bacon or pork) placed in the month. This piece of fat is placed in the month, as these Indians say, to prevent *he spirit of the nuirdered )>ersou driving or scaring the game from that section of country. Those Indians who state that their dead are al- ways buried with the head towards the south .say they do so in order that the spirit of the deceased may go to the south, the land from which these Indians believe they originally came. IVomcn and children. — Before death the face of the person expected to die is often painted in a red color. When this is not done before death it is done afterwards; the 108 MORTUARY ClfSTOMS OP NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. ''■:-. ' m ■ boii,a cuHtoui aniiing theiu to reuiovu a lock of hair from the top or Hcalp lock of a warrior, or from the It^ft Hide of the In^ad of a woman, which i» carefully preserved by Hoini! near relative of the deceaxed, wrapped in pieces of calico anr« buried with it ; iih in tlin vmc nl' n wiirricir, liix Iiowk iiml nrrowH, war-cliiliH, iVc, wiiiilil Im plitciMl uliiii);Niilt< iit' tlic ImkIv, iIh' IikIIuiih KayiiiK lin wimlil iK'cil Hiicli tliiiiKK ill till' next worlil. I ikiii iiil'oniiuii li.v many nl' tlii-iii tliut it wux ii liiiliil, lii'lbrc tlirir oiitliruiik, fur hoiihi to nirry tin- body of ii iirani'liilivr wlioiii tlii\y Imlil iiigruut ri'mn'itl with tlii'iii oiitliiir uiovi'N, for u urciitor or li'sscr liiiii', ol'tcii un long :is two or tlirci^ yoiii-H lirforr liiirial. Thin, hownvt-r, iiini-r olitaini'il f^i'iu-rally anions tlioiii, aiiilHoiiir of tliuiii hci'Iii to know iiotliiiiK about il. It has of lato yuarH boon oiitiroly tlro|>|i»*iIVMIII'l' ill tlll^ Kl'IkVI'. W'l' la.\ llir axe lii'iiratll liiN liciwl ^ III' HWiiiid wlirii Htrt'iintli wan bIi'oiih, 'I'lii' lii'iir on wliirli liis liiiii){i-r I'ril — ' I'lir way fioin rartli \» loiin! Anil liiir, iirw-Hliariiriii'il, plai'i) tlii' liiiili' Wllirll Ki'Vcrril (Vmii tlm rlu.V, I'l'iiiii whirl) till' axi' hail Npnilr'l thi' liCr, Till' i'iini|iirri'il sialp away. Till' paints that ilrrlc thi> ili'iiil lirsdiw, Ayr, plaro thriii in IiIh liiiml. Tliiit villi thii kindly .sliailo may (;liiw Amiil tliK Hpirit lanil. TIte i)o.sit:oii in wliic^li the body is 1)1im'<>(I, »h iiKMitioiKMi by Dr. Mc- (ylK'Hiioy, t'iWA'i iipwiU'dN, while of »!oiiiiiioii (MMSiii'rciicf iiiiioii;,' iiuisl tribes of IiidiaiiH, is not iiivaiiable as a lulc, for th«' wiitcr tliscuvcied at a (leiuetery beloii};iiifj to an aiicitMit piu-ldo in th«' valley of tlic Cliaina, near Abiqniii, N. Mex., a tunnber of bodies, all of wliieli had lieeii biiiied faee downward. The accomit originally appeared in l''ield and Forest, 1H77, vol. iii, No. 1, p. 0. Oil raoh siilr of tUii town wine iioticinl two smivll nrrnyas or wati'l'-" isliril ihlchi'H, within M li'Ot of tlio walls, anil a carofiil I'xaminalion ot' tlu'w irvt'iili'il tlir iilijrrt.s of our Hrareh. At the hottnm of thii arroyas, which Imvo ri'i'lainly fornu'il snli.si'i|iii'nt. to thf iiri'iipatioii II. the villaf^o, wit fouinl pnrtioiiH of human rt'iiiaiim, anil t'olliiwin^ lip thii wallw of IliK ilitcli soon hail tlio pli'iisuro of ilisrovrriiin scvi'ial ski'li'loim i/i kHii. Tho lirHt I'ouml wa.s in thi> castiTii arroya.aiiil thr jjiavr in ili'plh van iirarly 8 fi'i't below the nnrfari' of thr nirHii. Thi' hoily hail lirrii plariil in tlir);iavi' larr ilown- waril, thu hrail pointiiij; to tho Month. Two IVi't aliovi' thi' Nkrli'dm wiTr two Hhiiiiiin hlai'k I'lkrtluMi vasun, iMintainiii); HinuU bitH of eharcoal, thi' hnuvn of uianiiiKilN, biiiU, ami parlialty coiiHiiini'il rorn, and abovo thcNi; " ollni" tlii' I'arih to thr Hiiifai'e wan tilli'il with pii'vcH of charcoal. I)oiibMcH.s the rcuiaiiiH fonnil in the vases kivvi'iI at a fiini'ral fna.st prior to the inhumation. Wc examined very earefnlly thin uni'. ', hoping; to lind Home uteiKsils, nrnaments, or weapons, but none rewarded our seavrli. lu all of the );raves examined the biidieH were found in Himilar piisilions and iiniler similar eir- eiinmtaiiee.s in both arroyas, several of the skoletonH bein}^ tliosr of childruii. • * • No inforinalion could be obtained aH to the probable u^r of these inlerments, the pres- ent Indians considering them as dating from the time when their anciHtors with Moe- te/nuni came from the north. The Coyotero Apaches, aecordiiiK to Dr. W. J. Hoffman,* in disposing of their dead, seem to beactnated by the desire to sptire themselvc'Siiny needless trouble, and prepare the defunct and the grave in this niiinncr : The Coyoloros, upon tlio dentil of a member of the tribe, partially wrap up tho corpse and deposit it into the cavity left by the removal of a small rock or the stninji of IV tree. After the body has been cranmied into the smallest piKssible sjiace the rock or stump is agn'u rolled into its former position, when a number of stones are placed around the base to keep out the coyotes. The nearest of kin usually mourn for the period of one mouth, during that time giving utterance at intervals to the most dis- mal lauientations, which am ai)parently sincere. During the day this obligation is 'U. 8. Ueol. Surv. olTerr. 1870 p. 473. 112 MORTUARY CUSTOMS OF NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. frpqiiditly uot^lccted or forgotten, but when thti inoumer is reniimled of liis tliKy he •t'uows his howling with eviiU'nt interest. This custom of mourning for tho period of thirty days corresponds to that formerly observed by tho Natchez. Somewhat .similar to tbis nuU' mode of sepulture is that described in the life of Moses Van CaHii)eii*, which relates to the Indians formerly inhabiting Penn.sylvaiiia : Directly after, tho Indians proceeded to bnry those who had fallen in battle, which they did by rolling an old log from its plau and laying tho body in tho hollow thus made, and then heaping upon it a little earth. As a somewhat curious, if not exceptional, interment, the following acc« mt, reliitiug to the Indians of New York, is furnished, by Mr. Fraidc- If"" H. Ifough, who has extracted it from an unpublished journal of the agents of a French company kept in 1791 : CANOK IIUUIAI- IN llKOUNl). Saw Indian gru los on tho plateau of Independence Hock. Thi' Indiuns jdant :v stake on tho right side of tho head of tho deceased and bu"'y them in a bark canoe. Their children come every year to bring provisions to the place where their fathers are buried. Oni^ of the graves had fallen in, and we observed in the soil some sticks for stretching skin.s, the remains of a canoe, &c., and the two straps for carrying it, and near tho place where tho lioail lay wore the traces of a tire which they had kindled for the soul of the deccised to come and warm itself by and to partake of the food deposited near it. These wore i)robably tho Ma.s8a8auga Indiaii.s, then inhabiting tho north shore of J.aUo Ontario, but who wore rather intruders here, the country being claimed by the Oncidas. It is not to be denied that the use of canoes for cotlins has oticasioidly been remarked, for the writer in 187r» removed IVom the graves at Santa Barbara, (California, tin entire skeleton which was discovered in a redwood canoe, but it is thought that the individual may have been a noted fi.sh- ermtin, jtarticularly as tue imi)leinentsof his vocation — nets, flsh-spears, &c. — were near him, and this burial was only au exemplification of the well-rooted belief common to all Inaians, that the sjjirit nt the next worhl makes use of the same articles as wer'^ emi)loyed in this one. It should be added thiif of tiie many hundreds of skeletons inu'overed at Santa Barbara the one mentioned presented the only example of the kind. Among the Indians of the Jlosquito coast, in Central America, canoe burinl in the ground, siccording to Bancroft, was common, and is thus described : The corpse is wrapjied in cloth and placed in one-half of a pit)iuu which has been vnt in two. l'rien as not to be recognized and luinishcti by fl'ulasha, rush out from a neighboring hut, and, sei/.iug a rope at- ' Life and adventures of Moses Van Campeu, 1H41, p. Si5tt. m TAIlllOW.) STONE GRAVES OR CISTS, 118 tachod to tho canoo, drag it into tho woods, folloTved by tho niusio iiud tlio crowd. Hero tlio pitpan is lowered into the grave witli bow, arrow, tqipar, paddle, and otljcr iniploraonts to servo tho departed in tho land beyond ; then the other half of tho boat is placed over tho body. A rudo lint is constrnctod over tho grave, serving as a ro- coptaulo for tho choice food, ilrink, and other articl .> placed there fror.i time to time by relatives. ?1 STONE OR A VES OR CISTS. These are of considerable interest, not only from their somewhat rare occurrence, except mi certain localities, but from the manifest care taken by tho survivors to provide for tuo dead what they considered a suita- ble resting-place. In their construction they resemble so.newhat, in the care that is takon to prevent the earth touching the corpse, tho class of graves previously described. \ number of cists have been found in Tennessee, and are thus de- scribed by Moses Fiske : • There are many burying-grounds in West Tcnncsaoo with rognlar graves. They dng them 12 or 18 inches deep, placed slabs at the bottom, ends and .sides, forming a kind of stono colIin, and, after laying in tho body, covered it over with earth. It Tiiiiy be added tliat, in 1873, the writer assisted at the oi)ciiing of a number of graves of men of the reindeer period, near Solutr«5, in Franco, and they were almost identical in construction with those described by Ml". Fiske, with the exception that the latter were deeper ; this, how- ever, may be accounted for if it is considered liow great a deposition of earth may have taken place during tho many centuries which have ela])sed since tlie burial. Many of tho graves explored by tlie writer in 1875, at Santa Barbara, resembled somewhat cist graves, tho bottom and sides of tho pit being lined with largo flat stones, but there were none directly over tho skeletons. Tho next account is by Maj. J. W. Powell, tho result of his own ob- servation in Tennessee : Tho burial places, or cemeteries, are exceedingly alinndant tluoughowt tho State. Often hnndrcds of graves may bo found on a single hillsi-.lo. Tlie same people some- times bury in scattered graves and in mounds — tho mounds being composed of a largo number of cist graves. Tho graves are increased by additions from time (o time. Tho additions aro sometimes placed above and sometimes at the sides of the others. In th;> first burials there is a tendoiiey to a concentric system \.itli thn feet low;'rd8 the center, but subsequent burials aro more irregular, po that Iho system is tinally abandoned before the placo is desired for cemetery purposes. Some other peculiarities aro of interest. A larger nnniberof interments exhibit tho fact that the bodies were placed there before the decay of the llesh, and in many in- stances collections of bones are buried. Sometimes these bonea are placed in some order about the crania, and sonietiines in irregular piles, as if tho collection of bones had been emptied from a sack. With men, pipes, stono hammers, knives, arri> wheads, &c., were usiually found ; with women, pottery, rudo beads, shells, &c. ; with children, toys of pottery, beads, curious jiobbles, «!ko. Soniotiiucs, in tho suhscquont burials, the side slab of a previous burial was used as a portion of the second cist. All of tho ci'its wero covered wilh slabs. 8 AE •Trans. Amer. Antiq. Soo., 1820, vol. i, p. :102. Mi ■'M ii ; I' . 114 MOBTUAKY CUSTOMS OF NORTH AMERICAN IKUIANS. Dr. Jones lias given an exceedingly interesting account of tlie stone graves of Tennessee, in his volume publislied by tlie Smithsonian Insti- tution, to whicli valuable work * the reader is referred for a more detailed account of this mode of burial. Gr. K. Gilbert, of the United States Geological Survey, informs the writer that in 1878 he had a conversation with an old Moquis chief as to their manner of burial, wliich is as follows : The body is placed in a receptacle or cist of stone slabs or wood, in a sitting posture, the hands near the knees, and clasping a stick (articles are buried with the dead), and it is supposed tliat the soul iinds its way out of the grave by climb- ing up the stick, which is allowed to project above the ground after the grave is tilled in. The Indians of Illinois, on the Saline River, according to George EscoU Sellcrs,t inclosed their dead in cists, the description of which is as follows : Above this bluff, whore the spur rises at an angle of about 30°, it has been terraced and the terrace as well as the crown of the spur have been used as a cemetery ; por- tions of the terraces are still perfect ; all the burials appear to have been made in rude stone cists, that vary iu size from 18 inches by 3 feet to 2 feet by 4 feet, and from 18 inches to 2 feet deep. They are made of thin-bedded sandstone slabs, generally roughly shaped, but some of them have been edged and squared with considerable care, particularly the covering slabs. The slope below the terraces was thickly strewed with those slabs, washed out as the terraces have worn away, and which have since boon carried off for door-steps and hearth-stones. I have opened many of these cists; they nearly all contain fragments of human bones far gone in decay, but I have never succeeded in securing a perfect skull ; even the clay vessels that were interred with the dead have disintegrated, the portions remaining being almost as soft and fr.igilo as the bones. Some of the cists that I explored wore paved with vjlves of frcsh-watsr sholls, but most generally with tho fragments of the great salt-paus, which in every case are so tar gone in decay iis to have lost the outside markings. This seems couclusivcily to couple tho tenants of these .ancient graves with tho makers and users of these salt-pans. Tho great number of graves and the quantity of slabs f hat have been w.ashed out prove either a dense population or a long occupjiney, or both. W. J. Owsley, of Fort Hall, Idaho, furnishes the writer witli a des- cription of the cist graves of Kentucky, which differ somewhat from other accounts, inasunich as the graves appeared to be isolated. I remember that when a school-boy in Kentucky, some twenty-five years ago, of seeing what was called "Indian graves," and those that I examined were close to small streams of water, and were buried in a sitting or squatting posture and inclosed by rough, ilat stones, and were then buried from 1 to 4 feet from the surface. Those graves which I examined, which examination was not very minute, seemed to bo iso- lated, no two being found iu the same locality. When the burials took place I could liardly conjecture, but it must have been, from appearances, from fifty to one hundred years. Tho bones that I took out on first appiiarance seemed tolerably perfect, but on short exposure to tho atmosphere crumbled, and I was unable to save a specimen. Xo implements or relics were observed in those exrnined by me, but I have hoard of others who have found such. In that State, Kentucky, there are a number of places •Antiquities of Tennessee. Smith. Inst. Cont to Knowledge. No. S.'il), 187(i. H, 37, .52, .'•)5, 82. tPop. Sr. Month., .Sept., 1H77, p. .'■)77. Pp. 1. I IT TARROW.I MOUND BURIAL. 115 whnro tho lad'ans burned their dead and loft mounds of earth over the graves, hut I have not ox!>minod them myself. • • * According to Bancroft,* tho Dorachos, an isthmian tribo of Central America, also followed the cist form of burial. In Vnrag la tho Dorachos had two kinds of tombs, ono for tho principal men, con- structed \^ ith flat stones laid together with much care, and in which wcro placed costly jars and urns filled with food and wine for tho dead. Those for tho plebiniis were merely trenches, in which were deposited somo gonrds of maize and wine, and tho place filled with stones. In some parts of Panama and Darion only tho chiefs and lorils received funeral rites. Among tho common people a person feeling his end apprnachliig either went himself or was led to tho woods by his wife, family, or friends, who, siipplying him with some cako or cars of corn and a gourd of water, thou left him to dio alone or to ho assisted by wild beasts. Others, with more respect for their dead, buried them in soptilchers made with niches, whero they placed maize and wino and renewed the same annually. With some, a mother dying while suckling her infant, tho living child was placed at hor brcist and buried with her, in order that in her future state she might continue to nourish it with her milk. BURIAL IN MOUNDS. In view of the fact that the subject of mound-burial is so eytensivo, ajid that iu all probability a \rolume by a member of the Bureau of Eth- nology may shortly be published, it is not deemed advisable to devote any considerable space to it in this paper, but a few interesting examples may be noted to serve as indications to future observers. The first to which attention is directed is interesting as resembling cist burial combined with deposition in mounds. The communication is from Prof. F. W. Putnam, curator of tho Peabody Museum of Archrc- ology, Cambridge, made to the Boston Society of 2*atural History, and is published iu volume XX of its proceedings, October 15, 1878 : ' * * Ho th a stated that it would be of interest to tho members, in connection with the discovery of dolmens in Japan, as described by Professor Morse, to know that within twenty-four hours there had been received at the Peabody Museum a small collection of articles taken from rudo dolmens (or chambered barrows, as they would bo caUod in England), recently opened by Mr. E. Curtiss, who is now engaged, under his direction, in exploration for tho Peabody Museum. Those chambered mounds are situated in the eastern part of Clay County, Missouri, and form a largo group on both sides of tho Missouri Kiver. The chambers are, in tho thrca opened by Mr. Curtiss, about 8 feet square, and from 4J to 5 feet high, each chamber having a passage-way several feet in length and 2 in width, leading from tho southern side and opening on tho edge of the mound formed by covering the chamber and pa«aage-way with earth. Tho walls of tho chambered passages were about " foot thick, vertical, and well made of stones, which were evenly laid without clay or mortar of any kind. Tho top of one of the chambers had a covering of largo, dat rocks, but the others seem to have been closed over with wood. The chambers were filled with clay which lia feet high, l^tO feet long, and 90 feet widi^, which was found not to be a burial mound. Another mouiul near tho large one, about 50 feet In diameter, and only afow feet high, contained GO liuuian Hk(!letonH, each in a earefiilly-mado stone grave, the graves being arranged In two rows, forming tho four sides of a square, and In three layers. • » » tIjo most Im- portant discovery htuu.ade within tho inclosure was that of lindlng the remains of tho houses of tho people who Wvi'A in this old town. Of them about 70 were traced out and located on the map by Professor Duchanau, of Lebanon, who maic(i of liU iiii.sHnsxiitiiN, iiiiil tho ri>iiiaiii!iiK oIliirtH urn diviilrd nniDn); liU other wivoH luiil chihiron. Acconliii}^ to lUiriiard Jtoniiin,* tlio ''funeral cusIoiiih of tlio Cliick- asaws (lid not differ materially froin those of tho MH8«!ogul{(es. Tliey interred the «load as soon as the breath left tho body, and bentiath tho (iouch in whieli the deceased expired." Tho Nav{\jos of Now Mexico an«l Arizona, a tribe living a consider- able distance from tho Ohictkasaws, follow somewhat similar customs, as related by Dr. John Menard, formerly a physician U) their agency : Tlio Navajo custom Ih to luav« tliobody wlmro it dioH, cloxiiif; up tlio lioiiso orliof^an or cov()riii({ tLo Tiody with stones or briisli. In case tho body is romovod, it i» talioii to a cleft in tho rocks and thrown in, and HtoncH pihid over. Tlio {lorHoii toiichiiii; or carrying tho body first takes ofT all his clothes and afterwards washes his body with water before ])nttiiig thoin on ur mingling with tho living. When a body is removed from a honso or hogan, tho hogan is bnrnod down, and the pliieo in every case aban- doned, as tho belief is that tho dovil comes to tho idneo of death and remains where a dead body is. Wild animals frequently (indeed, gonorally) get tho bodies, and it ia a very easy matter to pick np skulls and bones around olliiod would run down thoir chooks, pull out their hnir, nnd Hiich othor hi'iithoiiish I'oiidiint. TIioho biirialtt woro gonerally inndo under their thntch hoiiHos or very near thereto. Tlio Iioiino where ono died wivh Mwnya torn down, removed, ro- biiilt, or ubnndoiied. Tho wniling, tnlka, &e., w^ero in thoir own Jurgon; none elno could iiiuhtrHtnnd, nnd thoy Hooiningly know but littlo of itx meaning (if there wnH any luenniiig in it); it Hiinply aeomed to bo tho promptiugx of griof, without HiilUciout iu- telligonee to direct any eeremony ; each soemod to act out his own impulao. The next ii(!coniit, taken from M. Butel de Duinont/ relating to tho Paskagoulas and Billoxisof Louisiana, may be considered as an example of burial in houses, although the auttior of tho work was pleased to con- sider the rccei)tacles as touiples. Ijch Piusk.'igoiilaH et les Dilloxix n'ontorout point lour Chef, lorsqu'il e8td(?c6d<5; inaia- ila font H(^cher son cadavro an feu bl ii In fuiudo do fu(,-on qii'ils on font un vnii Hqiie- lotto. AprcXs I'livolr rdiluit en cot (Stat, ila lo portent an Temple (cav ils on out un ninsi quo les Natchez), et lo mottent ilia place do son prdd'Scossour, qu'ils tiront do I'endroit qu'il occiipoit, pour lo porter avoo los corps do lours autres Chofs dans lo fond du Tomplo otl ils sont tons rnns^s do suite drossds sur lours pieds commo des stntues. A I'tSgiird du doruier niort, il est expos'^ ii I'ontrtfo do co Tomplo sur uno osptco d'nutol on do tablo fnite do caniies, ot cou.'erto d'uno untto trfis-flno trnvailldo forto propromont en quar- reaux rouges et jaunea avoo la poau do cos mfimos cannos. Lo cadavro du Chef est ex- pos(5 all milieu do cotto table droit sur ses piods, sontenu par derri6ro par uno longuo porche peinto on rouge dont lo bout passo au-dcssus do sa tfito, ot d. laquollo il est at- tach6 piir lo milieu du corps avco nno liano. D'uno main 11 tiont un cassc-tflte on uno potito haelie, do I'autro uno pipo ; ot au-dcssus do sa t6to est attach^ an bout do la porcho qui lo soutient, le Calumot lo plus famouxdo touscoux qui lui ont<5t6 prdaontds pendant sa vie. Du rosto cotto tablo n'est giifercs <51ev(?o do terro quo d'un domi-piod ; mnis elle a an moius six piods do largo ot dix do longueur. Cost sur cetto table qii'on viont tons les jours sorvir ii manger h co Chof inort on mottant dovant lui dos plats do sagamitd, du blod grold on boiicand, &c. C'est-lfk aussi qu'aii coinmoncomont do toutes los rdcoltos ses Siijeta vout lui ofTrir les premiers do tons les fruits qu'ils pouvont rocueillior. Tout co qui lui est pri! il H'list \a,Unfi mniiririvvant oiixt (I'nittrosltii ilifHMitqiin h'II I'Htinnrt en u'lint point li'iir laiit't; quo uVhI liii iiiAmo qui H'ost tu6 par tollo il(^l)ituulio nu pnr lot rlfort; (miIIii h'iI y n (Ml quolquo (Mfuut (Inns son goavornomont, on prunil cm Unn^Aii |ii)ur lo lui rn- procliitr. Copondant lla flutssont toujoura lour haranijuo, un lui diKnut do n'6tru piM fiU'Mfi oontro oux, do biona'«ngor, ot qu'lls auront toivjours biiMi Hi>in do lui. Another oxainplo of burial in houses may bo foiiiul in vol. vi of tiio publications of tho Ilakluyt Society, 1849, p. 81), tiikon from Strachoy's Virj^inia. It is {jivon more as a curious narrative of an (^arly writer on Amorioan ethnology than for any intrinsiu value it may poHsess as a truthful relation of actual events. It relates to the Iiulians of Virginia : Within tho ohituncoU of the toinplo, by tho Okons, aro tho conotaphioa or tho uidu- uiuunts of tholr kings, whoso bodyos, ho soon ns they bn doad, tliny oiubowidl, and, Hcrnpiug tho flosh from off tho bonon, th(^y dry tho samo upon hurdulls iiiti) ashos, which thoy put into littlo pottH (liko tho aunoyont urnos) : tho aunathomy of tho bones thoy bind tognthor or case up in loathor, hanging bra(!i nquot. A couple of twigs ciiS from tho tree of tho particular oanda to which tho doce.tsed belonged aro considered as his representa- tive, and with this emblem each i)ioco of meat is touched before tho guests consume it. In like manner, tho first pail of milk that is drawn is taken to tlie grave and poured over it. CAVE BURIAL. Natural or artificial holes in the ground, caverns, and fissures in rocks have been used as places of deposit for the dead since tho earliest pe- riods of time, and are used up to the present day by not only the Ameri- can Indians, but by peoples noted for their mental elevation and civili- zation, our cemeteries furnishing numerous specimens of artificial or partly artifleii.l caves. As to tlio motives which have actuated this TABROW.l CAVE nURIAIi — UTES. 127 mode of biiiial, a discussion would be out of place at this time, except as may iucideiitally relate to our own Indians, who, so far as can bo ascertained, simply adopt caves as ready and convenient resting places for their deceased relatives and friends. In almost every State in the Union burial caves have been discovered, but as there is more or less of identity between them, a few illustrations will servo the purpose of calling the attention of observero co the subject. Whili) in the Territory of Utah, in 1872, the writer discovered a nat- ural cave not far from the House Kange of mountains, the entrance to which resembled the shaft of a mine. In this the Gosi- Ute Indians had deposited their dead, surrounded with different articles, until it was quite filled up ; at least it so appeared from the cursory examination made, limited time preventing a careful exploration. In the fall of the same year another cave was heard of, from an Indian guide, near the Nevada border, in the same Territory, and an attempt made to explore it, whicsh failed for reasons to be subsequently given. This Indian, a Gosi-Ute, who was questioned regarding the funeral ceremonies of his tribe, informed the writer that not far from the very spot where the party were encamped, was a large cave in which he had himself assisted in placing dead members of his tribe. He described it in detail and drew a rough diagram of its position and appearance within. He was asked if an entrance could be effected, and replied that he thought not, as some years previous his people had stopped ni the narrow entrance to prevent game from seeking a refuge in its vast vaults, for he asserted that it was so largo and extended so far under ground that no man know its full extent. In consideration, however, of a very liberal bribe, after many refusals, ho agreed to act as guide. A rough ride of over an hour and the desired spot was reached. It was found to bo almost upon the apex of a small mountain apparently of volcanic origin, for the hole which was pointed out appeared to have been the vent of the crater. This entrance was irregularly circular in form and descended at an angle. As the Indian had stated, it was completely st(>i)ped up with large stones and roots of sage brush, and it was only after six hours of uninterrupted, faithful litbor that the attempt to ex- plore was abandoned. The guide was asked if many bodies were therein, and replied " Heaps, heaps," moving the hands upwards as far they could be stretched. There is no reason to doubt the accuracy of the informa- tion received, as it was voluntarily imparted. In a communication received from Dr. A. J. McDonald, physician to the Los Pinos Indian Agency, Colorado, a description is given of crevice or rock-fissuio burial, which follows : As Boou as (loath takes placo tho event is at onco aiinouucod by the niudiuino-iiiaii, and witliout loss of tiino the squaws are busily engaged in ]iropariug (lie corpse) for tho fjravo. This does not take long ; whatever articles of clotliiug may have been on tho body at tho tinio of death are not removed. Tho dead man's limbs are straight- ened -Mit, his weapons of war laid by his side, and his rolies and blanl a moro inarticulate liowl of distress ; it embraces ex- l.rossions onlogistio in character, but whether or not any particular formula of words is aiiisoii. There were, two or thri'O per.soiiM with ine, who hrul l)eeii to th(r]>hM'e hefore anil knew that the skiillo in i|iU'iitioii were tak;'ii from it. Tholr visit wuH Nome ton years a^o, anil siiie.n that the eonilitioii of thin;;^ in the i^avo has greatly ehangcd. Owiiij; lo some, alteration in the roail, miniiif; operations, or .sonio other <'an.sR whieh I conld not ascertain, there has aeenninlateil on the formerly elean 8talaj;milii' lloor of the eave a thiekne.ss of some 2(1 feet of siirfaee earth that eom- jiletely eoneeals the hottoin, anil whirh eoulil not lit' removed wit hunt eonsideraldo expense. This eave is ahimt 27 feet deep at the month and Kt to 50 feet al the end, and perhaps Hd feet in diameter. It is the general opinion of those who have notieeil this eave and .saw it ycai's ago that it was a hnrying-plaee of the i)resent Indians. Dr. .Jones s;iiil he fonnil remaiiiH of hows and arrows and ehareoiil with the skulls his olitained, ami whieh were destroyed at the time the village of Murphy's was hiirned. AH ihi) people spoke of the skulks as lying on the surfaeo and not as liuried in the atalagnute. Tlic next (IcsciiptidU ofciivc, Imiiiil, by W. If. Dull*, is so rcMiiarkiiblc tliJit it secin.s wortliy of iuliuittanco to tliis ptipor. It it'lutcs inobtibiy to tiio, Iniiuit.s of Ala.skii. The earliest remains of man found in Alaska up to tho timo of writing I refer to this epoeh [Echinus layer of Dall]. There are some crania found hy us in the lowor- inost part of the Amaknak cave andacraninm ohtained atAilakh, near the anehorago in the Hay of lsl;inds. These were deposited in a reniarUalile manner, jireeisely suni- lar to that adojiteil hy most of the continental Iiinuil, hut ei|ually dilhrent from the modern Aleut fashion. At the Amaknak cave wo found what at lirst appe.ired to he a wooden indosure, hut which proved to he m.'ide of the very much ih'cnyed supra- irm.villary hones of some large cetacean. 'I'hese were arranged so as to form a rudo rectangular iiiclosure covered over with similar pieces of hone. This was .somewhat less than 1 feet long, 2 feet wide, and IH inches deep. The hiittom was formed of tlat l)ieces of stone. Three such were found close together, coveriMl with and lilleil hy an accnmiilation of lino vegetahle and organic mold. In each was the remains of a skel- eton in the last stages of ilci^ay. It had evidently heen tied up in the Inuiiit fashion to get it into its narrow house, liiit all the hones, with the exception of the .skull, were rednceil to a soft pa ■ . iirevcn entirely gone. At Ailakli a fancy prompted me to dig into a small knoll mar the ;iucient shell-heap, and here we fonnil, in a precisely similar sarcophagus, the remains of a skeleton, of which also only the cranium re- tained suHicii'nt consistency to admit of prc.sia-vation. This indosure, however, was tilled witl\ a dense peaty mass not reduced to mold, the residt of centuries of sphag- noiis growth, which had reached a thickness of nearly 2 feet ahove the remains. When wo rcllcct njion the well-known slowness of this kind of growth in these north- ern regions, attested hy ininierous Arctic travelers, the antiipiity of the remains becomes evident. It seems beyond doubt tUiit in tlie majority of cases, esi)ecially as re- gards tlie ciivcs of tii(^ We.stern States and Territories, tlie interinents were primary ones, and this is lilcewise true of many of the caverns of Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, for in the three States mentioned many nmmmies have been found, but it is also likely tlitit siu'h receiitiicles were Lirgely used as phices of secondary deposits. JMie many Iraginent- ary skeletons and loose bones found seem to strenj^'then this view. 9 A 10 » Contrib. to N. A. Etlinol., 1877, vol. 1, p. 02. 130 MOBTUAllY CUSTOMS OF NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. embaijMmknt or mummification. Following iind in connection with cave buriiil, the subject of mummi- fying or einbahning the dead may be taken up, as moat specimens of the kind have generally been found in such repositories. It might be both interesting and instructive to search out and discuss the causes which have led many nations or tribes to adoi»t certain pro- cesses with a view to prevent that return to dust which all flesh must sooner or later experience, but the necessarily limited scope of this work precludes more than a brief mention of certain theories advanced by writers of note, and which relate to the ancient Egyptians. Possibly at the time the Indians of America sought to preserve their dead from de- composition, some such ideas may have animated them, but on this point no definite information has been prociu-ed. In the final volume au effort will be made to trace out the origin of mummification among the Indians and aborigines of this continent. The Egyptians embalmed, according to Cassien, because during the time of the annual inundation no interments could take place, but it is more than likely that this hypothesis is entirely fanciful. It is said by others they believed that so long as the body was preserved from cor- ruption the soul remained in it, Herodotus states that it was to pre- vent bodies from becoming a prey to animal voracity. " They did not inter them," says he, *• for fear of their being eaten by worms; nor did they burn, considering fire as a ferocious boast, devouring everything which it touched." According to Diodorus of Sicily, embalmment origi- nated in filial piety and respect. De Maillet, however, in his tenth letter on Egypt, attributes it entirely to a religious belief, insisted upon by the wise men and priests, who taught their disciples that after a certain number of cycles, of perhaps thirty or forty thousand years, the entire universe became as it was at birth, and the souls of the dead returned into the same bodies in which they hatl lived, provided that the body remained free from corruption, and that sacrifices were freely offered as oblations to the manes of the deceased. Considering the great care taken to preserve the dead, and the ponderously solid nature of the Egyptian tombs, it is not surprising that this theory has obtained many believers. M. Gannal believes embalmment to have been suggested by the affectionate sentiments of our nature — a desire to preserve as long as possible the mortal remains of loved ones ; but MM. Volney and Pariset think it wsis intended to obviate, in hot climates especially, danger from pestilence, being primarily a cheap aiul simple process, elegance and luxury coming later ; and the Count do Caylus states the idea of em- balmment was derived from the finding of desiccated bodies which the burning sands of Egypt hiul hardened and preserved. IMany other sup- positions have arisen, but it is thought the few given above are suffi- cient to serve as an introduction to embalmment in North America. I TABBOW.] MUMMIES — VIRGINIA. 131 'I 31 From the statements of the jlder writers on North American Indians, it appears that mummifying was resorted to, among certain tribes of Virginia, the Carolina^, and Florida, especially for people of distinction, the process in Virginia for the kings, according to Beverly,* being as follows : The Indians are roligious in i)rfHorving the Corpses of tlicir Kiugs uiul Rulers after Det uh, which they order in the following manner : First, thoy neatly Hay off tho Skin as entire as thoy can, slitting it or.ly hi tho Back ; then they pick all tho Flesh off from tho Bonos as clean as possible, leaving the Sinews fastned to the Bones, that thoy may preserve tho Joints together ; then they dry the Bones in tho Sun, and put them into tho Skin again, which in tho mean time has been kept from drying or shrinking ; when tho Boucs are placed right in tho Skin, thoy nicely fill up tho Viicu- ities, with a very fine white Sand. After this they sew up the Skin again, and the Body looks as if tho Flesh had not been removed. They take caro to keep tho Skin from shrinking, by tho help of a little Oil or Grease, which saves it also from Corrup- tion. Tho Skin being thus prepar'd, they lay it in an apartment for that jwrposo, upon a large Shelf raisM above tho Floor. This Shelf is spread with Mats, for tho Corpse to rest easy on, and skrconcd with tno saino, to keep it from tho Dust. Tlio Flesh they lay upon Hurdles in the Sun to dry, and when it is thoroughly dried, it is sowed up in a Basket, and set .at tho Foot of tho Corpse, to which it belongs. In this place also thoy sot up a Quioccos, or Idol, which thoy boliovo will be a Guard to tho Corpse. Hero Night and Day one or the other of tho Priests nmst give his Attendance, to take care of tho dead Bodies. So great an Honour and Veneration have these ignorant and unpolisht People for their Princes oven after thoy are dead. It shoulil be added that, in the writer's opinion, this account and other.s lilie it are somewliat apocryphal, and it has been copied and recopieil a .score of times. According to Pinkertou,t who took the account from Smith's Virginia, tho Werowance of Virginia preserved their dead as follows : In heir Temples thoy have his [their chief God, tho Devil's] image euill favouredly carved, and then painted and adorned with chainos of copper, and beads, and covered with a skin, in such ninuncr as the deformitie may well suit with such a God. By him is commonly tho sepulchre of their Kings. Thoir bodies are first bowelled, then dried upon hurdles till they be very dry, and so about tho most of their ioyuts and necke thov hang bracelets, or chainos of copper, pearle, and such like, as thoy vso to wear. Th.ir inwards they stuffo with copper beads, hatchets, and such trash. Then hippo they them very carefully in white skins, and so rowlo them in mats for their winding- shoots. And ill tho Tombo, which is an arch made of mats, they lay them orderly. What romaiueth of this kind of wealth their Kings have, they sot at their feet in baskets. These temples and bodies are kept by their Priests. For their ordinary burials, thoy dig a doepe hole in tho earth with sharpo stakes, and tho corpse being lapped in skins and mats with thoir jewels they lay them vpon stickes in the ground, and so cover them with earth. Tho buriale ended, tho women being painted all their faces with blackc cole and oyle doe sit twonty-foure houres in the houses mourning and lamenting by turuos with such yelling and howling as may expresse their great passions. • • » ITpon the top of certain rod sandy hills in the woods there are three great houses filled with images of their Kings and devils and the tombes of their predecessors. Those houses are near sixty feet in length, built harbourwise after their building. This place they count so holey as that but the priests and Kings dare come into them ; nor the Ravages dare not go up the river in boates by it, but that they solemnly cist * Hist, of Virginia, 1722, p. 185. t Collection of Voyages, 1812, vol. xiii, p. 31). " 132 MOKTIIAKY CUSTOMS OF NOBTIF AMKRICAN INDIANS. - * 80II10 \t\or.v of copjior, white ImmkIn, or poconcs into tlio river for fcaro tlioir Okim Hlioiild lir otViMKli'd iind rrv('ii){"'t'r, and (obai'tM), doiiij; iiidliiii;; bair dancr and nIiij; with all tln'ir in-i'drrt'HNor.s. lint Iho ooiiinioii |i<'0|ili' they nii|)|)oho xhall not live afliM' jutcoiiiit as lias lit>cn j^ivtMi ou a tbriner Itagc, tlic vcrltiafjc iliilnTiiifr sli},'litl,v, and tlic I'ciiiark n'Kanlin^'triitliful- ness will apjily to it as well as to tlic other. Fifiun'. 1 may a^ain ho rcfcnt'd to as an cxaniplt^ of the tlcad-hoiisc (lescrihcd. The Consareo or Hantec Indians of Sonth (Carolina, according to Law- son, used a pnxtcss of jiartia! (MidialninuMit, as will be, soen from the subjoined (extract from Hehooierai't ; * hut instead of laying away the remains in eaves, phuied them in boxes supported ubov<^ the ground by erotc^hed sti(!ks. Till' inaniici' of tlii'ii' inlcruioiit i» tliiiH: A iiioii^ or |iyraiiiid of carlli in iiiiscd, tho iiionld thort'of b"iii^ worked very Hiiiooth and t'vvu, Nomotiines IiiKlicr or lower areord- iiiK to tlio dignity of tlio person wliOHe inonnnieiiti it is. On the top thereof is an iiiiilirella, made ridrpN() upon a pieeecif bark in I lie sun, Heasonin^ (U' embaliniiifr it with a small root beaten to powder, which looks as reel as Vermillion ; the same is mixed wil'i bear's oil to beautify tho hair. After Iho car- cass has laid a day or two in tlio sun they remove it and lay it upon erotelies cut on purpose for the support thereof from the earth ; IhiMi they anoint it all over with the aforeineiitiimed in;;redieulsof thepowib'rof this rool and bear'soil. When itissodone thi-y cover it over very exactly with lln^ bark or jiine of the cypress tree to prevent any rain to fall upon it, swcepiiif; tlic! nr X m'> ]>itn);ly iinprennatcd with nitre, placed in aHittinj; i)oHture, iui'iised in liroail Hton<'.s HtandiiiKon their ednes, with a (hit Ntoiie cr(vrepare them for nunket. Eiicliiserists. Thi.s was found in exploriuff a calcareous cave in the neighborhood of Olasgow for saltpetre. These recesses, thou^jh niuhu- ground, are yet dry enough to attract and retain the iiitrii'k acid. It combines with lime and potash; and probalily the earthy matter of "' these excavations contains a good proportion of calcareous carbonate. Amidst these drying ami antiseptick ingredients, it may be conceived that putrefaction would be stayed, aud the solids preserved from decay. The outer envelope of the body is a deer-skin, probably dried in tin; usual way, aud perhaps softened before itsapplicatiou by rubbing. The next covering is a deer's skin, whose hair had been cut away by a sharp inslrnmeni resembling a liattci-'s knife. The nunuant nf the hair aud the ga.shes in the skin lu'arly resemble a sheared ]ielt of beaver. The next wrapper is of cloth made of twini! doubled ami twisted, lint the thread does not appear to have been formed by the wheel, mu' the web liy the loom. The war|> and tilling .seem to have been cro.s.sed and kuoltiMl by an ogieratioii lik(^ that of the fabricks of tlii'. north- west coast, aud , ho us to l)n capable of guarding the living wearer from wet and cold. The plumagu is distinct uud entire, uud the whole bears a near similitude to the feathery cloaks uow woru by the nati(ms uf the northwestern coast of America. A Wilson might tell from what bird tliey wore derived. The l)udy is in a H(|uutting postun-, with the right arm reclining forward, aud its hand encircling tlie right leg. Tlie left arm hangs down, with its hand inclined partly under tlie scat. Tint individual, who was a male, did not i)robably exceed the age of fourteen ut his death. Tlioreis near the occiput a deep and extensive fracture of the skull, which probably killed him. The skin has sustained little injury; it i.-^ of a dusky colour, but the natural hue cannot be decided with oxactuoss, from its pruseul appearance. The scalp, with small exceptions, is covered with sorrel or foxey hair. The teeth are white and sound. Tho hands and feet, in their shrivolled state, are slender and delicate. All this is worthy the investigation of our acute and perspica- cious colleague. Dr. Holmes. There is nothing bitumiuous or aromatic in or about tho body, like the Egyptian mummies, nor are there bandages aroun(i ^ny part. Except the several wrappers, the body is totally naked. Tliere is no 8';;.i . f a suture or incision about the belly ; wluiuce it seems that the viscera were no» 't^noved. It may now be expected that I should offer some opinion as to the antiquity and race of this singular exsiccation. First, then, I am satisfied that it does not belong to that class of white men of which we are members. 2dly. Nor do I believe that it ought to be referred to tho bands of Spanish adven- turers, who, between tho years I.IOO and 1000, rambled up the Mississippi, and alimg its tribntary streams. But on this head I should like to know tho opinion i>f my learned and sagacious friend, Noah Webster. 3dly. I am equally obliged to reject the opinion that it belonged to anj'of the tribes of aborigines, uow or lately inhabiting Kentucky. 4thly. Tho mantle of tho feathered work, and the mantle of twisted threads, so nearly resemblotho fabricksof the indigines of Wakashand thePaciflck Islands, that I referthis individual to that era of time, and that generation of men, which preceded the Indians of the Green River, and of the place where these rclicks were fouud. This conclusion is strengthened by the consideration that such manufactures are not pr spared by th(> actual andrusidcut red men of the present day. If the Abbe Clavigerohad had this case before him, he would have thought of the people who constructed those ancient forts aud mounds, whose exact history no man living can give. But I forbear to enlarge ; my ititontion being merely to manifest my respect to the society for having enrolled me among its members, and to invite the attention of its Antiquarians to further inquiry on a subject of ouch curiosity. With respect, I remain yours, ^ . SAMUEL L. MITCHILI.. It would appear, from r .cent researches on tho Northwest coast, that the uatives of that region einbahued their dead with much care, as may be seen from the work recently imblished by W. H. Dall,* the de- scription of the mummies being as follows : We found tho dead disposed of in various ways; first, by iutc.'ment in their coni- partmeuts of the communal dwelling, as already described ; second, by being laid on a rnde platform of drift-wood or stones in some convenient rock shelter. These lay on straw aud moss, covered by matting, and rarely have either implements, w<'apon». or carvings associated with them. We tbuud only three or four specimens in all in •Oout. to N. A. Ethnol., 1877, vol. i, p. 89. yAiiituw.] M r M M 1 1 '.S — NORTH WEST C0A8T. 135 ^ ; yT-^^" tlioMu pliiciM, of which \v(! cxaiiiiiiiMl u great iiiiinlinr. This wiu< appitrently thtt iiiiirx iim^ieiit foriii of dispimiiiK of thd ihuitl, uixl oii a dead child thus embalmed in their hut for some months, constantly wiping it dry ; and they bury it when it begins to smell, or when I hey got reconciled to parting with it. Kegarding these same people, a writer in the San Francisco Bulletin gives this account: The schooner William Sutton, belonging to the Alaska Commercial Company, has arrived from the seal islands of the company with the inummilied remains of Indians who lived on an island north of Ouualaska one hundred and fifty years ago. This I'ontribution to science was secured by Captain Helming, an agent of the company who has long resided at Onnalaskii. In his tranactious with the Indians he learned •Billings' Kxped., 1802, p. lUl. IP" M t i;j(i MOUTUAHY (^LHTOMW OK NORTH AMKUICAN INDIANS. tbut triiditlaii uiiioiik the AlitiitH UHMiKiinl KitKiiiiiMtt, Miuioliuid in <|Ui'Hti()ii, IM tint lout l'('Nliii){-|ilari' III II Kiriil rliirl', kiiiiwii UN Kui'kliii.viiliiiiii'liak. KiiNt yriir tlir raptuiii wiiN ill till' iii'IkIiIiiii'Ii I of KiiKaiiiuli' in i|iii'Ht iil'Hoa-nltrr a:i prcwni'i' nl' Ihr ili'ailrliii'f, IiIh t'ainily mill I'i'lalivrs. 'I'Iki ravi' Hiiirit Htronuly nl' liut Nnl|iliiiriiiiH va|ioi'N. With ^rrat lai'r tlii' inninniii'it wi'Vr I'l'inovi'il, anil all Ihr littli- tiiiiki-lN anil ry iiinili from Ilin othri'M, wliiili iiiiirn ri'Mi'iiibbi, in their liiiiwii-Kra»s matting, riiiisljrniiirnt« of <:riiili' Hiif^ar I'loiii tin- Saiiilwirh iHlaniU than till- iriiiaiiis of hiiiiian lii'iii}{s. Thi' boilii's of a pappoodu and of a vrry litthi child, wbiib pi-obably died at birth or hoiiii iiftiT it, have Mi'a-ottWHkiiiH around tluMii. One (if thr fi'i't of till' lattrr piojrrts, with a lor-iiail visibli'. Thr ri'inaininjr miiin- luii'H aio of adults. Gill) of till' ]iarka);<'H lia.'t bri'ii opriii'd, and it rrvrals a man's lioily In toli'iabli' prrscr- vatioii, but, with a lai'Kn portion of thr fare drroiuposril. This and thr olbrr biidios wrri' doubli'd up at di'atb by Ni'Vi'riii<; somr of tbi' nniHrli'S at llir hip and knri' Joints and brniliiifr thr limbs downward bori/ontally upon the trunk. I'l'i'liaps thi' most peiMiliar pacUa^r, next to that of thi' uhlef, is iini' wliiidi inclosrs in a siii;;h' matting, with sea-linn skins, the bodies of a man and woman. The eollei'tion also embraei's a couple of skulls, male and female, which have still tbu hair attached to the scalp. Thu hair has changed its color toa brownish red. The relics obtained with the bodies iDcludn a few wooden vessels Hcooped out smoothly : a )iiece of dark, greenish, tiat Htone, hiirder than the emerald, which the Indians use to tan skins; a scalp-lock of jet- black hair ; a small rude tigiire, which may have been a very ugly (hill or aii idol ; two or three tiny carvings in ivory of the sea-lion, very neatly executed ; a comb, a neck- let made of bird's clawsinserted into om; another, and s(!veral speuimensof little bags, and a cap plaited out of sea-grass and alino.st water-tight. Ill (Jarv'.striui.slatioii of J I erodotus (1S5;{, ji. 180) tlie followiiif;^ passage o(!('ur.s wliich piiiports to riiiiii){ Hiu'iilU'i'N ; iiftiT tliiit tiiiic IIkw cuit.v it mil iiiiil pluoi it HOliU'wIirri' iii'iir llii^ rltv, Nrrri:. — Tlic IC^.vptiaii iiiiiiiiiiiirH iiiiilil only Ix' nccii in IVoiit, llir Uurk lifiii^ rovi'i-ittl by II (mix or I'ottin ; tin r.tliiii|iliiii Imillrsi imlil lir hci^ii all roiiiiil, iis I In- I'oliiiuii ot'KJaNN NvaHtraiispai'i'iit. Witli the touv<;(>iiiK *^\iiiii|)l«>s as illiiHti-ation, tliu inattvi- of ciiibaliii- iiKMit may bn for the present dismissed, witli tin* advice t«» observeis that partitudar ean^ siioidd be taken, in easit mummies me vasi- is miiall tlir skiill is plai'cil with Ihii face tlowinvtinl in the i>|ii'iiiu;;, roust itiitiiiK >i sort of covrr. Kut ill' (•(rinctnirH liavn licfii foiinil in which urn-liurial alonr si'i'iiis to havii bfou iiractii'cil. Such none was ai'iidcnt ally discovered not many years since in Saint Catlieriiie's Islaiui, on the coast of (ieor^^ia. I'lofessor Swallow informs iiK'tliat Iroiii u inoiiiid at New Madrid, Mo., lio ohtaini-d a hniuaii skull inclosed in an earthen jar, tho litis of wlii(di were too small to admit of its extraction. It must therefore havo heeii molded on the liea 1 after death. A siniilur mode of Imrial was praetii-ed hy the Chaldeans, where the funeral jars often cmitaiu a human cranium much too expanded to admit of the |iossiliility ol its pii.s8injr out of it, so that either the clay must lutvi^ been iiiodeled over the corpse, uud then baked, or the neck of the jar must have been added sniiseqiiently to tho other rites of iiit«srniunt.t It is with re{;;ret tlnit tlu^ writer feels oblip'd to differ from the distin- guished author of the work quoted re^tirdin;;' iirn-biuial, for notwith- standing that it has been employed by .some of the Central and Southern American tribes, it is not believed to have, been enstomary, but to « rrrif limited extent, in North America, except iis a secondary interment, lie must admit that he himself has found bones in urns or ollas in the graves of New Mexico and (Jalilbriiia, but luider circiunstances that wtmld seem to indicate a deposition long subsequent to death. In the graves of the ancient peoples of (^alifornia a number of ollas were fountl in long used burying places, iiiid it is j)robablc that tis the bones were dug up time and tigain for new burials they were simply tossed into jiots, which were convenient receptacles, or it may hive been that bodies •Pro-historic Kaces, 1^73, p. 199. t Kawlinson's Herodotus, Itook i, e.liai). 198, noti: \ 138 MORTU\RY CUSTOMS OP NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. wcro allowed to repose iu the earth long enough for the fleshy parts to tleciiy, and the bones were then collected, placed iu urns, and reintv,rred. Dr. E. Foreman, of the Smithsonian Institution, furnishes the following account of urns used for burial : I would call your attoutioii to uii earthcuwiiro burial-uru and cover, Nos. 27i)7() and 27077, National Mnseuin, but very recently received from Mr. Wiiiiaui McKiuIey, of Milledgeville, Ga. It was exhumed on his plantation, ten miles below that city, on llu) bottom lauds of the Oconee Kiver, now covered with almost impassible cane- brakes, tall grasses, and briers. We had a few months ago from the same source one of the covers, of which the oruameutatiou was ditfereut b«t more entire. A portion of a similiir cover has been received also from Chattanooga, Tenn. Mr. MoKinley asci-ibes tlu' use of these urns and covers to the Muscogees, a branch of the Creek Nation. These urns are made of baked clay, and are shaped somewhat like the ordinary steatite ollas found in the California coast graves, but the bottoms instead of being round run down to a sharp apex ; on the top was a cover, the upper part of which also terminated in an apex, and around the border, near where it rested on the edge of the vessel, are indented scroll ornamentations. The burial-urns of Mew Mexico are thus described by E. A. Barber:' Burial-urns • • » comprise vessels or ollas without handles, for cremation, usually being from 10 to 15 inches iu height, with broad, open months, and made of oarse clay, with a laniiuated exterior (partisilly or entirely ornamented). Frequently .he indentalions cxlond simply arouwl the ueck or rim, the lowt 'portion being plain. So far as is known, up to the present time no burial-urus have beeu found in North America resembling tliose discovered in Nicaragua by Dr. .1. (J. lirausford, U. S. N., but it is quite within the range of possi- bility that future researclies in regions not far distant from that which ho explored may reveal similar treasures. Figur'^ represents ditterent forms of burial-urns, a, b, and c, after Foster, are from Laporl . lud. /, after Foster, is from Greenup County, Kentucky; d is from Miliedge- ville, Ga., in Smithsonian collection, No. 27970; and c is one of the pe- eu'iar shoe-shaped urus brought from Omet«pec li^huid, Lal:e Nicunigua, hy iLiurgeon J. C. Bransford, U. S. N. < [- , SURFACE BirRTAIi. This mode of iuti>rment was practiced to only a limited extent, :.o far as -ol. x, p. 455 et teq. ,. Fiu. 0. — Hiiriul Urii». mmm ...I m TABHOW.] SURFACE HIJKIAL. 13D ciently large to coutniu iho coqise ; it xvaa theu lashed togetUc-r witlj withes and }»rmittwi to remain whert it wun originally plactni. In simiii CMws ;! jH'it was built over and aivjiid it. Tins statonu'nt is (^<»r- rol)orated by B. S. Kohiitso.j, of Fort V 413 iit^, hid., wJio MtaU-n, in a«t)iii nnniieation leceived in 1877, tbat the Miuniis jmM'tiutI swrfaca burial in two diirwont way.s: ' ■ 1st. Tlif tjurrtici; burial iu IidUoav iutjH. Tlit\so hivvi! Imi-ii foiiiul iu lu:a\ v f«rc^t«i. ikiinntiin'* a tn-n biw boou siilit ami thu t wo halvoB hollowrd out In rBCiiivi* tile lidcly, wliou it was i-iUiur i^losert with withcB or uuufiueU to tlio groiuul willi )0(l Mtiiki'i*; ami .somciimi'si n hoDow tree is usuil by oloaiiijj tUc I'tids. ail. .SurfjKjL' Ipiiiiiil vlii-rr the lioily wuh covered by a 8iiiall \ip,n of logi liiiil uj) ii.i wt! build a cahila, but ilrnwin^ in ovi^ry course tiiitil tlii^y meet iu u siiigU' log at tin; top. The writer has recently received from Prof. (3. Engolhardt, of aiH» of liollowing out I'lff* tor <<««'.<»'<5».HC<> vvjili r|)(. (inti: i/['.rfh.iu wi.sllOii of the d«{»!. •\'i*f*i {.!>«■ snim' I, w«8 (sitij*? of lite <>wjdl»a». 'Tine tftaaoaitt I* g»v.-.j ,-_ '.-■■■'■■i: ■■' Ho r«x|U<"«J aud on tin- ht)i aiut with givat pomp atiri (n-rtMnony, in thu prfsenco. of the %vbole nation and several of thu fnr-iradorM ii:iil tlu^ ludiuii ajfotit, hr was plnced ,i,.(*ri>l.: of his Iiojw'h bai:k, with luH how in his hand, aud his shiuld luid ([uivor shiug, ■with his pipi' anil his ini'diciuo bajj;, ".vith his supply nf driixi niiat, audhi.-i tobacco-pimth repk-uishod to hist him through 1 he journuy to th<' beautiful hiiutiug j;rouiids of the shad(».s of his fafhors, with his (lint, his steel, and his tiudcr to light his pipe by tht; way; Iho scalps he had takeu from his ennniicrt heads could bo trophies for nobody else, aud wi-ni hunt; *" '1'" hridl« of his horse llo was iu full dri-s-s, and fully onuipped. and .M< his head wavd to tin.' last mouient. his beautiful head-tire's of tin' wat-caifles' pluiuis. l-.j this plight, and the last funiral honors having bocu pcrforuiod by tho .iiedicinf-iueu, ovrry warrior of his luiud painted tho pulin and liufjers of Ids li'^dit jaod "itli vcrujillion. which was stamped and porfootly iiuprcsscfl on th'- niilk-whito 4dp« . «■ his dovolt'il h«r»ti; 'J lii.i «U done, tnrfs were brought ami placod around ',l ut i,*>' .>'«»niipc>4,t>.f, B'li'oa), and last nf all ovor thu head andovon ■ m •-li;'" fit .Mi\t, ,*f i> \ifej»*i.^ -Ider, w««fti>- ill locethiT have sniouMiuod aud mmu:.. ii i:!.'ii-- iurt.. -yTfvufHf \t«:V. » Fiinif* 7, af'.-f 8ei»»*ot*'ratt, represeuti* an Indian buririi >;i n;id :• liigli hint *ftl*i^ HiHSO^r!) l^iver. AecorUitij, >o ('«.v IJev. J «1. Wowi.t thf Olxiugo, ;i AlViciiu )ii''i •Manneis, (. 'ii4ti.., ^, «lti. of Sorth R^wrlcui) lij.iiauh, l«M'. ? 1', ..^ p. j. i UuiivilizMl K ic<4 TiU VHorv* !«?♦ ..J. i, j». #»;!. -» vaw^c^M^; W.ttfl (b iMity him mi tJti) batrk vf itM h> - <«ttn ■<'^ .<; <*,. !!«iS4#)(iShr-4 »fiHH*W' fciw, *KM« i«fe«m('.e Uc cotUd see, as ho iwll'■t'^•, <» 11 lOlo \vhit«8)i.-i. f- ^ J ti '^ >!^ »»i -} '|*gl. ' », .n i K.,.. m ;--^l ii' i. ^Vi: ^t. m ijj??--'' 3 YAUROW.] SURFACE BURIAL. 139 cieutly large to uontuiii the corpse; it was then lashed together with withes and permitted to remain where it was originally placed. In some cases a pen was built over and around it. This statement is cor- roborated by K. S. Robertson, of Fort Wayne, Ind., who states, in a com- munication received in 1877, that the Miamis practiced surface burial in two different ways: " * " Int. Tlu! Biirfiice Imrial in hollow logs. These havo been foiiiul in lii-uvy lorosls. Suiuutinics u tree has been split, imd the two liaU'es hollowed out to n^oeivo the body, when it was tiither closed with withes or couliued to tlu^ ground with (Mossed stakes ; and soinelinies a hollow tree is used by elosiiig the t^nils. 'Jd. Surface buria' where the body was covered by a sni.'vll pen of logs l!ii liolIow, which is iil'torwiirdH lillcd to tlic top with cartli, h'uvcs, mid bruiiclicN. M. «h' hi Potlu'iic* jjives an aceoiiiit of surface burial as practiced by the Iroquois of New York : Qiiaiid re iiiahidc est iiiort, on li' iiicl siir noii s«<^aiit, on oint ncs i'Ih'Vimix ct tout Hon c'or|m d'liuiliMraniniaux, on Ini a|i|)lii|n>' iln vt'iinillon Nnr !<' vi.siijjc ; on Ini nu-t tontcH Horti's dt' bi'ftux plnnia^cs dt- hi ra.ssadi^ do la iiort'chiino ft on lo imro ih's pins licanx hal>itH t£Ui^ I'on pent tronvcr, pendant qiu- Ich |)ai'cn8 ot ces viitilloHi-ontinucnt tonjoniH i"l i)l('nr«'i'. t'olti" <'t'>i('iMoni(> tinic, Irs alliez apportt'iit phiHiiMirs proscnH. I,e.s ntiH sont pour t'HNnycr b's larincH ct K'.s unties ponr 8cr\ ir tbw nuitchi.s an d^l'nnt, on en destine certains ponr convrir hi t'nsse, de pcnr, disent-ilx, (pii^ la pbij;ne n>^ I'Incoininodc, on y etend I'ort propreincnt dus peanx d'onrs ct dcchcvn^iils ipii bn serveni de Ht, et on bii nu't ses ajnstcmensuA'ic' nn sac dc larinc de bb'd d°Jn deterrent. Ces sortcs de fuiicraines ne so font que (bins leiir vilbifjc. I.orsqn'ils nuMin^nt en cainpa^jne on b's met dans nn icicncil d'i'corce, entre b-s biiinclies artli so as to hold the sticks in place. I saw a father and mother start ont alone to bury their child abont a year old ; they carried it by tieing it np in a blanket and putting a long stick thrinigh the blanket, each takluK au end of thu Htick. * Hist, de l°Aincrli|nu Supteutriouale, Vb',i, tome ii, p. 43. t Pioneer Life, 1872. f '■ 5 H Fig. 8 — Grave Pen. ■• Fio. 9. — Grave Pen. ■i ■' I TARnOW.) SURFACK rUTRIAL — OJIHWAYS. 141 I havi- iiIn(( Mt'cti flm drad IkmUch i>liicfil in Irci'H. TIiih In tloiir li.v dinniim a InxiKtl nut of IV lo^, |ilai'iii){ tliclxMly in it, anil nivcrinK il. I liavc Keen Ncvcral IioiIIi'n in (>iii< trail. T tliink wlicu thtty ar« (liH|)y N|M'i'iiil i'i'i|iii'Ht, aH 1 know nf an Indian woman who livi'd witli a wliitr family wlio dt'Hiri'd hiT body iilaicd in a liei', wlilcli WUH ai't'ordiiiKly doni'.* DouIiiIchh thrri- wax wunr iirunliar Nn|ii'rstillon atljkrlu'd lo thiN mode, thouuli I do nof riMMi'inln'r lo have heard what it wmn. .Iii(ljt»i Jl. Wnlcht stiitcs that "the Hanks, Koxos, uinl I'nttawatoiiiit'H buried by sitting; tli«> body on the {around and bnildin^' a pen around it of Htitrks or lo^s. 1 tiiink Uw bodies hiy iu'ads to tiie east." And (J. C. Haldwin, ot' were oidy Jiarls of skeletons with ehareoal and asheH, slxiwiut; they had been buriu^d. W. A. Biiee| inentions a enrious variety ol' snil'aee burial not hereto- fore met with : And id'ten had been seen, years af;o, Hwin{L;ing from I he boui'li of a tree, lU' in a ham- moek stretched between two trees, the infant (d'the Indian mother; or a few little log iuelosnres, where the bodies id' adulls siit niui;;ht, with all their foruu-r apparel wrapped about them, and their trinki'ts, louialiiiwks, Ac., by their sich^, conUI be seen at any limi- lor many years by the fiw pale-faces visitiujj; or sojouruiu}r here. A method of interment so <',lo.sely allied to snrfiiee biiriid that it may be considered niulei that htad is the oiu^ emi)lo.>ed by some of the Ojib- \vay.s and Swamjiy Orees of Canada. A sintill tnivity is scooped out, the body deposited tlu'rein, (iovered with a little dirt, the mound thus formed being covered either with split phmks, |»oles, or birch bark. l*rof. Uenry Yoide Hind, who was in charge of the Canadian Ived Kiver e.vploring exiiedition of I.S.IH, lias been good enough to forward to the Bureau of Etlinoh)gy two jdiotogiiiphs representing this vtiriety of grtive, which he found lo or liO utiles from the present town of Winnipeg, and they aie represented in the woodcuts. Figures 8 and 9. 'I saw the body of this wonum in the tree. It was undoubterabU; extent aiiioii},' the tribes living in tbe Uocky Mountains and the Sierra Nevadas. In the BUininer of 1872 tbe writer visited one of tiieso rock cenu^teries in Middle IJtab, wbicli had been used for a period not cNccedinj; fifteen or twenty years. It was situated at the bottom of a rock slide, upon the side of an almost iimccessible mountain, in a position so carefully chosen for concealment that it would have been almost impossible to find it without a guide. Several of the graves were opened, and found to have been constructed in the following manner: A nund>er of bowl- ders had been removed from the bed of the slide until a sufticiicnt cav- ity had been obtained ; this was lined with skins, the corpse placed therein, with weapons, ornaments, &c., and covered over with saplings of the mountain aspen ; on the top of these the removed bowlders were ]iiled, forming a huge cairn, which appeared large enough to have marked the last resting place of an elephant. In the immediate vicinity of the graves were scattered the osseous remains of a luimber of horses which had been sacrificed, no doubt, during the funeral ceremonies. In one of the graves, said to contain the body of a chief, in addition to a number of articles useful and ornamental, were found parts of the skel- eton of a boy, and tradition states that a captive boy wius buried alive at this place. From Dr. O. G. Given, physician to the Kiowa ami Comanche Agency, Indian Territory, the following description of burial ceremonies was re- ceived. According to this gentleman the Kiowas call themselves Eaw- a-icdh, the Comtinches Nerm, and the Apaches Tdh-zee. Tboy bury in the ground or in crevices of rocks. Thoy do not seem to have any particulur rule with regard to the position. Sometimes prone, sometimes supine, but always decumbent. They select a place where the grave is easily prepared, wliich they do with such implements as they chance to have, viz, a squaw-axe, or hoe. If they are tru < eliug, the grave is often very hastily prepared and not muoh time is spent in liuishing. I wiis present at the burial of Block Hawk, tin Apache chief, some two years ago, and took the body in my light wagon up the side of a mountain to the place of burial. They found a crevice in the rocks about four feet wide and three feetdee]!. By lilling in loose rocks at either end they made a very nice tomb. The body was then put in face downwards, short sticks were put across, resting on projec- tions of rock at the sides, brush was thrown on this, and llat rocks laid over the whole , of it. The body of the deceased is dressed in the best cloth iiig, together with all the oma- uieuts most admired by the person when living. The face is painted with any colored paint they may have, mostly red and yellow, as I have observed. The body is then wrapped in skins, blankets, or domestic, with the hands laid across the breast, and the b'^s lilaeed upon the thighs. They put into the grave their guns, bows and arrows, tobiici'ti, iiud if they have it a blanket, moccasins, and trinkets of various kinds. One TAIIIlOW.l ANTIQiriTY OK CREMATION. m or more Ihhwh urn killtid over or iinnr Hio ^ritvi'. Two liorHrn ami a iiiiilc won- killed iii'ur Blai^k llawk'Ngravc Tli<>,v wxrc li'd iipiK^ar aiiilNliol in llic h<>a> I ■^'■> t"'*' ul><">t Hiwciity liorM'H \v*>ri< killttil, and u ({ri'utor iiiiiiiIht than that wcro wtld to hnvo bucn killed at tlm death of a |irii!iiiiient Kiown eliiel'a fuw yean itinci). Thu iiionniln^ iit principally done liy tll<^ relative.s and iinnii'diate tVieiidN, ulthoni;h any one of their own trilxj, orono of another triho, whoelianees to ho paHHiii^, will wtop anil moan with the relittivcH. Their nionrning coimiHtH in a wierd wail, which lo ho deHerihed nnrnt he hoard, and oncu heard Ih never forgotten, toKethur with I he xeur- ifyiiiK of their Iulth, arnm, and le^H with Home Hhurp inHtrnnient, the euttiUK olV of the hair, ami oftentinieH the uuttinK ofl'of a joint of a liii);er, miually the little linger (C'oinan(dieH do not cut olf llnKcrH). The leiifflh of tinin luid intenNit v of their nioiini- inK depemlH upon the relation and poHition of thedeeeaHed in the trilio. I havo known iiiHtaneett where, if they Hhould he paHHin^; ulonff wliere any of their friendH had died, even a year after their death, they wimhl mourn. Tho Slioshone.s, of Neviula, generally (roiKiealcd tlitur dwid bciioath hwips of rockH, according to H. BiitteitU'ld, of Tylio, Ny« ("oiinty, Ntv vada, alMiongh occasionally they either burn or btiry them. lie gives iih reasons for rock burial: Ist, to prevent coyotes eating the corpses; L'd, because they have no tools for deep extjavations ; and 3d, natural indo- lence of tho Indians — indisposition to work tiny more than (;an b<' helped. The Pi-Utes, of Oregon, bury in cairns; the Blackfeet do the same, as did also the Acaxers and Yaqnis, of Mexico, and the Es(|tumau\; in faiK!e admit, a discussion mij^lit i)rofitably [)i! entered upon refjarding the details of it among- the ancients and the origin of tlie cer- emony. As it is, simple narrations of cremation in tliis country, witli discursive notes and an account of its origin unning the Nisiiinanis of Cidifornia, by Steplien Powers,* seem to be all that is required at this time: The moon ami tins coyoto wroiijjht tofjetlii'v in crcntinf; all tilings tlmt oxist. Tli(< moon wuH K<><> ii the (;alifenefaclor in a hundr<'d \Nay.s, and observe its change.^ for a luindred jiurposes. Another myth regariMng cremation is given by Adiim Johnston, in S(!hoolcraft,t and relates to the IJonaks, or root diggers : The tirst ImliauM that li\ed were coyotes. When one of their number died the Imdy becanu' full of liille animals or siiirils, as Ih.y thouglit IIhmu. After iirpose a rising ground is seleeled, on which are laid a number of stii ks, about 7 fei't long, of cypress, neatly split, and in the intersliccs is placed a ijnantity of gummy wood. During these operations invilatious are disjiat died to the natives of the neighboring villages reiiuestiiig theiratlendauee at the eereinouy. Wlieii the preparations are perfected tlie corpse is placed on tlu' pile, which is inime- N OREGON. 145 I I * 4 I 4' high Mate tn" «»«5rj is». »\t, 1/ a 5tri»nttw hapv'n to 'jo jirwi r;t thoy Ins-arinbly iiliindi r liliu i i'lrt It »M'*t- (riiv»«iiv Iki 'leiiiot! Mi«iii!. Ili<\v iievnr sepanilo witbout qiuirrcliujr MstMig ilvjtMxX-rr*. 'S'.^t; m^^ If h*> !wi»|»^v •-?.») n bo a i>et'i»ii «>lf '-onsiqinaiot!, Ills ftiends fjoiiprolly jtm- I'llMHt k u»{>at<;, » isjiirt, jt pmr nf tT«)i3(t4>rM, du'., vcfaiub artit'ltw Mo u.\mt Imd arouud the pile. If the doctor who atti'iuie b>' pruseut lit the cei^-iiiony, aud tur tht- but time trb k lii.<) ukill in restoring tlu- dcf l to ttiiiiiiiitiol!. Failing in tliis, iie throwmm the body .-i jiiocfi o!' bjiither, or soiiu- other arlichs, aa a present, wliit h. in sonio niensuTo appoa-sto thu icsenfifn-nt of Ids rilati>c.'», and preserves tbo unltetuniUf ijuacK iVoiii Uing inaltrcalnd. JHiring tbo nine, days tlio corpoM is laid ont, tins widow ol' tliu dcccimcd in uMigcd to stlRcp iiloufj side it from siuuei 10 sunrise; tind from this ciislom there is no rubix-.uioa e\eii during the Uoit^-I daye.ti piiujunBrl Wiiiio thu Uovtor la pcrt'otming his liist oiieruiun.s shu niust li« on tho pile, nnd niter thu lli« is applied to it sho ewinot slii- \niril !hp doctor orders Jut tIi»ced on her legs; she is (ddij^od to |jh.-» hor luvnds gently thrungh Ihi.- llumo nnd collect Koiiie ol' Iho liqnid i'ut wliir b issues from thu corpse, with whieli she in i;Brmitt4td to wet Iht f.ice and bod\, ! When (bo IVliuid* of the deceased observe Ihi; sinen i.{ lii.- leuH ittid aniui bcj^inoiMg to »;ontrttet they -.oiinnd the nnfortunute, widow to i;o ii^tiin -^n *}•■* pU--- iwi ' bv lUtu of hard pri'ssiutj Ui iir»i^i.Ufv »hoao members. i diving bm-H>ti"y*', ■■«..> ".< ' ■. inH .Wtt*' *«■ utttf^Hkl <<*.iK' -ijtii rjtHi t" Wuu savory fmu* or t'fgloctj'd Id* «lo'biii^, A.-.., U/*. K *»»1» ■'■:■■ ■' '■ ■' •■■•■ - ■ ■ •- .. ■ •■ -. -> -■! » -^i y -.J, i.t> .; '»•• ^T^'b>w vo))eet8th« largfi FidVo; all the laborious a>itit.h ot voolouji, cotiwiiiog Cue:, *>> . .t<'*r.l' ■ uu ii.-i SU'? nuwt obey the ordem of all the women, audevf-not liieehildKju ijeJongtutf •<• iIk' .'llnge., Mxd the slightest mislulibiu'disobedieuce sulijtcts her to Uie intiidion of v bn:>vy pim ishuient. 'Ihu asbt.s of lur bnt-b.aiid aie run fnliy i,oIleetA.d and deponitid in iv j;riiAe. which it in ht!r duly to keep fr«<> from ivo'^ds ; and mio'iM iiny sncU lipji-'a", "he i* oldij;vil to loot them oid, with bl'lJ(H,/«-r^■. During tui.i npi nlioii Iht busb,ii)d';i ixilu- tives stiHid by and 'jeut her in » i rtml manner imtl 'hi' tiwl^ is couiplolud .« ?.be fulls u vietini to their bitilulity. tlu- wretched w idowi'. i > avoid tliis eomplii at' d < ruclty, frequently eeinniit nnieide. .Slionii, ^lK', however, lii^'^' ■ mi lur thre«; or fma \ei»r!>, (he friends of her linslninil ii>;iee \o relieve lur ironi liei ])uinful !iioiiniMi!<. "Iiis in u eeri nionj of ntiicb eons< iiKinee, and Ibn preparjitinns l.'iembled the i'e;iFt . oiiiiiieutos, oiidprei««ut.>i irw illstribiited to e;ieli visitol. Tbi- objeet of their n!e«?tin!4 i.s '''<" expluiUL'd, ftud •In w>nmn u bronfjbt loiv ml, Biiil e.rttiyiugon her b;it!k tl" bom!, of li'i- l;de hii.t- •,.«'!*. *'wi(, Mv .)»<* »»'Ut.>^ed mud placed in a covoreil box, ivlmb i« muled nr other- . •n«jtwelvefeet high. Heveouductiisiniiifbfolwidow i.iu>'jii highly '-.>,. »••* .. ,.j i»..f ^t^-'^SM\^\ of hi I ■.iiauumisiuon is eoiupleled by one man (lowdering on B*i •!.■•»• «'*^ " « •»* •Jtfin nna iiiiolhi i jioniiug oi; it tho contents of a Idudder "f • lit Sbf- 1* I.W - 'V* ''<».-i'.t n> niorrj iiysiii. or lead a life of singl<- Metw. dne.s'' ; leit !. \- I'f Hieui, I 'r. ■/*•.■ 'V*. ,'• ' y •I'llilet till' risU .llUIIil.ug ii«' or 7 feet i\m-\). Tlie body was let dow n iu it, when sand was tlirown in, which reached to llie knees, and llur body w,(S placed in it in a sitting posture, resembling that In which they crouebed round the lire orthe table when alive, with tho elbows on tho knees and the palms of the hands against the cheeks. No part of the body touched the outside cd' the grave, v, hich was covered with wood and mats until all the relations had exandned it. WIumi the customary examinations and insj)eetlous were ended the li(de was tilled, and tln' ImmIIcs after- wards remained undisturbed. Tlii' hair of the decensed was kepi tied bebiiid. In this way bodies have remained several niontbs wilhont any syniploms of decay or iirodiic- ing any disagreeable smell. The loiicoit not only iireserved them from tlie sun, air, and insects during their lifetime, Imt probably bad the same elTect after death. The arms of the Caraibs were placed by them when they were covered over for inspection, and they were finally buried with them. Again, we are told Hint during the burning the by.-^tiinders !>ie very merry. This hilarity is .>iimiiar to that shown by the Japanese at a funeral, who rejoice thtit the troubles and worries of the world are over for the foitiiiiate dead. The ])Inndering of .strangers prosent, it may be remembered, also took jdace among tho Indians of the ('arolinas. As 'Trans. Am. Autiij. (Soc, 18'J(', vol. i, p. 377. irj CREMATION — CALIP'ORNIA. 147 , already ineiittoned on a preceding page, tlie cruel manner in whicli the widow is treated seems to be a luoditlcation oftlio Hindoo suttee, but, if the account be true, it would appear that death might be ])r(>ferable to such torments. It is interesting to note that in Corsica, as lute as 1743, if a husband died, women threw themselves ui)on the widow and beat her severely. Bruhier quaintly remarks that this custom obliged women to take good care of their hubbands. George Gibbs, in Schocleralt,* states that among the Indians of (Jlear Lake, California, " the body is consumed upon a scatt'oid built over a hole, into which the asiies are thrown and covered." According to Stephen Powers, t cremation was common among the Se-u61 of California. He thus relates it : The (load aro mostly buniud. Mr. VViDard doscribod to mc a sceiio of incromatioii that ho ouco witnessed, which was friglitl'ul for its exhibitions of fanatic frenzy and infatuation. The cor|)se was that of a wealthy chii^ftain, and as he hiy npon the funeral pyre they jilaeed in his niimth two gold twenties, and other smaller coins in his cars and hands, on his breast, &c., besides all liis flnory, his feather mantles, idtii'K'S, elotliing, shell money, his faney bows, painte^l(; tor them, jingling the bright coins before his eyes, but the .savage (for such be bad be- come again for the nmuu;nt), otherwise so avaricious, hurled him away with a yell of execration and ran and tlirew his otl'ering into the llames. Squaws, even umru frenzied, wildly thing U[(ou the pyre all tliey had in the world — their dearest orna- ments, their gaudiest dres.ses, their strings of glittering shells. Hcreaming, wailing, tearing their hair, beating their breasts in their mad and insensate infatuation, some of them woulil have cast themselves bodily into the tlaming ruins and perished with the chief had they not been restrained by their companions. Then the bright, swift flames, Willi their hot tongues, licked this "cold obstruction " into cheniic change, and the once •' delighted spirit " of th(! savage was borr.o up. • » » It seems as if the savage shared in Shakspearo's shudder at the thought of rotting ill i\u. dismal grave, for It is the one pa.ssion of his superstition to think of the soul, of his departed freiud set free and puritied by the swift purging beat of the tlames not dragged down lobe clogged and liouiid in the mouldering body, hut borne up in the soft, warm chariots of the snu)ke toward the beautiful siui, to bask in his warmth and light, and then to lly away to the Happy Western Land. What wfuuler if the Indian shrinks with unspeakable In rror IVom the thought of burijiixj hin J'lkiut'n soul! — of pressing and rannniug down with pitiless clods that innerKomething which once tooic such delight in the swt^et light of the sun ! What wonder if it takes years to persuade him to do otherwise and follow our custom! What wonder if even then he does it with sad fears and misgivings! Why not let him kei'phis eustoin! In the gorgeous * Hist. Indian Tribes of the United States, 1853, part iii, p. \Vi. ICon'.ib. loK. A. Klliiiiil., 1«T7, vol. iii, p. KiO. 148 MOUTIIARY CUSTOMS OP NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. landscapes and I>a1m,v climate of Califnmia and India incremation is as natural to the savage as it is forliini to lovo tlio beauty of the sun. Lot the vilv Ksquimaux and tho frozen Siberian bury their dead if they will ; it matters little, tho earth is tho same above as below ; or to them tho bosom of tho earth may seem even the bejter; hut in California do not blame thesavago if he recoils at the thought of going under ground! This soft pale halo of tho lilac hills — ah, lot him console himself if ho will with the belief that his lost friend enjoys it still ! Tho narrator concluded by saying that t hey destroyed full^'iOO worth of property. " The blankets," said ho with aiineCaliforuian scorn of such absurd insensibility to a good bargain, "the blanketsthat thoAmoricau olTered him $1G for were not worth half tho money." After death the 8o-n61 hold that bad Indians return into coyotes. Others fall off a bridge which all souls nnist traverse, or are hooked olf by a raging hull at tho further end, while tho good bscape across. Like the Yokaia and tho Konkan, they believe it necessary to nourish tho spirits of the departed fur the space of a year. This is generally done by a souaw, who takes jtinole in her blanket, repairs to the scene of tho incremation, or to places hallowed by the memory of tho dead, where she scatters it over the ground, meantime rocking her body violently to and IVo in a dance and chanting the following choroua : Hel-lel-U-ly, Hel-lel-lo, Hel-lel-lu. This refrain is repeated over and over indefinitely, but the words have no mean iug whatever. Henry Gilliuan* has publislied an interesting account of the explor- ation of a mound near Waldo, Fla., in which he found abundant evi- dence that crciuation had existed among the I'onner Indian population. It is as follows : In opening a biiriiil-mouudat Cade's Pond, a small body of water situated about two miles northeastward of Santa F6 Lake, Fla., tho writer found two instances of crema- tion, iu each of which the skull of the subject, which was uuconsumed, was used as the depository of his ashes. Tho mound contained besides a large number of human burials, tho bones being much decayed. With them wore deposited a great number of vessels of pottery, many of which aro paiuted in brilliant colors, ehielly red, yellow, and brown, and some of them oiiiameuted with indented patterns, disiilaying not a little skill iu the ceramic art, though they are reduced to fragments. The first of the skulls referred to was exhumed at a depth of 'JJ feet. It rested on its apex (ba.se uppermost), and was tilled with fragments of half incinerated human bones, mingled with (lark-colored ilust, and the sand which invariably sifts into crania. iiniUv such circumstances. Inunediately beneath the skull lay the greater part of a human tibia, liresenling the peculiar compression known as a ijlatycncmism to tho degree of ntVording a latitudinal index of .512; while beneath and surnmnding it lay the fragments of a large number of liunum bones, probably constituting an entire individual. In tho second instance of this peculiar mode in cremation, tho craniuui was discovered on nearly the oppositeside of the mound, at a depth of 2 feet, and, like the former, restjng on its apex. It was lilled with a black mass — the residniim of burnt human bones min- gled with sand. At three feet to the eastward lay the shaft of aflattcned tibia, which presents the longitudinal index of .527. Both the skulls wore free from all ucticui of fire, anil though Bub.sequently crumbling to pieces on their removal, the writer hwl opportunity to observe their strong resoniblauce to tho small, orthocephalic crania which he had exhumed from mounds in Michigan. The same resemblance was per- ceptible in the other cranium belonging to this mound. The small, narrow, retreating frontal, pi-ominont parietal protuberances, rather protuberant occipital, which was 'Arner. Naturalist, November, 1H78. p. 763. lABKOW.I CREMATION-FURNACE. u» not iu the leant compressed, the well-deflued Hupracilinry ridgcn, and the superior border of the orbits, presenting a quadrilateral outline, wore also purticulurly noticed. The lower fuuial bones, including the niuxilluries, were wonting. On consulting such works as are accessible to him, the writer liiids no mention of any similar relics having been discovered in mounds in Florida or elsewhere. For Inrtlier particulars reference may bu had to a paper on the subject read before the Suint Louia lueetiug of the Amer- can Association, August, 1878. The discoveries made by Mr. Gilluiau would seem to indicate tbat the people whose boues he excavated resorted to a process of partial crema- iiou, some examples of which will be giveu on another page. The use of crauia as receptacles is certainly remarkable, if not unique. The fact is well-known to archajologists that whenever cremation was practiced by Indians it was customary as a rule to throw into the blazing pyre all sorts of articles suppo.sed tobensi'f'ultothedead,butnoin.stauce Is known of such a wholesale destruction of i>roperty as occurred when the Indians of Southern Utah burued their dead, for Dr. E. Foreman relates, in the American Naturalist for Julj, 187G, the account of the exploration of a mound in that Territory, which proves that at the death of a person not only were the remains destroyed by fire, but all arti- cles of personal property, even the very habitation which had served as a home. After the i)rocess was completed, what remained unburned was covered with earth and a mound formed. A. S. Tifl'auy* describes what he calls a cren tiou-furnace, discovered within seven miles of Davenport, Iowa. * • * Mound seven miles below the city, aprojectingpoint known as Eagle Point. ■The surface was of the usual black soil to the depth of from 6 to 8 inches. Next was found a burnt indurated clay, rescnibling in color and texture a medium-burned brick, and about 30 inches in depth. Immediately beneath this clay was a bed of charred human remains () to 18 inches thick. This rested upon the unchanged and undis- turbed loess of the blutfs, which formed the floor of the pit. Imbedded iu thislloorof unburned clay were a few very much deconiposed, but unburned, human bones. No implements of any kind were discovered. The furnace appears to have been con- structed by excavating the pit and placing at the bottom of it the bodies or skeletons which hud possibly been collected from scall'olds, and placing the fuel among and above thi^ bodies, with a covering of poles or split timbers extending over and resting upon the earth, with '.he clay covering above, which latter we now tind resting ui)ou the charred re.Muins. The ends of the timber covering, where they were protected by the earth above aLund :imong or near the remains*, the combustion then! having been complete. The porous and softer portions of the b')ues were reduced to pulverized bone-black. Mr. Stevens also ex- amined the furnace. The mound had probably not been opened after the burning. This account is doubtless true, but the inferences may be incorrect. Many more accounts of cremati(Ui among different tribes might be given to show how prevalent w as the custom, but the above are thought to be sutlicieiitly distinctive to serve as examples. •Proc. Dav. Acad. Nat. Sci., 18()7-76, p. C4. 160 MORTHAUy CUSTOMS OK NORTH AMERICAN 1NUIAN8. /'.( HTIA L VUEMA TIOH. Allied soiiunvlmt to creinatiou is a peculiar mode of btu'ial which is supiiosed to have taken place among the Cheiokees, or some other tribe of North Carolina, and which is thus described by J. W. Foster :• Up to IHl'J the Cherokces licltl possession of this roj^ioii, whon, iu pursiiuiico of n treaty, they vacated a portion of the lands lying iu the valley of the Little TtMincssce River. Iu 1821 Mr. McDowell coninieuced farming. During the first season's operii- tiuns the plowshare, in passing over a certain portion of a field, produced a hollow rumbling sound, and iu exploring for the cause the first object met with was n shal- low layer of charcoal, beneath which was a slab of burnt clay about 7 feet in length and 4 feet broad, which, in the attempt to remove, broke into several fragments. Nothing beneath this slab was found, but on examining its under side, to his great surprise there was the mould of a naked human figure. Three of those burned-clay .se])tilclu'is wor.i thus raised and examinetl during the first year of his occupancy, since which time none have been found iintil recently. • ' » During the past seasou (187iJ) the plow brought up another fragment of one of these uionhls, revealing the iui))ress of a plump human arm. Col. C. W. Jenkes, the superintendent of the Corundum mines, which have recently been opened in that vicinity, advises me thus: "We have Indians all about us, with traditions extending back for 500 years. In this time they have buried their dead under huge piles of stones. Wo have at one point theremaius of (1(10 waiTiora under one jjile, but agravo has just been opened of the fol- lowing construction : A pit was dug, into which the corpse was |)la(ie(l, face upward ; then over it was moidded a, covering of mortar, fitting the form and features. On this was built a hot fire, which formed an entire shield of pottery for the corpse. The breaking u]) of one such tomb gives a perfect cast of the form of the occupant." Colonel Jenkes, fully impressed with the value of these archicological discoveries, detailed a nuvn to siiperintend the exhumation, who proceeded to remove the earth from the mould, which he reached through a layer of charcoal, and then with a trowel excavated beneath it. The clay was not thoroughly baked, and no impression of the corpse was left, except of the forehead and that portion of the limbs between the ankles and the knees, and even these portions of the mould crundded. The body had been placed cast and west, the head tow-ird the east. "I had hoped," continues Mr. McDowell, "that the cast inthe clay would be as perfect as one I found .M years ago, a fragment of which liiresented to Colonel Jenkes, with the impression of ,'t part of the arm on one side and on the other of the fingers, that had pressed down the soft clay upon the body interred beneath." The mound-builders of the Ohio valley, as has been shown, oftuu j)laced a layer of clay over the dead, but not iu immediate contact, ui)on which they biuldcd fires; and the evidences that cremation was often resorted to in their disposition are too abundant to be gainsaid. This statement is corroborated by Mr. Wilcox : t Mi\ Wilcox also stated that when recent lyiu North Carolina his attention was called to an unusal method of burial by an ancient race of Indians in thiit vicinity. In numerous instances V)urial places were discovered where the bodies had been placed with the face up and covered with a coating of plastic clay about an inch thick. A pile of wood was then placed on top and fired, which consumed the body and baked the clay, which retained the impression of the body. This was then lightly covered with earth. * Tre-historic Races, 187:!. p. 14i». tProc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Pliilu., Nov. 1674, p. 168- W I r A Know I PARTIAL CRKMATIOV. ir.i It is tliou^flit no doubt can iittuch to the 8tnt«'mentH ^nvcn, but tli*> cases are remarkable as I>ein>;' tlu» only instanei's of the kind met witli in the extensue ranye ol readinj; i»ie)»aratoiy to a study of the subject of burial, altiiou^di it must be observed tlnit Biuhier states that the aiuMcnt ICthiopians < oxered the corpses of their dead with plaster (pro- l)ably mud), but tiu-y did not burn these curious colliiis. Another method, embracing both burial and ( lenuition, lias been prac- ticed by the IMtt Itiver or Achomawi Indians of ('alifornia, who lliiry tll(^ liiiily in tlir f^round in » NtaiuliUK pusition, tlu^ HlioiiIiUira ni'iirly even willi till' uroiinil. Tlio ^^ravo is prcpiiroil liy iliHging » liolo of siilllciiMit doptli iiuil rircuin- I'lTi'iiri^ to luliriit tlir lioily, tlio lu'iiil lii'ing (Mit o(V. In tins gravo aro plarnd tlio biiwM (iiid lUTowM, l":iil-woik, trappings, &,r., liolonging to tin) ilncoaHiMl; (inanliticH of foiiil, rmisisliii.; nf drii'd fisli, roots, lii'rlis, &i:., wtiro placed witli tlio body also. Tlio Kiavr WHS tlii'ii lilli-d up, covi'ring tho lii-adlt'ss body; tht-n a linndli) of faj^ots was lii'(iii,i;lit and [ilaccil on tin; gravu by tlio dilfrmit moinbms of thu tiibo, and on tlivsi' f:iir right oliook. This constituted tbo nionrninf; garb, tbo iioriod of which lastod until this black siibstanco wore oil from the faco. In fiddillon to this mourning, tbo blood foinalo relatives of tbo deceased (who, by the way, appi'ared to bo a man of diHtinction) bail their hair cropped short. I noticed wliilo the head was burning that the old women of tbo trilio sat on tbo ground, forming a largo circle, inside of which another circle of young girls were formed standing and swaying their bodies to and tVo and singing a nioiinifiil ditty. This was tin only burial ;if a male that I witnessed. Tbo custoiii of burying females i.. ■ .-ry dill'uront, their bodies lioing wrapped or bundled np in skins and laid away in caves, with their valuables, and in soiiio eases food being placed with tlioiii In tboir liioiitbs. Occasionally money "s loft to pay for food in the spirit land. This account is furnished by Gen. Charles II. Tompkins, deputy quarterniaster-general, United States Army, who witnessed the burial above related, and is the more interesting as it seems to be the oidy well-authenticated case on record, although 10. A. Barber* hasdescribetl what may possibly have been a case of cremation like the one above iu)ted : A very singular case of aboriginal burial was brought to my notice recently by Mr. William Klingbcil, of Philadelphia. On thoNow Jersey bank of the Delaware River, a short distauce below Gloucester City, the skeleton of a man was found buried in a standing iiosition, in a high, red, sandy-clay blnif overlooking the stream. A few iuelies below the surface the neck bones were found, and below these the remainder of the skeleton, with the exception of the bones of tbo bauds and feet. The skull being wanting, it could not bo determined whether the remains were those of an Indian or of a white man, but in either case the sepulture was peculiarly aboriginal. A careful exhumation and critical examination by Mr. Klingbcil disclosed the fact that around tbo lower extremities of the body had been placed a number of large stones, which revealed traces of fire, in conjunction with charred wood, and the bones of the feet had undoubtedly been consumed. This fact makes it appear reasonably certain th.it the subject had been executed, probably as a prisoner of war. A pit had been dug, in which he was iilaccd erect, and a flro kindled around him. Then ho had been buried alive, or, at least, if ho did not survive the fiery ordeal, his body was imbedded •Amov. Naturalist, Sept., 1878, p. 029. . i •m #. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 4 ^ .^4^. !.0 1.1 Oi m 12.2 EH4 i IIS KS li£ III 2.0 U 125 |||.4 1.6 41 6" ► I ^i v5 9. Hiotographic Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STRIET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (716) 872-4503 d^ ^:^i \ :\ iV \ ^% 162 MORTUARY CUSTOMS OF NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. iu the earth, with the exception of his head, which was left protruding above the Hurf&ce. As uo trace of the cranium could be found, it seoms probable that the head had either been burned or severed from the body and removed, or else left a prey to ravenous birdu. The skeleton, which would have measured fully six feet in height, was undoubtedly that of a man. Blacking the face, as is nientiuncd in the first .account, is a custom known to have existed among many tribes throughout the world, but in some cases diflerent earths and pigments are used as signs of mourning. The natives of Guinea smear a chalky substance over their bodies as an outward expression of grief, and if is well known that the ancient Israel- ites threw ashes on their heads and garments. Placing food with the corpse or in its mouth, and mocey in the hand, finds its analogue in the custom of the ancient Romans, who, some time before interment, placed a ijiece of money in the corpse's mouth, which was thought to be Charon's fare for wafting the departed soul over the Infernal River. Besides this, the corpse's mouth was furnished with a certain cake, composed of flour, honey, &c. This was designed to appease the fury of Cerberus, the infernal doorkeeper, and to procure a safe and quiet entrance. These examples are curious coincidences, if nothing more. AERlAIi SEPULTURE. LODGE-nUIilAL. Our attention should next be turned to sepulture above the ground, including ledge, house, box, scaffold, tree, and canoe burial, and the first example which may be given Is that cf burial in Ibdges, which is by no means common. The description which follows is by Slausbury,* and relates to the Sioux : I put on my moccasins, and, displaying my wet shine like a flag to the wind, we I>rc)cceded to the lodges which had attracted our curiosity. There were five of them pitched upon the open prairie, and in them wo found the bodies of 'lino Sioux laid out upon the ground, wr.ip- Hd in their robes of buifalo-skin, with their saddles, spears, camp-kettles, and all their accoutrements piled up around them. Some lodges coii- tainiHl three, others only one body, all of which were more or less in a state of decom- position. A short distance apart from these was ono lodge which, though sn.r.ll, seemed of rather superior pretensions, and was evidently pitched with great care. It contained the body of a young Indian girl of sixteen or eighteen years, with a coun- tenance presenting quite uu agreeable expression; she was richly dressed in leggins of fine scarlet cloth elaborately ornamei'ted ; a new pair of moccasins, beautifully em- broidered with porc'ipiuc quills, was on her feet, and her body was wrapped in two superb buftalo-robes worked in like manner; she had evidently been dead bntaday or two, and to our surprise a portion of the upper part of her person was bare, expos- ing the face and a part of the breast, as if the robes in which she was wrapped had by gome means been disarranged, whereas all the other bodies were closely covered up. I ' Kxploiiitioiis of the Valleyof (lie Crciit Salt Lake of Utah, 1H52, p. 43. J T TAKROW.J LODGE BURIAL — 8H08HONE8. 153 '^ I ir 1 1 It was, at tbe tony remains of any Shoshone, they would bury it, but iu what manner I failed to discover, as they were very reticent, and avoided giving any information regarding the dead. One corpse was found totally dried and shrivelled, owing to the dryness of the atmos- phere in this region. dipt. F. W. Uceclie.v* describes a curious mode of burial among the Es(]Himanx on the west coiust of Ahiska, which appears to be somewhat siniihir to lod^e- burial. Figure 1 1, after his illustration, affords a good idea of these burial recei)tiicles. Ner us there was .1 burying-ground, which, in adilition to what wo bad already observed at Cape Espenburg, fnrulslicd several examples of the manner in which this tribe of natives dispose of their dead. In some instances a platform was constructed of drift-wood, raised about two fe^'t and a quarter from the ground, upon which the body was ])Iii(Td, with its head to tlu^ westward, and a double tent of drift-wood erected over it; the imier one with spars about seven feet long, and theouter one with some that were three times that lepigth. They were j>laeed close together, and at first n.i doubt sufficiently so to i)re vent the de|»r(!dations of foxes and wolves ; but they had yielded at liist ; and all the bodies, and evou the hides that covered them, had sufferefl by these r.ip.icious animals. In these tents of the dead there were no coffins or ])Ianks, as at Cape Es])enburg; the bodies were dressed in a, frock made of cider-duck skins, with one of deer-skin over it, and were covered with a s(!a-hor80 hide, such as the natives use for their Imiilars. Suspended to tlu^ poles, and on the ground ne.ir t"iem, were several Esqni nmnx implements, consisting of wooden trays, paddles, and a tamborine, which, we were informed as wi-ll as signs could convey the meaning of the natives, were placed there for the use of the deceased, who, in the next world (pointing to the western sky) a'e, drank, and sang songs. Having no interpreter, this was all the information I could obtain ; but the custom of placing such instruments around tl\e receptacles of the dead is not unusual, and in all probability the Esquimaux nuiy believe that the soul has enjoyments in the next world similar to those which constitute their hap- ]iiness in this. The Blackfeet, Cheyenues, and Navajos also bury in lodges, and the ludians of Bellinghani Bay, according to I)r. J. F. Hammond, U. S. A., place their dead in carved wooden sarcophagi, inclosing these with a rectangular tent of some white material. Some of the tribes of the northwest coast bury in houses similar to those shown in Figure 12. Bancroftt states that certain of the Indians of Costa Eica, when a death occurred, deposited the body in a small hut constructed of plaited palm reeds. In this it is preserved for three years, food being supplied, •Narrative of a Voyage to the Pacific, 1831, vol. t Nat. Rnoes of Pac. States, l«7l, vol. i, p. 780, 332. t 't'smyi ;*^'^ » > ^1-4 J 1 :)'i VOIM'UVWY C-sToM.^ ,)W \'"tlKit!i:i 1. ,i!.*i; •in lnilii|i«?niienf N t'reeU ain! on Mm >/i->iorii li,i..li.' o. tbo < iwvli- ■• Kivci', ii|'i» I I't'irioii "f Nrv;iilii, ili«l not limy fLtii- lU'ml ut tin* ti'.isi- of my vii; Hi i-il. Wli< ■•• vi-r tli<' l"i>«ii (lit"), lii ' liilt;*! (unuully «iiu8t.riii-,t"' Sitl-i.f s\ .11 (IfiiKiliBlit^Jl Jim! plai'iMl iii onu niufuHWtJ ions'* oYcr his mniaJUR, aIm-.i, ;iir li:iM.I i.iiiiiMjii n sllorl distmicn. Whoii tin- lllu(\«h i< nut tiKi grunt, or tloa'.'n miiliii II, i 111- .sii'U |.. tmiii Is rt:iii) Ui ivoid lUfi iii'curtsily (iCUii-iv own riti.-.iiil. <'.iyt)i<'S, lu- N • "H. aii.l I'thcr I'iiniivora H'lon nMU'i- c nl| tho (Irfih, no tliiVt tin-re rtiinnin"- iiotliiii^ ■ HI Ml.' l.iincH Hi I cvc'ii thr!-<' irp 8(:»itvrtMl liy fliK wolves. Th« li.lifnifiit i'lthc norh. N(iv;m' I, stilt. i{ iliat wlirii it wii.-i (MisuiiMi:, iiml that they Hhould by rtiaiicc ini. t tin; lioiiy >•. iiijiiis 1 riiiiy Slioslioii'', tli.'\ vould In ly I*, Imt in ivhat niunntvi'id(Ml ti^'iujC •iii> infon'i.iti'Hi rivfjariliin? tlio dflnd. phi;i ■ ;;i i ■d :,•■-< ..Uli tiivi'i ■ 111 'III' 'Iryycsf of llic ntmcis- «lHti'- I''. V\ . l,'i fiUi'k * iji ••1 '.li>' •• I ! K ., '-..r^i'*- iM ' ^ I ;;l;i;»'l^ i>a till' -Vt'vl ('.OiUst. lif Ai:i»'k.., W liuili ft|iJHM»r. vul.-i ;i ii™t:.,''t- ?'uri;il, (•'i^nic 1 1, ai'lcr hi-! iliusi)'ii.tii> ".- -1' ■'n.iii;; .tt, itii'jj (.'■ ri'v.ii- !>ii:ial n-ci^ptjn;!*'**. \i ;;r ns llicro '.vn.a 'i, l-'irvioj; (;r(;Uii". A'Ut- \\. io idit.i.^.' ; ,.• »• )>.'»|, * . 4<. -» ;•■ ul-. iiiisi rvi (I .(I i..!iii'- INjKiiiim-u. i";i(ti.- >»ii "•■•.ira: t-» -uniii'o "f ''it! inftiiii'»r 111 v'li: h ibi!< (III"' ot ii.ili' I's ii!s|>(if" ol tJMir ili'iid. Iti S!ii!iH ii'.«fm>r<^M n (d."itfi>iin was con-'truopil iif llrl!'l■^w od, raisii! a"ou( !\vii f. r( luid a quarter fnmi the groiiiid. upon wlii li thi- 'I'i'.y wax placiMi, witlii'R lii-ail to th. VMVvi-r fair, iii.v.i u,.il. lriii;lli. 'T'hi^y wcri' juaii'd diwo tonotbvr, iiud .it (irat uo .lull lit lulliciriitly s" to pn-vciii the di'pndatinnsor )oxn.simil wolve." ; but tliry had \ ioldi'ij :i(. last ; .iinl .il! i hi- iMidii'B. a- id i-vi-u ihir Uidi« tliiit (•(•vwr. d litem, had .s;ilVcrrd '■-. :li. SI- ra|>.>--i-in uiiinial-i. .!i. !..-.v 1. ..-s.d' I'll! 111.,!.. - " ■ ' ■■ I. ,-l it. -li..! V. .: h.:*'lti''* So |>'ll ti ■ iv, '. imjiii-iiiuill.s, nifi- .;:■ Ihii, i..r " I'-ii'l fli«T( \vi:r .■>kii] --"'•• - ■ • 'I l: •'.,! f-.n-r' OSi.'.-iiti; • : .;;-., _ «:-Am.- .t .. ., :^'.\i. . ■■ ' » .. 1 a- iVi-ll .l."l .Sl^ll tl!l1 1 . .1 , -k l>! •|)...t|l, I!.. ' ... 1 ;, 1 • '. -i..j,-io. ■ >- t 'Ik- ilia-i'iisid. .vhi>, in till- uext worid i.p""it'*ii-' I" '''*' '"•-•i'»"ii >k;. ^ ai!*, lii iii)>. ni 1 ■111^ .siitfis. Ill,, iiif( i,<, iiurrpii-tHr, tlii.i wan all iIm- inloritiAtKW! i ooiiid lihiaiii ; bai 1 h" • iKiiiim (-.f iilaciiii; .sin b iiiMtiuiniiils rtroitud tb" - w;-|iiji<-h-s of th ri,.-ii| If not aiiiisiiiti, mill in ;tll pi-oli;jhili!y i iio Ksqiiiimiiv .: ••; ti»-li, vo thut ill- soul l,a^ '-ii.ii-.yiiu-tita in lii ■ ii-'xt world sinilhir to tho/<(! >*h h .mnM-lii'n (hi-irbap- liiiM s-i ill ihis Tin IJlMi-k'i'ct, <'|iini'iiu< .•*, iiinl .S,ts-i>j<-rti ■»}-»•> >»ui'j la l(MlviK!iIi-(i -^ -,-..( -Dugri. im-lii.siii;.; tln'.si^ witli ii !i-clai';;ula!; li-!u of Komc wliito m;v(tiii't»»i. >^him- of tliii tribes' of tiui noitliwrsi 1 ■•■-is! btii-y in lion.st •< isnrttin? to ■'' -mi' .iliown hi Figure 12. M.uicrofM Mlatc.-- that ■•^rt'iitt • tfi- huliaiiN of (Jo.ma Rica, v,Ijoii a ticaiii (nciirml, d<'po«ili-(l yii- It'tiy tii , .itnall huti otiHtructotl ot plaiti-d palm ii'cls. Ill tliis if is pi,,;Het< ".i • ., i,iit«t! .year.-s, fixxl beiugNn]»]>liid. * Nari.-tliv'ool'tt Vo;, .i,-., to (•-. ' .-jcJIio, 1«:j|, vol. i, ji. 'X3Q. 1 Vat. Kicon of ''.-u Mfiilis t"' . .-• i o (SO. '^f ^ r •*> m ■i ■m w If i! OR) w E o t- o a> W i ill TAIIKOW.t HOX-HURIAK — KSQiriMAlTX. lf)f) iiiid (lu oiicli uuiiiversary of tbc death it is redrettHed uiid iittendcd l<> amid certain ceremonies. The writer lias been recently informed tliat a simi- lar custom prevailed in Demerara. No authentic accounts are known of analogous modes of burial among the peoples of the Old World, al- though quite frequently the dead were interred betieath the lloors of their houses, u custom which has oeen followed by the Mosquito Indians of Central America and one or two of our own tribes. BOX- Bum A L. Under this head may be placed those examples furnished by certain tribes on the northwest coast who used as receptacles for the dead won derfully carved, large wooden chests, these being supported upon a low platform or resting on the ground. In shape they resemble a small house with an angular roof, and each one has an opening througli which food may bo passed to the corpse. •'^ome of the tribes formerly living in New York used boxes nuicli re- sembling those spokeu of, and the Creeks, Choctaws, and Chorokees did the same. Capt. J. II. Gageby, United States Army, turnlsjics the following re- lating to the Creeks in Indian Territory : • * * aro buried on tlmsurfacp, ina boxoriisubstitutfumdeof Itriincliosof trees, covered with small branehos, leaves, aud caith. I have seen several dI' their graves, which after a few weeks had become uncovered and the remains exposed to view. I saw in one Creek grave (a chihl's) a small snm of silver; in another (adult niale)Honui implements of warfare, bow and arrows. They are all interred with the feet of the corpse to tlio east. In the mourning ceremonies of the Crei^ks the neare- relatives smeared their hair and faces with a composition made of grease aud wood-ashes, aud would remain in that condition for several days, and probably a month. Josiah Priest* gives an account of the biiriid repositories of a tribe of Pacitic coast Indians living on the Talomeco Kiver, Oregon. The writer believes it to be entirely unreliable aud gives it place as an ex- aujple of credulity shown by many writers and readers : The corpses of the CaciUHi-(l, Ki'i'i|iii'nt ini'iitloii Ih iiiiidi' li.v travi>l«rH of liiiiial placi'H wlirt'c till' lioilii'H lli^ cxponrd with tlii'ir lii-iuls pliiriid towardN tlii' north. Frt'dt'iii! Whyiiipor* iloscribes the biiriiil boxes of the KuIohL of tliat Ttiiiitory : 'I'lii'lr ){rav)f-1iiixiiH or tonilm are IntoreHtlng. Thoy oontaiu only Mib luihi'M of the drad. 'l""'Mi' pi'opli' iiiv»riiilily liiirii tho di-craHcd. On omi of tlin lioxi's 1 Haw a iiiiiiilii'r III' fari'H paiiid'd, ImiK trcHHCN of liiiniaii hair di'piiiidii>|r tlirri'troiii. Karh hmid irpii'Mi'iili'il a virtliii of tlii' (happily) dciuMisiMl inir'n fi'riicity. In hin day hi' wan iliiiilitli'MH inoir I'Mti'i'iiii'd than if hi< hail ni>vi'r hariiii'.d a lly. All their gravi's ,iro iiiiirh ornanii'iitcil with rarvnl und painted fiU't'H and otlirr dmlci'H. W. II. i)all,t wt'll known as one of tho most experienced and eareful of American ethiiohtf^it; observers, describes the burial boxes of the Innnits of Tnalaklik, Inntiits of Y^iika, and In^aiiks of Uluknk as fol- h)\vs. ri;;s. 13 and 14 are after his illustrations in the volume noted. Flo. 13.— lunuit grave. INXrlT OF IINAI.AKLIK. Till' iiHiial fanhion i.s to placis the body, doubled np on its side, in a box of plank hi'wed out of spriR'e logs, and about four feet long ; this is elevated several feet above the ground on four posts, wliirli project almve the coHin or box. The sides are oftew painted, with red chalk, in figures of fur animals, birds, and lisheB. According to the 'Travels in Alaska, l«(i9, p. 100. t Alaska and Its Resources, 1870, jip. 19, V.i2, HTi. TAKHOW.I UOX-liUKIAl, INNUIT. 157 wcitltli of IliK ilritil iimii, n iiiiiiilxTof ikrtirloK which holoii)(<'il (<> him iiii' altiithi'il lo thi> i'.dIKii of Ntrnwi'il iiromiil it ; miiiiit of tliiuii liiivtt liyiiJiN, liowit itml iu'Iowh, hunting; iiil|ilflilt>iilH, niiow-hIioi'h, or cvkii 1ii \h pliiri'il in tlirrollln or aliont it ; orcaMioniiUy llii< whole \» thiiH ilinpiweil of (ii'iieriilly lie (iirM, piovis- ioiiH, anil elothiii); (except snili as has hi-eii worn) are iliviileil anion); the nearer rela- tivcH of the deail, or reinaln in poNMi'Msion of his fiiinily if lie Iiiin one ; hiicIi elothiii>;, lioiiNehoIil nteimilH, ami weapoiiH as the ileeeamiil hail in daily use are aliniwl Invnriu- hly enclosed in his colliii. If there are many deaths about the same time, or an epi- deinic occll^■l, evorythin)? helon);iii){ to the dead is destroyed. The liniise in which u iluikth occurs is always deseited and usually destroyed. In order to avoid I his, it is nut uiicummoii to tukc tliu sivk person out of the lioiise and put him in a tent li> die. Fio. U.-Ingallk gi-ave. A woman's cofflii may he known hy tho kettles and other feminine utensils ahoiil it. TLerl^ is no distinction hetween the sexes in method of hiirial. On tlie outside of the coffin fifjures are iiHually drawn in red ochre. Figures of fnr animals usnally indicate that the deatl person was a good trapper; if seal or deer skin, his proticiency as a hunter; representation of parkics that ho was wealthy; the manner of his death is also occasionally indicated. For four days after a death the women in the village do no sewing ; for five days the men do not cut wood with an axe. The relatives of the deatl must not seek birds' ejjgs on the overhanging clifl's for a year, or their feet will slip from under them and they wil'. be dashetl to pieces. No mourning is worn or in- dicated, except by cutting the hair. Women sit and watch the body, chanting a II 'I 158 MORTUARY OUSTOMS OF NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. inouriifiil rofruin, until it is interred. They seldom snspoct. that others have brought the death about by tihanitiuism, as the Indians almost invariably do. At the end of a year from the death, a festival is given, presents are mode to those who assisted in making the coffin, and the period of mourning is over. Their grief seldom seems deep, but thej' indulge for a long time in wailing for the dead at int3r- v'als. I have seen several women who refused to take a second husband, and had re- niaiuud single, in spite of repeated otTers, for niiinj' years. INQALIKS OK ULUKUK. As -ive drew near, wo heard a low, wailing chant, and Mikdla, one of my men, in- formed me that it was women lamenting for the dead. On lauding, I saw several Indians hewing out the box in whi,'"'^ !'~ '■•■"' "" placed. • " • The body lay on its Hide in a deer-skin f the heels were lashed to the small of the back, and the bead bent forward on the chest, so that his ' odln needed to bo only about four feet long. ??'■ TREE AND SCAFFOLD BUIIIAL. We may now pass to what may be called aerial sepulture proper, the most eomiiion examples of which are tree ami scaffold burial, (luite ex- tensively pra(!ticc'd even at the present time. From what can be learned, the choice ot this mode depends greatly on ^he facilities present ; where timber abounds, trees being used; if absent, scaffolds being employed. From William J. Cleveland, of the Spotted Tail Agency, Nebraska, has been rcceivt'd a most int<'resting accouiit of the mortuary customs of the Bride or Teton Sioux, who belong to the Lakotidi allitince. They are called Sicaupii, in tlie Indian tongue Secclmugas, or the "burned thigh" people. The narrative is given in its entirety, not oidy on ac- count of its carefid attention to details, but from its known truthfulness of des>3ription. It relates to tree and scaffold buritd. KUNEUAL CEREMONIES AND MOUHNINO OB8EUVANCES. Though 8 )me few of this tribe now lay their dead in rude boxes, either burying them when implements for digging can bo had, or, when they have no means of making a grave, placing them on top of the gi-ouud on f.ome hili or other slight elevation, yet this is done in imitation ot the whites, and their genen-1 custom, as a people, probably docs not (litfor in any essential way from that of their forefathers for many genera- tions in the past. In disposing of the dead, they wrap the body tightly in blankets or ri>bes (souietimos both), wind it all over with thongs made of the hide ot some ani- mal, and place it, reclining on the back at full length, either in the branches of some tree or on a scatlob" made for the purpose. These scaft'olds are about eight feet high, ::n(l made by ]ilanting four forked sticks firmly in the ground, one at each corner, and then placing others across on top, so as to form a lloor, on which the body is securely fastened. Sometimes more than one body is placed on the same scallbld, though gen- erally a separate one is made for each occasion. These Indians being in all things most supcrstit ious, attach a kind of sacredness to these scrflblds and all the materials used on or about the dead. This superstition is in itself sufficient to prevent any of I heir own people from disturbing the dead, and for cue of another nation to in any wise meddle with them is considered an offense not tjo severely punished by dentil. (' « - > ' ■ 1 f 1 1 ^ ''V r- ■ ■■ ' ir" >,«U^SqH^ ls^ '^ ■' '• 158 MOKTI'.VUY (.i":Tnus (M' NORTH AMKRU'AN I.VDIANS. niixmii'iii : u:\hi. 'iiitU ii. in itiforrcl. I'lixy McMom (iUgp'ft tlmf rvihi.Tn tiavo hmii^lit ihu iliiuth iiti< ui Ity sliiiiifiniitai, ;is *!u' Intliiiiis almost inv.vrialily '!'■>. A( (Ik- I'lut »f ii yni- iMm tin 'li'al.U, u JcMtiviil is giv.'ii. ])re8eut.i iire niiuli' M fliosi- ™hi'' iw8i'^i'*. : I liu . miji .Htvural aduhu wlm tPl'iLsoil to take a spconj liiUHiirtml, ami Im>1 r>-- Diaini'il fiiiiiU*. in .spiui of it'iK'nfoil olTiTs, for iiiiiiiy years. I.NOAIIKS ri.CKCK. A» >H! cliijw near, w.' h'»:iri! a low, wn'linjj cluuit, ami ilikiila, >>\t- o; lay •iu;ii, iii- ''.■■iitijil II, (« ihat ii wa.s \Miiiu'r: himoi.Liu;.; for I ho iUaL. Iiewiiij; i.iii t!io lii.x III v!ii.)h the 'li';i.I are ii'aoed. ' ♦ • '|'lio lioily Iny . n il-i "idf ill 1 )h< r.sltin • tl:v h<-. !« wiTo lattiiwl to thi' stii ill of i^i tnrk, .iDil tl,.- h(^a(i l/i 111 fi)!iviiii! '>■' {]'.•■ -''I-'. V (!■'»! h'' fc^'iy Mt^'ril It. ?"■ 'ii '. >»'«. it fii..u- r.'c? '".iji. r/.'/'P JV7) sc.trfnift in.uiM VVo iii;i\ iiuw !i;i.*i."> U) wijii iii.iv l>»< •■.itlct'i ;?« riiii wpiihim' |iro(>( r, tiic mo.^f fdiiiiiioii < \.i!ii|)I('s ui ivliich arc ti'i-i.- ;uiti scatlWl'l Ouri.il, (juid-cx- ii'iisivel.v praclici'il i vciiiit tho jireseiit tiiin^ Fi»in what (-an be loiiriied, till' < hoiic <)t lliis iiiitilr (1r|iciids groatlv on (lie. racilitiosprnsciil ; wln-ic tiuuHT .iIh.'UihIs, irc<'8 in-ii!;,' itsod ; it absi;!it. scaHolds being oiii[ili)y(Hl. '•'!0iiJ N\'i!!i;iiii .1. <'Ii-vi Uitnl, of the Sport-''! T til Aj;eric,v, Nebraska, lun he'.'ii I'-eeiveil i iiinsl inf. lesting aeeonnt (iT tiie morlitary customs of ih.' I'.ri'Ji' or Teton Sjoax, who l)elon;t to the Lakorah ulliaiiee. They (n 4'a!le>! Si'iimj", m the, (inliaii tongue •'<<''c}uing ■•■<. ">• ll.'- ' baciieil r!i,j.i!i"in .'|ti«- 'i'l'f iiia>-'if;v.- is ,j''^ i' bt ^'i eiirir* i »■, ..\ •"i;, »e . com;! ' t'if'' ^'■. •■•'-:{•> .'ifr ;.' ' ■ *• <)''ri!!'i', in' ir<>ij> i- U itf ile.'i. u).!io-. i ,' fii' ■'• ♦* '•?•« ,-', . i.,f>; 1 !)iin,u. Kal' 1 '<»■■- i m 1 ( ■>;..l: Jl. Hoi" Vlii'-igh viii ■ 'lu ■>• lint Uilii- l:ii\v lily 1 hiii i' t'i tll hIim. .■>!.'< : v-» Tr.t> ','^^ 'l- ■■ •■ u hill implriiM'iitM foi .lijs^fiiij,' cae lie Iiiul, i (lar ^,. :.- ■'>;» ^-i vim'ar.ig ■, -,t:n.- I'la •iiig Mii'iii III, lop i»f (hi' (.1 ">ii,i I »■) Hdinc liiii . ■ .>:. ^tijl iw»« ■'<«>, .c' 1 iiv is itiiiii- in iiiiltrituiu iH thi. whi;« v(. dud tli< :.•■ gi-iiimi Ch'^'un. a<« a ih^^-'plb, piounUI^ ■ iiic- li'.t ll i!i'i ill ii'iv « ssfiitial w»y fioiii tliiii uf I'l'."^ i- ► •! . In -^ fm nuiiiv jjcni-ra lioiiH i". ilu! jllhI. Ill i!i.sjio!.i;m n!' th.> rtuuit, flu'V «:>i • '; ■ "'y itnle'v in bliiiikiiM 111 t'l!.! i ;»nmrtu;i(>.< liotii 1. wimi ii nil iss-or \» I'f ''■..■j:;*^ ii."i." 'f Ihi' liiiU- of sola' ;mi- lull, lUlil I'ltici ll, n rllilins '111 ih<'lm«'l-Bi ei'' '.ivifi!:. 'I'uH ill tin- l'I:liu'l>'-5 of soiiii" ni . \ |iliin;aiii f'lii fi^rt^il -i -ko (itm v m '■•• i;ioiiii(!, .mo at laeh coriii-r. iiui) Ihi !i nun iii^l 'iiliors ,11 ros^oii inp, mi lut lo i.^id. u ii(.,>r, mi wbicti tho lioiiy is scoiiri'ly l"..tf»iu;il. .-< iiiictiuir!) iiiiiv. liiaii I'l'." ...«!> .« ,.i;» w'S»j n These liuliuim Ikhi i; in all thiugs iii'iat sii|ii'lsliliotm. attrii li !i kiijil i>( ^.f ■ ■h-,-. ,- >. he*' HiviiTolds fliiil all t.'u: lufttprialj .sfil '111 'T aliiii" ' lif diriul. Tlii? cr.;. .v' ',i^ >4ui , wif aittlkifuf to jiri'v^nt any o' iliririn\ii )i.'.,ji!(' Voiii di»tiniiiii>; ^h•^ .i..> . •: I foi- ouo of iinotlK'r niitiuii to in aiiv w;- it.i'ddl. wii'i tlnm i- i onslili^ivl ai' ■ T.i.i n •! tun rfv;vi.r,;ly im.iisLoil 'i\ ■'.' t'l 3- ;: t * \ m t t i V. i*-'^ fv f'5- ■'sSfe ¥ i^ ^1 T.:>in«;t.ur &M^,l>^ Pbil^ Fi^.16 OFFE^RING FOOD TO THE DEAD. r TAHROW.I TBFE AND 80AKFOLD BURIAL. 159 Tbo a»me foeliMi; nliio pn-rt^nu them tutm tivt luticg old scaA'oldH or siiy of the wooil which lias been m«l a ■•im\. them, tvfo for flrewocMl, (hough thauficc^ity iiiu.v lu'vrry gront, lor Tear w.m'j .•vil conwiqiii'ncfs 'Ai,\ follow, It •» ulao Ihp 'iiftiiiu, tbi>ii};h not niiivtvrsaUy foiiowcil, wh doail, Vni'ldiug the w:ifl"()ld, iinrt (ilaeiii<;(ht'd('ad upou it ia doun by woiuori only, who, al'ter I'liviugliiUKhed their htbor, rciur'i and bring the men, to tthow theui whcro the limly is ,>l!>cpd, that they may bon9, oniaroonts, piiieM, &c. — iu nhort, whatcvM ihe dwoawMl valoeil iiuwt hi^jhly vliilc living, aud 1oc1/Mnort;iu< .j, or if the family could adord if, ovcu Uiouj^ii Iw. \vi>ro not, ouo or mni^nv! Iioi-si s (Keiuiruily, in llu> former caso, those whii'b the d"imrt<«l thuu;;hl mo«t, of) aro shot and tdaci-d tinder fho soaflold. Iho idou in this is that the »\iitil of tlm borse will accouiiiuny ;nid Iti; of uno to hia t^.iril'in tin' " hapi)y hnnting gronuds," or, as thesu i/coiilo i'.x|irp.s>i it, " (he spirit land." When an linlinii ilics, and iu mmn c.iaes even before tijcath i><;ciir«, the Aimids ittid relatives n-->«Manblu at the Uwlgo itnd lu-giit !'ryi«jt «» >:st ti)<> 'Kc^mtt*': m d«',J '»JtniK ■Hf Th!» n<>n«iM((4 in ntteritij; tlu^ in"»t hi-artrfiidlug, aiitiOHi tsidutrnji •mnsU. iiu.i i&m«nta- tfewa, ta whitii sit^vVai »• ' ' • '"' ■■ '•> luonrning oasea for a time tiotU KOin# iBi«*<«'*» •■<• itpriliu, •»«* '<*'•« 1). ?;ji i;8(.*.;' •««>*tA» ^.^ .■<<•; ■■ -■■■I'*'' bv - ;T--l » '-S soon «fl (men if thiry iwi h# itttntled. Tho crowd g:i*t^i w J!' .liy. 'ooci)', and from tiuh %u Hi-tji* t»nl tw)c*«f hair from their owii ioai;, wu,.. kiiivea, nud Vb?ow tbiMu on tho dwni '. ■ : v': Thwe*' * Jw wtsti iii(fi>, out t(i«l-i; iu vuriouH |iliu>o.f. ^'.-nerally in .ho it% ;itii! AfHtM, with their IsivivBH or pi< c«c of lliuf, more eoiniiKinly llie latter, eau8inj{ tli-t idsiod to itli.i* ft(«>lj ■ »v(>r Uieir J>(•r»ou^<. This ruslotii it* fVillowod to a 1op.s degrwi by the men. A bos tho di sire to get tho dead out ol' sight, tlu) fear that the diKoaae which caused tho death vill conirrniuicato itself to others of the family cun»p» thcni to hasten tho disiiositiou of il as soon as thoy are eertitin that death bns aetually laken pliK-o. Until the body is biid away the niotimers eut nothing. After tliat is done, con- ueeteU with whieh thiTO seems to Im iu) )*irt.i<;nlar eere; any, the few women who utteud to it return to tho tcdeo ami a distribution is iiiudo amonjjc them and othoiB, (»"< o!ily of the reniiiiidnf; proiiort.y of the deeeased, but of all the jiossesRions*, evunto itielf of the (amily to whi-'h ho bolonged. 1 his custom in Bome e.'j'joa has " '' T;); ••< to leave the. rest of the fauiily not only absolutely dealittite ln,t, itctuaii.v ■■ .tiMiiitigin this ("ondition for a time, tliey gradnally reach the conmu.ii .. ., "vlnR ^tfts ir^'n various sources. ITio rfs-'fiived o«»»> .m >,'■• ^ . '(*»:•• fedlowH ; They are to rise at a vnry early hour and rrotl ••niisunlly te Jouiinji iu no feast, daucc, f^aine, or other lifeniiou, tat (>in little, ami i-.n.. ii^-^ ''iftt th,'y may be deprived of the usual amount of sleep an r.,> KfotS. Ouriiit; ttte- *->*» i wr paint thetnselvee, but at various t^mes go to the top o' wy- bill and bowal) ib* ** * p;unt themselves again ftiid eni?j(;e in the nsuai viA-v'e.itont.^o* the people as liefore 'I'he men aro espe,ct!:d t-o mourn and fn^t for oik t«%j iL'i4 ttwu a^ «^ the wal-path ftguinst soine othor tribe, or ou some loni; joiinuiy «(««» U he pit!f.-»j«. b.- euii mourn and f.isi lor two or more I ■■f ■ 1^ to itt r t;"8i'»fit f -^-v )' '..■ I nt. Oc Ai.j V - YARROW.I TREE AND SCAFFOLD BURIAL. 159 Tho same feeling also proTonta tbeni from ever nsing old scattuldH or auy of the wood which has been used about them, oven for tlrewood, though Ibeni'cossit.v uiiiy bo very great, for fearsomo evil conscquenceg will follow. It in uIho tbo cunIoui, tbou|;b not univorsuUy followed, when bodies have been for two yt-iuH on tliu NcalVolds to take thorn down and bury thoui underground. All thu work about wtudiug up the dead, building thescaHbld, and pliicingthedeitd upon it is done by wonu;u only, who, after having linisbed their labor, return and bring tho men, to show them whero the body is placed, that they may be able to ilnd it in future. Valuables of all kiuds, such as -.veapons, ornaments, pipes, &c. — in short, whatever the deceased valued ii'ost highly while living, and locks of haircut from tho heads of the mourners at his di h, are always bound up with thu body. In case tho dead was a nuin of importance, or if tho family could ullbrd it, oven though ho were not, one or several horses (generally, in tho former case, those which the departed thought luost of) are shot and placed under tho scafl'old. The idea in this is that the spirit of tho horse will accompany and lie of use to his spirit in tho " happy hunting grounds," (U-, as these people express It, " the spirit lanerty of the deceased, but of all the possessions, oven to the lodge it.self of tlu! family to which he belonged. This custom in some cases has been carried so far as to leave the rest of the family not only absolutely destitute but actually naked. After continuing in this condition for a time, they gradually reach the coiumiin level again by receiving gifts from various sources. The ri'ceivcd custom requires of women, near relatives of tho deail, a strict observ- ance of the ten days following the death, as follows : They are to riso at a very early hour and work unusually hard all ilay, joining in no feast, dance, game, or other ..■version, eat but little, and retire late, 'hat they may be deprived of tho usual amount of sleep as of food. During this they never paint themselves, but at various times go to the to]) of some hill and bewail the dead in loud cries and lamentations for hours together. After the ten days have expircil they paint themselves again and eug.ige in the usual amusements of the i)eople as before. The men are expected to mourn ami fast for one day and then go on tho war-pnth against some other tribe, or oil 80I11C long joiinicy alone. If he prefers, he can mourn and fast for two or more V - S< V -. r,-'-/ 16U MORTUARY CHSTOMS OK NORTH AMKRIOAN INDIANS, gathered jires- cnta of all kinds, which are given out when a aufflcient i|uantity is obtained. It ia often a your and aometiiuea aoveral yi'ars before this distribiition is made. During all this time the roll containing the hair of the deceased is left undisturbed in front of the lodge. Thi^ gift's as they are brought in are piled in the back part of the lodge, and are not to be touched until given out. No one but men and boys are admitted to tho lodge unless it bo a wife of tho doceosed, who may go in if necessary very early in tho morniug. Tho men ait inside, aa they choose, to smoke, eat, and converse. As they smoko they empty the uaheafrom their pipes in the center of the lodge, and they, loo, are left undisturbed until after tho distribution. Wheu they eat, a portion is always placed tirst under the roll outside for the spirit of tho deceased. No ono ia allowed to take thia unless a large quantity is so placed, in which case it may bo eaten by any persona actually in ni'cd of food, oven though atr.ingers to the dead. When the proper time comes the frienda of the deceased and all to whom prcsen^'i) ore to bo given are called together to the lodge and the things are given out by tho man in charge. Generally this is some near relative of tho departed. Tho roll ia now un- done and small locks of tho hoir distributed with tho other prosonta, which ends tho ceremony. Sometimes thia "keeping the ghost" ia dono several times, and it is then looked upon as a repetition of the burial or putting away of the dead. During all tho time before the distribution of the hair, the lodge, as will as the roll, is looked upon as in a manner sacred, but niter that ceremony it becomes common again and may be used tor any ordinary purpose. No relative or near friend of this dead wishes to retaiii anything in his possession that be'onged to him while living, or to see, hear, or own anything which will remind him of the departed. Indeed, the leading idea in nil their burial customs iu the laying away with the dead their most valuable imssesaiona, tho giving to others what is left of his and the family property, tho refusal to men- tion his name, &c., is to put out of mind as soon oud as effectual as possible the mem- ory of tho departed. From what has been aaid, however, it will be seen that they believe each person to have a spirit which continues to live after the death of tho body. They have no idea of a future life in the body, but believe that after death their spirits will meet and recognize the spirits of their departed friends in the spirit land. They deem it essen- tial to their happiness here, however, to destroy as far as practicable their recollection of the dead. They frequently speak of death as a sleep, and of the dead aa asleep or having gone to sleep at such a time. These customs are gradually losing their hold upon them, and are much less geio^ally and strictly observed than formerly. Figure 15 furnishes a pood example of scafifold burial. Figure 10, offering of food and drink to the dead. Figure 17, depo.siting the dead upon the scaffold. 4v -I' if _ m- pi i, ' , i "» i ; ; i' ..i". ' .V;.? '?' ;. ' .^, 1. ' V ;. ,"".' ,* i ui of i>lsclDg fr>od at Uir RcaflToM nlwi prvvkili' to (iiiuit 'jxUiiiI II' hul llttlo id i(lut:Cl tlin 'toantii>n tlj.it. lUiMe of tlin hikiii-' m>« mid ngu tin tlif ilxcvibu'il Hliall iiu«i. thcro unil cnn- "i! tt rnaii, tlion mon «»iM')til>.'' for th' Mme [mriMme The mlftt.lvtn imwr nx'ntiun iUn MAIlUi of thl< floiMl. ' hKKntiu THR onosT," 8till ;inothor i;iwtow. Um>-ijI. »i fji. prcMen; dny Uy no moaiM S"""'' wly followi-d, in •till ol»«T»i«l ;»i »•>/«••• .'n-fit ani.uig tlieni. This Is i;iill<'d . wuixj^ir i/wAn/frc, or " k*-! (ilud tlip (;l\.«i» ' * lirV >f th« hr»ir from tho hf id of Um doceitHud li(>iii;f pre wrvtid is Utui.'! iiji .a --alu i- und nrtiidf « of valiin until f ho rfdl \n nho'ii, u.o frci loii(j .Hill tr-ii luting* «u- llt•|!^■ !'■ dinmi'ti'v. wlii-n It l.i pliio-d iiiAciuiKmiidi' of l.ijp liitn>iM>'i.i !y ornuiii«^i|t>'il w.'.'t »ri<>ua dfiilKn.M ill dillri'ont < olori'd |i:>iiitii Vihxi>ii» fuj.'ilv i4|io«r, lmVB,,,f, ;li"y tn»> .iliuxttlllt. lul lhi.»<''i«o Mi.'.^ «r !«^l»fl»il. !lt*«Sfc..«' .f ''. lil. lb" mil iH III. i> i<.«.iii|{ )i-u .■th'.t iiMi lii'Hv«fu ' •'■" rti.i|ip>>>< > ! i.vl»»nf (,!t<-l-f. (diMicd I'vn' • it ''»>•« o< .t !.«<«> ♦ !ii> 't liiW boon h' t ipurt for th<> purpou". I>i i!»m lodi^w iT'- aat»<«r»«* \,i-i- "Hf ■• ■>'' t >U'1«, kvlil' ll kr" jdii>!| .iil> \'lii-|i a outltclic! ni!tt!»',"r •» >i?i..,nii.->' "• ■ •'i .^ v,s«i- :MMUiimi;(.iin(!H hiNl in l!i« buck piirt of thi' 1l« fin>^ liiitDwn iiiid boyn itre ndi'.iittod li. ilic l'id({tt unlcHH it bo n wlf',' of tho dci niwvd, 'vho moy ).'o in it ntr(-»«iiiy very wirly ill (lio inoniiiif;. 'I ho iiion «it inside. !i» th<>\ ilioomi, to Hiuokr, eiit, ivnd i;on vcwo. An tilt y siiiolip thi'v oinpty tlii- anlio8l'roni thuir pip«B in flip ccntiT of Hie lodge, and i'u'v,- loo, iir" k-ft iiijdi«turh''d iiiili] iiftor tli« distribiitiin. VVIion thoy c.it, ii portion is aiwnys iiiiicod lirst nndrr Mioroll ontsiim for thi' .spirit o( the di cwwicd. No one Is iiliowod to i.akc tliih unlii-sdii lurj;o <)nantity is so placed, in vbiidi raso it may ho iMti-ii hv liny piTsoni iictiially In ni' d of food, i>vini tboii^'i khmuuiTh to tlin dfivd. ^Vh'ii tho proper linn, coiiii't tin fViondu oC ih" iii!cea»«id and all to '.vhom proNon's nro ii 111-' (,iion nil .ili.'d tiijv (l> ■; ti !(H' 'iHiJ!» .Mid thf '.liiugo iirt- Riven out by the niub iii'iiitr„' •■■).■'•■'■ ( 1 i,» !».«. r-M - All 1 <■' ',!>•. t!<<((4i-i,.,j riiu riijl ill now tin diini iiii'l iii..i,l l..( .>* ..r ' i«i hait (Iwiii'wts.d -. 'H. ■».*> oii'ffi ,f'». n'*. wbioh eridn liio ciToinoiiy. Snmetiiiii'H thin '• keopiii't tho « b«it " i» ilono v-"v. rui tijiivn, and it Ik then lookod iipiiu iW -.1 miKMifion of t' I l.uTliii ,.( I'Mtiiiij; a^v!ly of th<- iload. l>uriMa .ill 'h" ti:n< III. fori" tUo distrihiitioi, nl iI.. '• »v i'h ' -lav', sr will a* Iho roi' m lut-fati upon .'to l^ ■•li.Xi' (I I.I': (initu loii.iiinn a(;iiir und «iay In" u^'ii .(,.>,. I -ii' u»':ir fill ni! nf h.. di-Hd wUhoii tn r<(.»iii • ■»<,i't' t.> hltii wi,iii- livtnjr. "r to gn; luar, or own . ' j..» d'-pstni*'!, Indeed, tlu- Icndkii; idea in nil ■, ir .i #->rli iln- di nd il.i ir nKl^(. vnlr.iil.Ii' posso.s;iion«, ' >!■.* 1. ,i; thf. family jTopcrty, ilie rrtu.sal to iiii.siblfi tho uif m- ,1 iiiimin-v iiainod, )iii' Ril-i . •- tor liny ordiniiry [".i (i~^^- *•• ;ui,vtuin^t in his |i.i!i*^"w(!;i '\' tl :iiiy(hini; w!ii< It will H'liui'i ;■ llitir bill ml fiistoni.'^ in tJio la< i'f tliir s:\\ M\ii to otbi-T'i M ImC is '•.; lion hibuHiiie, &p., is to pnt out i.t tun' ory ot' Iji'" dopartiid. Kroin wli.l1. lias Ihcii said, howovor, i; « i; i« tivn that tlioy bolirvu tivcb pcisou to li.ivo ;i fipirit whicb contiiiiici to livi- afiti uf m-aili of Ihi' body. 'J'hcy hiivo no i'lca (•f ;i I'utiiro life in tlio body, but bidievc {■«••» ftcv death their spiint.'? will inrct iind ncngiu/.n tho wpirits of their dipurt'd IricmiN in tin' hpiiii land. Th<;y d«cm it (uwen- tial to t tioiv haiipiiii"^» hon , howovcr, to deutroy nt inr ns praclicatdo thiir nrroUcrtiou of tho do. id. T" V fri-qii'"utl,i sptak of diTiili iv.^ n idreji, un.l of tin diMd ;i,s aslocp or havinjj gone to eU'Pp at ;;\ii.li a tiiuf. Theao i.-.i'sto no are t;rB rurnishet! m jr<><»nt' upop the scaffold. ,(' '\ f I I . . i If Utr k£ ^t-ilk t r*. IV U[ f'OblTlNG iHt i.ORH.J ^ li m j 3 i i \ ' 1' 4 J II T^ II 1:1 P r'. ' I- 4. 't : :: r.:. Li.J R t /Vf- rAiincw.l «)^FI'-OU>-IM!KiAI. CHM'PEWAS. 161 f i '$ A. Ti*l:Htn,' in«i,tiot»« as follows an (jxainple of tree, burial which he noticxi ill N«-^i«skii. ' • I'uriiig tlio ancriioon wo |iaM«i>est owned by tlio dejiarled, closely sc-.vhI up, and thoti, if ti male oi tdii- f, fa.-^tvn in tho branclif^a of a tree »o high as to Imj beyond tho roacli of «f l"«i. and then left to slowly waulo in ihp dry winds IS" i ho b<«ly was that of a Bjpr.' ' ' it wao thrown into tho undoilirusli or Junjjif, « hrro it uoou becani; tUp ij! .. '< n^'.r-,..', T'"' '•"■»tir:iiK. i>iiM'"<. &,i-.. of ate. woro inclosod, atid 4h» niE»)! ' I ' tvonx, tUr !tg thcCji-os Ventres a«d . ' ■' .'d Statert Indian - \ (■: • ■■ >»«J,«4» »»»■»*»> hnty iu lh« ground, but always ou a Bcatfold ^-..^-iT-- ■-, Jour !>• '^tght fii«»S. higb, ou which the box is v^'*"*'>l( "i", if no box i» e<«fti ;.heTiody •) red or blue cloth if able, or, if not, a blanket or ''beapc^i, Mftiit.--- cloth, thi [."lit ;iimI woapoiii? bi'iiig placed directly under the body, and lhcr>' tl^v remain i'oniver, no Xiidian over dariujj to touch ono of tlicui. It would be bad mwli'-ino t.> touch ihedead or anvthiu};no placed bcbiuKiug lo hhn. i^iiould ihobody by rir»y means fall to tho ftryuuii, it is never torclieil or replaced on the scall'old. Ah (io(.u ;is one dies ho is inunedltt'ely buried, soniotijiu.i within an hour, and thi? fii«ud» begin howling and wailing iw the process of intennout i^ocs on, and ;'ontiuiic mourn- ing day and night around the grave, wit bout food soinetimea three or four daya. Those who mourn are always paid for it in sonut way by tho other frieudH of the deceased, »imI those wlio Hionni the longest arc paiil tho most. Thuy also show Ihi-ir grief and *;n scanblds, i'lclosing the corpse in a box. Tlic narr.itivo iiig l.be dead among tlie ChippcT.iw is to pl.ice the cofllii m box ;aiu8 on two cross-piecc:!, nailed or tied with wattap to four poles. Wi^ is in^ Onu 11. ■ ooutaiuhi. •Liu, , . 11 A-m ■iaim, TMM, p. 6a. tTonr to tho Lakea, lSfl7, p. 305. ^ Il . I" ■'3 \ ■'% *.'. * i.' •iw 'f 1 1 rARiiow.] SCAFFOLD-BURIAL CIIIPPEVVAS. m I I' I. I- I A. Delano,* incntiona as foll'ws an example of tree-burial which he noticed in Nebraslca. * « » During tlio aftornoon wo paNSLMl a Sioux liuryiiigt^roiitiil, if I may bo allowed to use tin IrLsliism. In iv liackburry trei', ulovutcd about twenty fcot from tlio ground, a kind of rack waa ina in a enuoe to take charge of the remains and convey them down the river to his place of abode, but on liis arrival he foinul that the coi-psc ha>. .dready made such progress toward decomposition as rendered it impossible for it to bo removed. He then undeilook, with a few friends, to clean ott'tho bones. All tho flesh was scraped oil' and thrown into tho stream, the bones wore carefully collected into his canoe, and sulisequeutly carried down to his residence. Interesting and valuable from the extreme attention paid to dc/ails is tlio following account of a burial case discovered by Dr. George M. Sti'rnberg, United States Army, and fiirnislied by Dr. George A. Otis, United States Army, Army Medical Museum, Washington, D. 0. It re iates to the Cheyeniies of Kansas : The case was found, Hre\'(!t-Major Sternberg states, on tho banks of Walnut Crook, Kansas, elevated about eighl feet from the ground by four notched poles, which were lirmly planted in the groun* . \ I .^*? u;y M"HTI;ARV t.-imTOMS ok Nnliril AMUKICAN fNDIANS. riw r">>fyi ur about. l<*u fcol hti'lii. Tlipy plant (ioar tliono jk)hI« llwi wilil Ijop or nomn • ithi>r kittJ «f raiu<'iis( vino, which Kproa*!'* over ;tuil fivers t.lio fnlViii. I Raw oiif of tlwtr. oil tho Ulaii''., hikI aj« I haveilc-tcrilx-il it. It. vvih fluiiwiftiii of a diilil nbniit I'luir ,v<«»t4«l«l. It w». ui«or tlio l(i oilhl Moc tUii lios that roiita(iiP is .o)>i«Ml finin Mi']\miii(\v's ijictiuo til" tliip fojyxi of burial. Keating* thw" «U"**nl)cs I'liri.iisi'vUfolds: ■*:■''' On lilt*/ wnfT. hIh, wh^fh bo fwm> njji^j^ loit**?'.^* hlgli, cofjj^ wert; di'imRiteil to a Im)v iii»»it» fru?;) ,■««<* tif » l^" ■ Staio., ""mm- Isair MiMfiiiKiiondr-O, Which wo iit flvst iiii-nnoli ;i.i ii *• .y., Vjjt if,' A- ■•;rirt.'n»».m am! were iutoiirlcil fur initl'< ncnr&ti; "^ \f" ittttrf (hin •vws»' v^'attlM**, «Ji««(,4ji :!i4ii tli'-y liiul 1>ert » »J(»ff 1' thl'ir !'«llul Hiui nii{>;>vnts u wiiuior'n ii'tiiatiiM, iluoB >iot rei)i«->.i'iii ili'^ nfliiivi'unii(.M of tbo (Isccnwiil ; toil those of tlii> wnr- riorn thai. uBHiMiiiih-d near hi" nuiiains ilaticfil tlic •laiirc of Ihi- post, umi it-lati'd their martial exploits. A mimbor of small bones of aiiinial.s w hhoit that a mjiii coiilil not lie in liieui extc'iuUd at full h'ngtb, but in a imintiy where boxc-' and I'oards an; mviri'i' tbiH in ovortooUcd. Alter tho corjises have :rinain«..«cd, limy arc taken down ami biiripd. tlnrfrnidr, h'cnviUi., rclali-d to us that ho hud-Aiocn a wi|,n<'H.s to lii. iid.c.V' !stlug, ^U'Hi>rb I'ft'mvd. cDiiini.stsincctuat oi'ctnred Lcrp. A't» Indirin wjio ro- |)i, boannu; that hiji ?on h:.( iJivu <«t. l!ii'. «|u>t, <^»mc up in a Mi- "^uv^..- )M tW«- r'v'uiiinji »♦»«! c-'f.-.-- .r -Ji ■l!t*t.«:iii(#' »'.'f,i' so bi»rh-rj. -4 '**'>"yk:, dc.-Oiu(»«.'*;-W»': /A r>iit? -» ! •'. ,,«/-.-,.'.>i."...i.. >(\ I.;., tiu' v vitb a fow frioudsi Ui ■ '.fMi c^ ft^ -^- 1** a,; :r,.i f'., ,^, , . i-.v . t , • ■»!( <«;/*r''j«**o«J.i ■•«•:.•.*!,,.... vrii ••.•..■.!» ti8«l*l»ii«»- i.s rlift follow tiiijr .'-■ '■'■"'■ ■>» 4 burial vmn ttte».-u^»<**4'^3t r*i'. tJ-iwrB*' ?! •'itiiHl 8tat*w Army, Aiiitj Mw|*« f.'!irR>. <»t K!t!iS«* ■■'^'' I'hp c!u«> \v;wi fmiiid, llrcvci Major htem^'tS;,*^)****, •*!* lUf banks of vVnlnnt Crci'k. Iv:i!i.>a», oliivated aboiii right foot fn>iii 'l-f- j, -■c'MkI tt,v foor uotchcd poles, v.budi \\crc lirndy planteil in tho grouiiO. 'Iho utri-... 45 »,;»», aiaxiilWlcd !ti tho preparation of the '•et *•*> • i)'ui'd, 1 liad tbo ca.'ie opened thin iiionrj.H >.d an iuvetitoiy nuide of ilit eonlentj". The (.•it.'e con.-tislotl ol a ciadlo of intcil> "d bjin;;H ii|iiiii thin airy Ix'd oi' dt'alli. TliiN iM-ruiiioiiy iH at'coiii- paiiii'd Willi laiiirlilatiiinN no wild and wriid that one inilNt nee and hear in ordt-r to ap|ireeiate. If the dci'iM.scd he a hrave, it in eiiNtoniary to idacit upon or heneatli the Ni'allold a t'e'v linlValo-headH which lime Iiiih reiiilered dry mid iniin'eiiHive ; and if he liaH lieen hrave in war Nome td' IiIh iinpli'meiils ol' haltle are placed on the He.ilt'old or Hcciirely tied to ilH limherN. IT the deeeaseil luis lieeii a cliiel', or a Holdier related to IiIh cliiid', it In not iineoinmon to Hlay Iuh I'avorite pony and place lliu hody hrneath the Ncallbld, under the NiiperMtilion, I suppose, that i\w Iioinci ^och with the man. An illiiNtralinjr the propeniiily to provide t lie dead with the lliiii;;it iinciI while livin;;, I may mention that Home yeai'H ii^o I loaned to an old man a dell't urinal Ibr the uho of IiIh Hon, a yonii); man who waH Hlowly dy in^ of a wimt in;; diseaHe. I made him |irom- iNe faillifiilly that he would return it an soon as IiIh noii wan done iisin^ it. Not hint; afterwarilH the nrinal uraeed the Miillbld which held the n^maiiiH of the dead warrior, and as it has not to this day I ii returned I preHiinie the yoiiii^ man Ih not done unin;; it. The inoiirniii); eimtoniH of the DakotaH, thoii|L;h few of tir ii appear to he of iiiiivurHnl ohHcrvancc, cover coiiHideralilejjroiiiid. 'I'heliair, never cut niider other cirenniHtanccx, Ih crupiied otf even with the neck, and the top id' the heail and fondiead, and noiiio- tiiiicB nearly '''e wlude hody, are Hiiieared with a HpceicM of white earth reHemlilin^f ulialk, moiHtened with water. Tli<^ loil>re, tee|iee, and all the family poascsHiiuiH except tho few Nliahhy articles of apjiarcl worn hy this inoiirners, are fjivoii away and tho family left destitnti'. Thus far tho custom is universal or nearly ho. Tho wives, mother, and sisteiH of a decea.sed man, on the tirst, Hccond, or third day after tho funeral, fre(pu!iilly throw olf their moccasins and h^fjgins and ni»*l' their legs with their liutclier-knives, and march throu<{li the camp and to tliu place of burial with haro and hleediiij; extremitii's, while they ehaiil or wail their dismal songs of mourn- ing. The men likowisn offoii gash themselves in many places, and usually seek tho solitude of the higher point on tli(( distint prairie, whero they remain fasting, smok- ing, and wailing out their lamentalioiis for two or three days. A chief who hud lost a brother once caino to nu' after three or four days of mourning in solitude almost ex- haimtcd from hunger and bodily anguish. He had gashed tin outer side of both lower extremities at intervals of a lew inches all the way from the ankles to the top of the hip.s. Ills wounds had inllained from exposure, and were suppurating freely. IIo as- sured mo that he had not Nlejit for several days or nights. 1 ilres.sed his wounds with a soothing ointment, and gave him a full dose of an ell'cclive anodyne, after which he slept long and refreshingly, and awoke to express his gratitude and shako my hand ill a very cordial and sinccri niainier. When theso harsher iiillictioiis are not resorted to, the mourners usually re ', , • daily for n few days to the place of burial, toward the hour of sunset, and cliai"' '..i ■. grief until it is apparently assuaged by its own expres- sion. This is rarely kcpl i.!i j'or more than four or five days, but is occasioually resorted to, at intervals, for weeks, mv even months, according to the mood of tho bereft. I have seen few things in life so touching as the spectacle (d" an old father going daily to tho grave of his child, while tho shadows are lengthening, and pouring out his grief in wails that would move a demon, until his figure niclls with the gray twilight, when, silent and solemn, he returns to his desolate family. The weird eilbct of this observ- ance is sometimes heightened, when the deceased was a grown-nii son, by the old man kindling a little tire near the head of the scafTold, and varying his lamentations with smoking in silence. The foregoing is drawn from my memory of personal observances during a ])eriod of more than six years' constant intercourse with several subdivisions of tho Dakota Indians. There may bo much which memory has failed to recall upon a brief consideration. r*''\^' **'''.*i ..-*Ti.''>v:'v ',«■-'* . V t KM MuUTUAIfY Ci! ,r->H M)Ritl AMKUICAN 1ND1AN,1. ofhUins, <>i(Iifri'«w. ■'»''i ivi -;■ jn-i;' ivUcn .■uailablo, :i tright-P'.l hluaknt wiveloiK:^ all oiiioi- f<- .>».i ».v icr ^v^ i-^;' ;hB (leiir-ml sccin ukhii jiirlnri'squ"' muil ili:ii:iu-il i"v tiniu *!"! '<•• ' - jr'D >•« tws !i\ lliv n .MiniJ. iiHl ■ A - - j'ivi'8, U- tn.' j i.irn of tinu! ilcposit. anil leu ptNui,' v.< it« !*<'i"< V. . iiir .'< IhjiI of lUalh. Tlim CKniimniy in acrdiii- j'liiiftl with J'fiT!"'.': ■ sv - 'J tfi;n ono riiist sen b!hI tn;.u in ordnr t" :iji]iri'i 'at(.-. W'tf-'y-.-^-^A.-.-*'-'' j-y**'. • ' > ciuiiry 10 jiliu'i^ 'ijioi oi bfii.utli »'!»• :«:aHo!«i h '< * rK,d> • ' ■.^^■.■. ny i lTt;:,*iv»> . iin! if Im 'i.i» '•«:■'' ' /•'■'■ * y. - Vv* .-.^I'^f-r « !.'> i>t' twtll" ftiv ijlficcd oil Uii" si'.itt'old •■r s>'e.!*»J» » . " v^* ..,-;•<'" ■ . «: — ft*ecl ha* l>i i u chief, or u solilii'i roluinl 111, <.h. ■w»t»' !>u«'. mil )ila».o t'lo bivlj bcut'itU ■: vii*** *'nr, ♦!;>' hi«->M< gocM wtUi 'tif.'i» iiS<'' «» «»> :;A .', i <>>it<'». 'iriiiul for tho »»«•> of ■f'-VS .i -Ji-cit 4l*» ,»-v* I riiuil'> liim t'TDiri ■ajiiij ' /Vol l«iif» t> ■ :■?>?'• -. ,\.ii' V i-vi,r ^:«>».,»'•,^lc•l'^t^.•t.• xf-;!!.;. Hi\. ;.' t,- .i"««'J'» I* -'Uiiri ■■n.vt > >••' •t.~'l\ :- - J nwi>pcit >'rt" t'V-'''- wni; ' iK- !<(•'•', i*!!!! ■ ?i- .»,. .li . :• ii.ini ai\i) :"nr«'!ii-»(l, iimi ViMc liim's iifuily Uh « liolv '« > i ■*. i .» •■jn .•'i < <* .vtittf i-artli nwiiililinj.- cliailr, iiuii.»t.!i.( il W.I it « ini J lie itnltTi', !i<>iMi-. .'tiiil all rlmliiuiily y'owi'ssii'usrxc^ojil llio I'l « .-.lial'liy iiitiolos oC iiiiji.ui! vvov.i b- dm iiu)uniiTr-, circ nhcii uwiiynud I ho riuiil> lift ^l('^^litll^•. flitiH f;ii I ht! cusiODi i.s iiMiver.sitl or iii'iirly wi. Tlio wives, lUo'IuT, mil! HisliTB of iv ori'rji-ifil ii:;m, on tin I'rnt, wi-.oml, or tliinl ilay r.ftcr tho luiu-.Mi. tr-qm-nilj throw olV ilu'ir wioc' ,i-in» nini li'iruiii-' :in<1 jjivsli thoir loRS witli Il^iii- liunlii'i-knivi:», aiul il'Or'!) "Iir..;!;,;! lUi> ii.ui;- utul flf cil'.c fAVvriAii.t'S, •.\ \'i)r lift , < h^n. I'V •■v.ul I'lr ir (lisiu-il •mmij'i* of inoiirii- ill^r. I n. Ull.'li lli..<' fjll.'-» ,'i?.>, >lr •■,. I'.,. ,•- •'Ml; j. «^\ >■ v' H.v •;(!,!<• •"•!;'. '!> «.i/!>!\,.: of llio hiiflli'i \Kt':. on .>,: i 4^* •! vr,«i-,.-, ;,i .i • ■,/.,■•• ■fr.Ai,..' ■. ■ i<; •*, f»). ,v: ■ ■wixiituiT out iluiij i.iiniiitait.'UN fot '. ,>i> . ' I'.t'o 'i' • * -o.i -t* *>« i.>; :: 'jit't's' • >'»■•»-<■ vj M,<> aftor Ibri'O or fo.;r «lny.i o* r i .r ••i^ in Nilim.ii ibinwt ex !)••'. t'-)> . i-. ; ■>•: i'.ik .oivti'iih. Ho bad noalifii lln> !t!!i r .v'lM.f i>,,,{>-. .„.a^^ ^'r-T •I 'I- '■- -^T 4|«, %;,»; .,.^., —.***• ' ■ ,. ■ ; »' ,1 •111' . ..■ i-!,i 'tmnl,, i.jiii i;.'4v. •■., • .. ^ III' .■>'. ol lo<.^ II'.; >-i4>'«'li'ii4l,s , tit"\ ..- 1 III .1 MT- '\h' ft.".'* -ifjroK inaiuii . V. fi 10, ili>' io:ir.i>- :., I'.? .•'I'dir liu'v* i i .» liourof Mili^' t. u'li ■••;>'. it.'ir giii't ui)(!' i .n.':^ riiiti is rur' 'v Uf fci i.j; ;i f • ?-v I ha > f'-ti lo, .r> lnU'rvuls, for ttptts, > ■ v.vi.f. moutb-, i*!- ■■ < SITU I.' w lliiiij;N in lifi- •■•■: I'- K-.Hij ;f i'^-oi*" * j_'r:;\o ■\t li's ibiiii, wliilt iiif st,(ks».iw. >v.t> '••>({ wiilMtliiii " "ulu ) -'.r^ of tho l1:!Ki>!;i Indiiiiis. Thirc nijl-- ■!• a lirii r loiisiil- rafi'Mi. ,'•„■• '<' '• » ii fViiivM- ", •, A .-=• "•»si>ini*Iiyr>'-or!o(i ';.','-■■' ^ >.t>i t•■•,.» ;»oii)g 'laily to ihi' ■ .►t.'j'i .:<* j'.'i.mi^ oiU liis (iiiof ill .It 'iiK I t; ili»> ("ray twiliglii, wbin, *<>' i* !fc.i_i !' «r!Ui olf'it of (lii» idiai rv~ i..v--*<«s! »*■ n ;. 1 vii-np .son, by Uio •' dniau >>-;ffci.. ifco.l I. !\ing inB liiooiilalit jswitli o fro.il jf\ lurR'ory id'i>i'rsonul obsorviini'i-s n..ii«M \'M. I. iiiiT«' Willi sijvoial Biiliili'. is!oii>' .* wt'.'>;Ji 'liiini.iry loui failed to retail \)]H->n M li I III VABKOW.] SCAFFOLD BURIAL SIOUX. 165 Figure 20 represents scarification as a form of grief-expresnion for the dead. Perhaps a brief review of Dr. Turner's narrative may not be deemed inapi)ropriate here. Supplying food to the dead is a custom which is known to be of great antiquity ; in some instances, as among the ancient Romans, it appears to liave been a sacrificial offering, for it usually accompanied cremation, and was not confined to food alone, for spices, perfumes, oil, &c., were thrown upon the burning pile. In addition to this, articles supposed or known to have been agreeable to the deceased were also coiisumed. The Jews did the same, and in our own time the Chinese, Caribs, and many of the tribes of North American Indians followed these customs. The cutting of hair as a mourning observance is of very great antiquity, and Tegg relates that among the ancients whole cities and countries were shaved {sic) when a great nuin died. The Persians not only shaved themselves on such occasions, but extended the same process to their domestic animals, and Alexander, at the death of Hephaistin, not only cut oil" the manes of his horses and mules, but took down the battle- ments from the city walls, that even towns might seem in mourning and look bald. Scarifying and mutilating the body has prevailed from a re- mote period of time, having possibly replaced, in the process of evolu- tion, to a certain extent, the more barbarous practice of absolute per- sonal sacrifice. In later days, among onr Indians, human sacrifices have ruken place to only a limited extent, but formerly many victims were immolated, for at the funerals of the chiefs of the Florida and (Carolina Indians all the male relatives and wives were slain, for the reason, according to Gallatin, that the hereditary dignity of Chief or Great Sun descended, as usual, by the female line, and he, as well as all other members of his clan, wliether male or female, could marry only persons of an inferior clan. To this diiy mutilation of the person among some tribes of Indians is usual. The sacrifice of the favorite horse or horses is by no means peculiar to our Indians, for it was common among the IJomans, and possibly even among the men of the Eeindeer period, for at Solutre, in France, the writer saw horses' bones exhumed from the graves examined in 187;5. The writer has frequently conversed with Indians upon this sul\ject, and they have invariably informed him that when horses were slain gieat care was taken to select the poorest of the band. Tree-burial was not uncommon among the nations of antiquity, for the Colchiens enveloped their dead in sacks of skin and hung them to trees ; the ancient Tartars and Scythians did the same. With regard to the use of scaflblds and trees as places of deposit for the dead, it seems somewhat curious that the tribes who formerly occupied the eastern portion of our continent were not in the habit of burying in this way, which, from the abundance of timber, would have been a much easier method than the ones in vogue, while the we -tern tribes, living 166 MORTUARY CUSTOMS OP NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. ; I in sparsely- wooded localities, preferred the other. If we consider that the Indians were desirous of preserving their dead as long as ])ossible, the fact of their dead being placed in trees and scaffolds would lead to the supposition that those living on the plains were well aware of the desiccating property of the dry air of that arid region. This desiccation would pass for a kind of mummification. The particular part of the mourning ceremonies, which consisted in loud cries and lamentations, may have had in early periods of time a greater significance than that of a mere expression of grief or woe, and on this point Bruhier* seems quite positive, his interpretation being that such cries were intended to prevent premature burial. He gives some interesting examples, which may be admitted here: The Caribs lament loudly, their wailiugs being interspersed with comical remarks and questions to the dead as to why be preferred to leave this world, having every- thing to make life comfortable. They place the corpse on a little seat iu a ditch or grave foijr or five feet deep, and for ten days they bring food, requesting the corpse to eat. rioaily, being convinced that the dead will neither oat nor return to life, they throw the food on the head of the corpse and ftll up the grave. When one died among the Eomans, tl'e nearest relatives embraced the body, closed the eyes and mouth, and when one was about to die re- ceived the last words and sighs, and then loudly called th« name of the dead, finally bidding an eternal adieu. This ceremony of calling the deceased by name was known as the conclamation, and was a custom anterior even to the foundation of Rome. One dying away from homo was immediately removed thither, in order that this might be performed with greater propriety. In Picardy, as late as 1743, the relatives threw themselves on the corpse and with loud cries called it by name, and up to 1855 the Moravians of Pennsylvania, at the death of one of their num- ber, performed mournful musical airs on brass instruments from the village church steeple and again at the grave.t This custom, however, was probably a remnant of the ancient funeral observances, and not to prevent premature burial, or, perhaps, was intended to scare away bad spirits. W. L. Hardistyt gives a curious example of log-burial in trees, relat- ing to the Loucheux of British America : They inclose the body iu a nciit ly -hollowed piece of wood, and secure it to tw6 or more trees, about six feet from the ground. A log about eight feet long is first split in two, and each of the parts carefully hollowed out to the required size. The body is then iuclosed and the two pieces well lashed together, preparatory to being finally secured, as before stated, to the trees. The American Indians are by no means the only savages employing scaffolds as places of deposit for the dead, for Wood§ gives a number of examples of this mode of burial. •L'incertitude des signes do la Mort, 1742, tome i, p. "475, et leq. tTho writer is informed by Mr. John Ilcnry Boner that this custom still prevails not only iu Pennsylvania, bnt at the Sloraviau settlement of Salem, N. C. (Rep. Smithsonian Inst., 18GU, p. 310. i Uncivilized Races of the World, 1874, v. ii, p. 774, et »eq. X s. m^ ' m 16fi ) MOUTUART OUSTOMfi OV NOIITU AMRBICAV INDIANS. in sparsoly- wooded ln«a}tties, jHoferred tho other. If wo consider that tlio Indiuuij wor^^ tk*houM ot' ur-sserviiiL; (lioir dead ii.s long as posvsible, tlic fuel, ol" th»iir flwwl beiiij; i-lnced in trees and hcallbids would load to tlio supi»0Mitii>iJ ilMit tlio»? livinc: ou the plains were well awaie of the f frfy o^ ^J-.c dry air of that ariil rojrinn. This deKicc»ition \>^ould ]>a:is jor a kind of niumtinflcalion. Tiio (WP^iualHr part of the mourtunjj eercmoines, which «)nsistod in loud cr»rt% zns) lam«Dt4ki,jou.s, may havo hail in early iM'ridiU of tirproti f«(e« wc!i; intended t/» provcid. preiaaturu 'jrsid By i.lV9» f******' »Ti' **'tM*tin}i •««'jK>jjd<.A vfhfAi uiAv h<* H(linitte Ui a,- vW^-nrf ,«> P; i*^ V' .*»«»*^'*>'«*> ■' " ■■■-'-' hastfvvjs; m-mf g.-Kvw r-iiir i>J Jl ■,■■<•■'-•**. •■4.--v>.a<'"-' .'■*»?»«(•?" WlifU oiJ<*die«f iMoooiif tiu; BoniAiis, the n^'rtrf^>^t reiutives cinbrac^l li »• lK»dy, olosed the eyt« and motitb, and w h(Mi one wa« a.bo»t to die re- ceivi'd th(>. last words and sijjhs, and then loudly called the name of tiie dead, finally bidding an et<;rDaI adieu. This coreinony of ('a!li:!<:r tho dooeavscd by name was known as the concUimntion, and was a custom anterior even to the foundation of l?onii\ One dying away irom home was immediately rcmo^'od rhither, in order that this might bo performed witii givfer propriety, hi P;«aatly, tiM bit.e as 174M, tic rolatives threw theiii«elci?N o.n. thi; cor};so and with lo'Ul iTii»v-< (iwll!*!* li !• . >'^¥ie^ MhI up fai l.SfMj ih« MoraviABS of Pennsylviinia. at rh'* d;t»iJt < t ttiM* rtf Wt«it- »!*>«« b«!r, s^rtrfiir '.;?*'« "tBfrfs: »» til**(t village -t: V #^, . •:4.a« i»t tiw gTHri'»f 'I'M* i.VjuJOTO, hoWtjv^T, pr-.-WfOJ. pp«tf&.*trtf' rssthiX. "f- ^•><'r**a|w, w»m* Uv^n'ntkiK' w- ^«*rit« itinw-y ^•^t .-oirit-fi. W. L. Ilardisf;,! 4<- •, ? » v*»j>«jm^ exami'^- '^- log bunti! in intin, dilat- ing to the Luufthenic ».»t«! )>iece nf woiM, u'lil sionre it to tw6 or n)itrt< tn'est, nbo'it six twl tnitu t hi- a , - ., 4 1>>^ Altoot (.'ight. ft -'t Ion;;; .» first splii. iii two, ttixl oach of thrt ()art« oikrot'titlj tiiviU-'.nH • ;tt t« llii> niftnired mze. 'JTio boif.Mirral, 118 before Rtaiotl, to iho 'kkh. Tho American Indian-* are by no me»n« »tjf '«dy savages employing bcaffoId>j a T phw;o3 of deposit for the d«-iwl, Jbr W(iod§ gives a number of fiaiiiiiles of this imxle of buriid. " r/mcertiiude do* si^niw do la Mort,. IV*.', tonis i, [>. 4?:', ct leq. t 'J'lio writer is informed by Mr. John Hmii y lVmi;i that tbi« liOBlom bUII provuils not onlv ill I'l'uiiiiyhaiji.i, btst i»t Ihi' Mdr.ivi.m iwfctieiiiont uf Salfiii, V. C. t U^ti. Siaithaoiiiaii last., Mifi, p. ;U'J. J liiiiiivili7"il RiMici' of Iho WiiiM, 1S74, j. ii, ji. "'71, 1' «'i/. ■a. k I: t- t -^ h:^--- ''a^' r ■%... ■■if . ?r ■•VI iil?liT^*??'1l^". rAMOW I SCAFPor.lt- BUBlAL-^-BlOUX. 167 Ui some (lurta of Aiutraliiv the amWrni, iaatoad of ewwmainjj tliu iKnty by llr«. «r hld- lag it in cftv.!« of in gruv*-*, u»«k»> it n jnwiTihinly c»n»4pi«uijii» olijoct. Should a troe ic Mhoulil l>o I : h ' ..; 'ho tt •, nn m.. ^-iH tiiko t! ■ of ro- |ilai'iil;j it. Blionlcl ii«> !m) growiiij; in tho si>loct(Hl apot, an uiulii-ml platfonii 1* niailo for Iho body, by fixing tins inds of stout bnmcljCH in ili<* j,Toniul iindcoimocting tlustu at tlii'ir Uifm by «inHUer horiit.niiil brancho.'i. Such uro the curious tombs wliioh ur« rcpre- •»M«a 1» 'h) lUndtrtttifi.. * • « I'Ik ■!<• Rtrurijjo tiunlH arc mostly ijIiicimI aniunji tfcf »s»*ra», # Siwfc Bothin r. ...iiafiil than thi> «ound of tho wind ii» it ulrtkes thoTfti-ds b«low \if hisimtji ill wiiicii tho t-orpso in lying. The ohjwt of thia aerial tomb id otldoul .■noii^i, niunely, to (uotect tho corpse Irym the diugo, or notivo dog, Thi»t tho ru . • iIkt carriou-ciitiuK birds shonlJ iimko a bamitiet njion the body of the di : mis not Hcem to trouble tlui .>iurvivorH in tlie least, and it often h»pi)enH that tuo (lavelor i» told by tho nroak of th« riistnrbdd ravonii that tho ' '!• .ucIksk tn"»r In* ii«>ait. "Mil'* ttf <»M HHJii othohuvediedttaatutul . i' u iu battto tho bod.v Iji tn ' » • •; y^f .a 'm p!rMited, ami «{*,« t ,t 'W ■■"■." ••'■■' Tht ;»fjj'H :u' ■u;'"«o« ■»*»t"»vt»d, nnd after %y «». .1,. ;-.,^. th-wh :>(l ; df ad .\iin tlMliiHi l!l .yi'i>! I' death , •nt> uiOHily eroci ■♦Hfrnait ta«ttf(t4; ' .1 pLitfoji' itp ■ ^ '■■ NVbe-n "Hiiu;, -like, and tho Htcii HO loiij; smoked. apjtoitiUt! • i!<>r> , and ti. !,iT!, til. ;! . , i, ., a lioil;, ijiu- ii.-en treiiu-.l m iIuh in;mm,i U Uo'umi's i, strouj^s'jjt point w that the wild dogs wiii not toueh it :i It itsnaius sitting on tin; i^latform ior two nj.jtUhs or so, and is then t.il. n down and hiukwl, with tin: exception of tho skull, which is mailo into a drinkiug-cup for tlio ueas-' • I Kitive. » • • : • , This modo of miuamityiu"-- rt'sciubles soitiewluit that already described iw till' })r.K( .'^.s l.y winch ilic Vii-juniiiii kings wero prewrved frora deco*- Jtosii;-'" *^*- ' I 'It lite Ansir;i]'.iii hiiriala OfHcrUxjd, aud aro 1*:%/ hj. : .■.: - . „_-,= v;i)V •III*-- 'hffSti^Ur ^*- '^ 'f-!tilh v.tuii:. Tiid one roprcseiiting .iitid-s of mirown [iidiaus. - 1 !"■ -' . "I' ill.'. ,-.;.. 1,1. the. dead, , I 'i''r'i .■•i,sii'.!.\.ni)y, aregivea.: ..' ;ii.u,:ii i 111: .lead bodioH of their ' '■ ;">; tiec8, instead of biiryiug ■ jir'A^-viviij^ their aflhes iu tirns, I think wo u* moat if not iill the tribes of American In- atioij.- ..{ a l*igS4*3 j tvilization, heli«?vcd that the htimau soul, (^imt, or iiiiiii> v^j\ \«4>« vf tlie fora* aud nature of a bird, and as the«o aro ««se.u- ■i •:.^%m:' L 'r~K. .f .^■' TAKROW.I 8CAFF0M) BURIAL — SIOUX. ter III Ronio parts of Aiiittralia tlin iiatlveM, iimUMul of coimiiininK tlio body by (Iro, or bid- ing it in I'ltWH or ill gruvi'H, iiiiil keep tho flics away by waving leafy boughs or bunches of emu feathers. When a body has been treated in this manner it becomes hard and inummy-like, and tho strongest jioiut is that thu wild dogs will not touch it after it has been so long smoked. It remaiua sitting on the platform for two mouths or so, and is then taken down and buried, with tho exception of the skull, which is made into a driukiug-cup for tho nearest relative. • • » This luodo of muinmifyiiig resembles uoiuewliat that already described SIS the process by which the Virginia kings were preserved from decom- positiou. Figs. 21 and 22 represent the Australian burials described, and are after the original engravings iu Wood's work. The one representing Bcattbld-bnrial resembles greatly the scallblds of our own Indians. With regard to the use of scaftblds as places of deposit for the dead, the following theories by Dr. W. Gardner, United States Army, are given : If we come to in<|uiru why the American aborigines placed the dead bodies of their relatives and friends iu trees, or upon scatlblds resembling trees, insteod of burying them in tho ground, or burning them and preserving their ashes in urns, I think wo con answer tho inquiry by recollecting that most if not all tho tribes of American In- dians, as well as other nations of a higher civilization, believed that tho human soul, spirit, or immortal part was of the form ond nature of a bird, and ns these aro csseu- i 168 MORTUARY CUSTOMS OF NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. tially arboreal in tboir habito, it is quite in keeping to suppose that the soutbird would have readier access to its former borne or dwelling-place if it yraa placed upon a tree o. scaffold than if it was buried in the earth ; moreover, from this lofty eyrie the souk of the dead could rest secure from the attacks of wolves or other profane beasts, and guard like sentinels the homos and hunting-grounds of their loved ones. This statement is given because of a corroborative note in the writer's possession, but he is not prepared to admit it as correct witliout further investigation. PARTIAL SCAFFOLD BURIAL AND OSSUARIES. Under this heading may be placed tlie burials which consisted in first depositing the bodies on scaffolds, where they were allowed to remain for a variable length of time, r.fter which the bones were cleaned and d(>posited either ia the earth or iu special structures, called by writers "bone-houses." Eomau* relates the following concerning the Choc- taws : The following treivtmcut of the dead is very strange. * * * As soon as the de- ceased is departed, a stage is erected (as in tlio annexed plato is represented) and the corpse is laid on it and covered with a bear-skin ; if ho bo a man of note, it is deco- rated, ami tbo poles painted red with venuillion and bear's oil ; if a child, it is put uiKMi Mtalies set across; at this stage the relations come and weep, asking many ques- tiiiiis of the eor[ise, siieli as, why ho left themf did not his wife serve him wcllf was bo not contented with his children I bad he not corn enough f did not his land produce .siilliiient ot eviTythingf was ho afraid of bis onemiesf &c., and this accompanied by loud Iiiiwlings; the women will bo there constantly, and sometimes, with the cor- rupt id iiir anv tlui mitliors cited wtro luit coiifinctl to any wi)coial tril)P or :uTt'a of country, aUh«>njjli they ilo not appear to have prevailed aiuoug the Indians of U»« ourlhw^Mt taomt, ««• lur aa known. Sr^JRT£l!RENJ-: AND AEUJAL liURlAL IN CANOES. The next mode of burial to bo remaiked ia tliat of deposit in (janoes, either siiitported on jiosts, on the pronnd, or swung from trees, and is conunon ouly to tiie tribes iubabitiu},' the northwest eoartt. The first example given rt'lates to the ChuiookH of Washington Terri- tory, ar>u may be foniul in Swan.* In iliis iiihf anc:c old Cartiinibivys, and old Mubar, a uolobruted dw.tor, w-itv tU« ol^^^^f mounieni, i>ro'i>i»4jly rVi^st iiMsa tfct» »>?»<*! ut!j vc». I'hoir dnty ffpmH: n- I'nrp f ^ft cano«^ for tbe rt.".-c|iti<)ii uf tholiody, Onoof th(i Urgent «nd Ixaitthe I T«u iuigo square \in\•!•(!. r- («.i was uext t- ■>' : ' - ■■ - '■ ■" • -^lli! luMl : ■ '^t.f #. tJtO 'jOdy.tOgBbhin- "lil) Li, . w ^:.< V • ' - . priznd. Morn )>iiiiikota wcro then cuVtirMl ovw tU-a :■■ N«>yl., (» »iii;ill cHiu-e, «a':/-!i fti;t«l intn Hic ta'.*^*■!« tiioD ri»wr»l iHul plrtortl on two piinillcl bars, lilcvnlfil four or five fwit Irum tlu- gi-o\uid, nmi i 'm ti-l l;y boitij^ iiisf'.rtcil tliviingh hok's uiortiseil at ihi) top of foui' stout postK previously (irmly planti^il in tlio oarth. Around theso bolos v.fTc tbcii htnig blaukl■t^^, ivud all tip- cookiiij; ntousils of thu dor.oaseU, pots, kettlua, and pans, cacli with a hole piiuclicd through it, and all Iter crockcrj'-warc, overy piico of wlticb wiis lirHt cracked or tirolcen. to rond'jr it iitolnss ; and thou, when all was dom;, they loft lior to remain for oiHi year, when the Vionns would bo buried in a box in the eartli diroetly under tbo canoe; bill that, >viih all its appendajjes, would uover be luuksted, but left tcJ go to- jltadual decay They ruganl ».i!.>i,n .-iiioc;! precisely as wo rt>yard eeiHii", aud would no more think v# ;»'»goBO ihati v.- V >'ilil of using onr own graveyard relii^s ; and it is, in their view, •*^ISn4s s,^ *»fes: /(.**.' iHi iw a white man t<> lueddlo or intotfere with these, to them, MMKM l^i«>*i»»s>t»t*, ••>» 1', *oMld b(> to U8 to have au Indian open tho graves of our rebi - tlvM. ?j^ ''^JthO^tw whit«» men have doue this, and aninuisitiea have been thus ^'i-Mlojw-.; ? ^aui-o 'M «*!j*if«««.-uta this mode of burial. ! a m»t";'n" >t other examples, the following, relating to the Tw«.v» aullun/.^^M by the Itev. M. r'< lis, missionary to the 8kolvo- misU *;.,,' V. AVjwi;' ; •<>« Territory, is flek(;ted : The il IH •^«»eta..tboat thirty or thirty-flve years of iijre, dea^l of eon- futtoptioa. .ii-n: 'Unl ill Uw ♦jtsrrr'.tng, and in the afternoon I went t« the Iiuoimi to at- • Ssitrlswest Coast, IA'>7, p. 185. i^ 1 ■■^♦i iMi i Fto. *«,— t'uno' BnriwK TARIOW.) CANOK BURIAL — TWANAR. 171 From these accounts it may be seen that the peculiar customs which have been described by the authors cited were not confined to any special tribe or area of country, although they do not appear to have prevailed among the Indians of the northwest coast, so fur as known. ■J 8VPEBTERRENE AND AERIAL BURIAL IN CANOES. The next mode of burial to bo remarked is that of deposit in canoes, cither supported on posts, on the ground, or swung from trees, and is common only to the tribes inhabiting the northwest coast. The first example given relates to the Ohinooks of Washington Terri- tory, and may be found in Swan.* In tins inBtance old Cartiirahays, and old Mahar, a celebrated doctor, wero tlie chief mouTuers, probably from being the smartest scamps among the relatives. Their duty was to prepare the canoo for the reception of the body. One of the largest and best the deceased had owned wa8 then hauled into the woods, at some distance back of the lodge, after Laving been first thoroughly washed and scrubbed. Two largo square holes wore then cut in the bottom, at the bow and stem, for the twofold purpose of render- ing the canoo unfit for further use, and therefore less likely to oxcito the cupidity of the whites (who are but too apt to help themselves to these depositories for the dead), and also to allow any rain to pass oft' readily. When the canoo was ready, the corpse, wrapped in blankets, was brought out, and laid in it on mats previously spread. All the wearing apparel was next put in beside the body, together with her trinkets, beads, little baskets, and various trifles she had prized. More blankets wero then covered over the body, and mats smoothed over all. Next, a small canoo, which fitted into the largo one, was placed, bottom up, over the corpse, and the whole then covered with mats. The canoe was then raised up and placed on two parallel bars, elevated four or five feet from the ground, and supported by being inserted through holes mortised at the top of four stout posts previously firmly rtlanted in the earth. Around these holes wero then hung blankets, and all the cooking uteusils of the deceased, pots, kettles, and pans, each with a hole punched through it, and all her crockery-ware, every piece of which was first cracked or broken, to render it useless; and then, when all was done, they left her to remain for one year, when the bones would bo buried in a box in the earth directly under the canoe; but that, with all its appendages, would never be molested, but left to go to gradual decay. They regard these canoes precisely as we regard eol&us, and would no more think of using one than wo would of using our own graveyard relics ; and it is, in their view, as much of a desecration for a white man to meddle or i. terfere with these, to them, sacred mementoes, as it would be to us to have an Indian open the graves of our rela- tives. Many thoughtless white men have done this, and animosities have been thus occasioned. Figure 23 represents this mode of burial. From a number of other examples, the following, relating to the Twanas, and furnished by the Kev. M. Eells, missionary to the Skoko- raish Agency, Washington Territory, is selected : The deceased was a woman about thirty or thirty-five years of age, deatl of con- sumption. She died in the morning, and in the afternoon I went to the house to at- * North west Coast, ier.7, p. 185. 172 MORTUARY CUSTOMS OP NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. toiid tho fiiiinral. Slie hail then hoon jtlacHiil in n HiiilMry poor wlmii n1i<> died, owiii); to hor diNcaHC, orHhu could not havo bt'i-n put in thiH liox. A tlrn wan hnrniiiK near by, whcro a htrgo nninbur of her thin^M liad bcrn oonHuniml, iind tlio rest wiTe in tliriM- boxes near the eothn. Her mother sang tlu^ mourning song, some- times with others, and often saying : " My daughter, my daughter, wliy did you ilie f " and similar words. Tlie burial did not take place until the next day, and I was in- vited to go. It was an aerial burial, in a eaiH>e. Tlu- canoe was about 2.') feet long The posts, of old Indian hewed boards, wcro about a foot wide, lloh^s we) cut in these, in which boards wero ]daced, on which the canou rested. Ouo thing 1 noticed while tliia was done which was now to ine, but tho 8ij|;niticunco of which I did not loam. As fast as tho holes wore cut iu the posts, green leaves were gathered and jilaced over the ludcs until the ]>osts were put in the ground. The coflin-hox and tlu' three others containing her things were placed iu theeauoe ami a roof of boards made over the central |)art, which was entirely covered with white clotli. The head part and the foot part of her bedstead were then nailed on to tho posts, which front the water, and a dress nailed on each of these. After iironouncing the bene- diction, all left the hill ant her father, uu)thcr, and brother, who rcnuiined ten or litleeu minutes, pound- ing (Ml the canoe and monrning. They then camo down and made a jirescnt to those persons who were tluire — a gun to one, a blanket to each of two or three others, and a dollar anil a half to each of the rest, including myself, there being about fifteen persons jiresent. Three or four of them then made short speeches, and wo came home. The reason why she was buried thus is said to he because she is a prominent woman in the tribe. In abou* nine months it is expected that there will bo a "poi-Uiich "' or distribution of money near this plaei-, and as each tribo shall eomo they will send a Flo. 2t.— Twnim CniioeBurial. ill: TARKOW.] CANOK lUJRIAL OLALI.AM. 173 (U'lt'nivt iciii of two or tlii'cn iiicii, who will curry a |ireH«iit. luiil leavo it at the griiv)^; Hooii al'ti'r tliiit Hliall l>t^ . Tiio Clallaiiis and Twaiias, an allied trilu*, have not always followed canoe-burial, as may ba seen from the followiujf account, also written by Mr, lOells, who {jives the reasons why the original mode of disposin;;' of the dead was abaiuloned. 1 1 is extremely iutercstinjj, and characteri/A-d by painstaking attention to detail : I (liviiht tluH Niibjevt into livo iierioUi*, vuryin); uuvunliiig to timu, thoii);li they are Hoiiiowhat iiiteniiin^led, («) There are plaee.s where mUiiII.s and Hkulotons have been plowed u)) or utilt remain in the ^rounr wliiit tlic.v pliicnil itrouiiit tlii< (load, I iiin not iiifonnt'il, liiit am told that th«y did not tako aH iiiiirh <'aro tlirii of tht'ir dead aH they dii now. I am miliHlicd, howovur, that thi\v thou left Nomtuirtii'li'M uroiiiid t ho dead. An old ri'Hidi'iit iiiforiiiH niu that tho ChiUam IndianH always liiiry their dead in ii sitting posturt'. (o) Alxiiit twenty years ajjo j{i)ld niineH wero diHcoveri'd in llritish C'olinuliia, and boats hein^ Hcareo in this n')(ion, iinprinciplitd white men took many ol' the eaiioes in whioh the Indian dead had been left, emptying them of their eontents. This incensed the Indians and tliey ehanj^ed their niodoof bnrial somewhat by ItnryinK the dead in one lilaee, plaein^ tliein in lioxes whenever they conld obtain them, by bnildinK scatl'olds for them instead of plaeinj? them in forks of trees, and byonttinK their canoes so as torendiT them useless, when they were used as colllns or left by the side of the dead. The ruins of on<( such ji;raveyard now renuiin about two miles from this agency. Nearly all the reuuiins were removetl a few years ago. AVith this I furnish yon the outlines of sueh graves which 1 have drawn. Fig. SJT) shows that at present only on(> pair of posts remains. I have supplied the other iinir as Ihi'y evidently wer.\ Fig. -jo.— r.ut on Scntrold. I''ignre 2() is a re(?ent grave at another iilac^e. That part which is covered with board and eloth incloses tho eolTln, which is (ui a seatl'old. As the Indians have been more in contact with the whites they have learned to bury in tin' ground, and this is the most connnon method at tin- present time. There are cemeteries everywhere where Indians have resided any length of time. After a person has dit'd a cotlin is nuule after the cheaper kinds of American ones, the body is placed in it, and also with it a number of articles, chielly cloth or clothes, though oc- casionally money. I lately heard of a child being buried witli a twenty-dollar gold piece in each hand and another in its month, but I am not able to vouch for the truth of it. As a general thing, money is too valuable with them for this purpose, and there is too much temptation fur some one to rob the grave wheu this is left iu it. TABROW.I CANOK HURrAL— CLAI,LAM. ITf) (it) Till' Kfiivp is (liiR aftiir tli(> Hlylo of lli(> whiti'H, iinil lli<> i-ollln thfii iiliurd in it. After il Iiiih licni covitciI, it in ciiHluiimry, thuiigh not iiiiivi'miil, to Iniilil hoiiii' kiiitl »t I'lli. 1:7.— IIllllHU'Illlliul. nil iiK'loNiii'it ovi'i- it or iiroiiiul it, in the Hhape of a Hiniill liou8<>, hIiciI, lod^o, or fence. TlicMe are from 'i to Vi feet high, from 2 to (> feet wide, luul from 5 to 12 fi^et long. Some i'Ki. 28. — Ilouse-Itiirial. of these are so well inclosed that it is iin])OH8iblu to see within, and some are qnite open. Occasionally ti window is placed in the front side. Sometimes these inclosnros are 17G MOUTirARY CUSTOMS OF NOItTH AMEUICAN INDIANS. ooverod with olutli, whiuh Ih geriurally wblto, Homotltncs partly covered, anil Hoina huvo iiouo. Around tbttgrnvi*, both oiitHldo ami inNido of thu inclostire, vnrionH tirticles oru placed, uh giinH, ciiiiouh, diHhtw, pailti, cloth, Hlicutg, bliiiikulH, lieadH, tubx, lampM, bowH, iniitH, niid ouciMiomilly ii roiigbly-carvud buiiiau llIlu^(^ ruilely painted. It 13 said that around and in the grave of one Clalluui chief, buriod a few years ago, |r)()0 worth of Hucb thingn wore loft. Mo:)t of these articles «ro cut or broken ho oh to render thcin valueleaH to man and to i>revont their being Htolcn. Poles are also often erected, fnmi 10 to 30 feet long, on which American flags, handkerchiefs, cb)the(i, and cloths of various colors are bung. A few graves liave nothing of this kind. On some graves these things are renewed every yeor or two. This depends mainly on the number of relatives living and the esteem in which they hold the dcceuHed. The belief exists that as the body decays spirits carry it away particle by particle to the spirit of the decreased in the spirit land, and also as these articles decay they are also carried away in a similar manner. I have never known of the placing food near a grave. Figures 27 and '28 will give you some idea of this class of graves. Figure 27 has n paling fence Vi feet square around it. Figure 28 is simply a franio over a grave where t here is no enclosure. (c) Viinliu'd moih: — A few persons, of late, have fallen almost entirely into the American custom of burying, building u simiile paling fence around it, but placiig no articles around it; this is more especially true of the Clallams. > I :t rUNKRAL CKBEMONIK8. In regai'il to the funeral cereutouies and mourning observances of seel ions (a) and {!>) of the preceding subject I know nothing. In regard to (o) and (rf), they begin to mourn, more especially the women, as soon as a person dies. Their mourning song consists princijially of the sounds represented by the three English notes mi mi, do do, la la; those who attend the funeral are exi)ected to bring some articles to place in the coffin or about the grave as a token of respect for the dead. The articles which I have seen for this purpose have been cloth of some kind ; a small piece of cloth is re- turned by the mourners to (he attendants as a token of remembrance. They bury much sooner after death than white persons do, generally as soon as they can obtain a coffin. I know of no other native funeral ceremonies. Occasionally before being taken to the grave, I have held Christian funeral ceremonies over them, and thcHc services increase from year to year. One reason which has rendered them somewhat backward about having these funeral services is, that they are quite superstitious about going near the dead, fearing that the evil spirit which killed the deceased will enter the living and kill them also. Especially are they afraid of having children go near, being much more fttarful of the effect of the evil spirit on them than on older persons. MOUUNIXQ OBSERVANCES. They have no regular period, so far as I know, for mourning, but often continue it after the burial, though I do not know that they often visit the grave. If they feel the loss very much, sometimes they will mourn nearly every day for several weeks ; especially is this true when they meet an old friend who has not been sciui since the funeral, or when they see an article owned by the deceased which they have not seen for a long time. The only other thing of which I think, which bears on this subject, is an idea they have, that before a person dies — it may be but a short time or it may be several months — a si)irit from the spirit land comes and carries off the spirit of the individual to that place. There are those who profess to discover when this is done, and if by any of their incantations they can compel that spirit to return, the person will not die, but if they are not able, then the person will become dead at heart and in time die, though it may not bo for six months or even twelve. You will also find a little on this subject in a pamphlet which I wrote on the Twaua Indians and which has recently been published by the Departmaut of the Interior, under Prof. F. V. Hayden, United States Geologist. V.»UllOW.l lUTRIAri CANOES AND HOUSES. 177 (Icor^o Gihba* gives ii most int^Tcating acicount of tli« burial cere- inoiiiiss of tlio IiiiliiUiH of Oregon and Waslungton Territory, \vhi«']i i« lioro niproduccd in its entirety, although it contains examples of other nio«les of burial besides that in canoes ; but to separate the narrative would (U'stroy the thread of the story: 'I'hu (M)iriiiioii imxlo of (lUpuHiii); of tlui dead umoiig tlitt llHliiiig trilicx wiih in cauiiet*. TlicHO wcru Kciiurully druwii into tho woods at Boino prominent point u Hliort diHtunco from tho village, and Hoinotinii'H placed between tlio forliles of stones, either to mark llu^ spot or to prevent the liod'.es from being exhumed by the prairie wolf. Among the Yaka:u!ui wo saw nuiuy of their graves placed in conspicuous points of the basaltic walls which line the lower valleys, and designated by a '.;lnmp of pedes planted over them, from which lluttered various articles of dress. Formerly tliese prairie tribe.s killed horses over the graves— a i us tom now fulling into disuse in consofiuonco of the teachings of the whiles. Upon Piiget Sound all the forms obtain in iiitl'erent localities. Among the Makali of Cape Flattery tho graves are covered wltli a sort of box, rudely constructed of boards, and elnewhcro on tlu' Sound the same meth.od is adopted in sonui caocs, while in others the bodies are placed on elevated scaffolds. As a general thing, however, tho Indians upon the w« er i>laced the dead in canoes, while those at a distance from it l)uried them. Most of llie graves are snrroinuled with strips of cloth, blankets, and other articles of ))roj)erty. Mr. Cameron, an English gentleman roaiding at Esipiimalt Harbor, Vancouver Lsland, informed nni that on his place there were graves having at each corner a large stone, the interior space tilled with rubbish. The origin of these was unknown to the prcs"nt Indians. The distinctions of r.nlc or wealth in al' cases were very marked ; persons of no consideration and slaves being buried with very little care or respect. Vancouver, whose atfmtion was particularly attracted to their methods of disposing of the dead, mentions that at Port Discovery he saw baskets suspended lo the trees containing tho skeletons of young children, and, what is not easily exidaiued, sanill square boxes, containing, apparently, food. I do not think that any of these ti...es place articles of food with the dead, nor have I bi'en able to lenrn from living Indi.tns that tht^y formerly followed that practice. W'mt he took for such I do not understand. He also men- tions seeing in the same place a cleared spcce rccentlj >"nied over, in which the skulls and bones of a number lay among the ashes. The practice of burning the dead exists in parts of California and among tho Tshimsyan of Fort Simpson. It is also juirsued by the "Carriers" of New Californiii, but no intermediate ti'ibes, to my knowl- edge, follow it. Certainly those of the Sound do not ut present. It is clear from Vancouver's narrative tl.U some great "lidemic had recently passed through the country, as manifested by the •luantity of hunn^n remains uncared for and exposed ut the time of his visit, and vei'y probably the Indians, being afraid, had burned a liouso, in which the iidiabit.ants had perished with the dead in it. This is frequently douo. They almost invariably remove from any place where sii'kness has pri^vuiled, generally destroying the house also. At Penn Cove Mr. Whidbey, one of Vanc.aver's ofTicei's, noticed several sepulcliers formed exactly like a sentry-box. Some of ihom were open, and contained the skele- tons of many young children tied up iu bask' ts. The smaller bones of adults were likewise ncrtieed, but not one of the limb bones was found, which gave rl.se to an opin- ion that these, by the liviiig ii;l'i>'.>ita'its of the neighborhood, were approjiriateii to useful nnvposes, such as pointing their arrows, spears, or other weapons. It is hardly necessary to say that such a practice is altogether foreign to Indian character. Tlie bones of the adults had probably been removed and buried elsewhere. The corpses of I'liil Iren are variously disposed of; s'lmctimcs by siispending them, at ./tilers by placing in the hollows of trees, A cemetery devoted to infants is, however, ai> unusual occurrence. In cases of chiefs or men of note much pomp was used in the / ■S.'!.- "f-siaj.-a' ■ f ■jSii'' «M^' ^^^r. f «» MOini\AKy rii.TO«;< or north amekic.w ixi»iams. AiHitbcr d(-f)o*itor.v "f tiiit&i.s't upon im i-lMn't in llic riv(.ivt> g»ve it. till' wiUif- .»*' !?f(iiil'"v.<«' U!^u<(. 'fbo nai7«> m' tlia lljipt^r Tsiiiiilv, wliotto lull ial }>l)ii'r \j- liinv llc«^rf^»i^'J, i«rf> in>w iinaj-ly I'stincfc; lint a number of (lie msimh licra still vfimrit 111 (liircn^at M«if« of proscrvntiim. Th«i iKMitUm «f thn ImmIj-. im noticpd by f'lurki'. i«, I U.Iib'^>rvnuc<', the bc*ii lu-inK <>hTay« (jistftH*- to tlrn xTBrtl. Thi rca8i', '!■*»- n > \;j» ••f (be cJciiii, i» iiiU.i^l •!!< \w««i, mill if ibcv tiIhihi them i-tii«'— >* .in;'? ivmuIii >).• . '«ii fiiw-1. Ksst <^( tj.i> Cnscail' Moiinliiiii't fbo fi'j-., -^luisf iisiv-,; . w- .^M^Mfrfftu. »u«J wlici .ixi- cai.w ,« i>u!y for fi'iringc or tr,iii«p"rtntiOii j»'i'('><<»e», Imrj »!4ti?-'b*'<, iisniilly lionjaii;} ovt 1- ilioni piles of st.nKS, either to mail; "ini opot or tf? ?»i* >»»)»•• limlii'.'* {/i)Ri Itfiiis oshiiinixl by the iiniirio wulf. Among th') VaksHiias wo »»« .im.'iy of ia«i»' Xfavii p!,-«'clntttRil ovtr tlmm, fmni wliinU fluttiTotl various 1IH-' les of (irt>'j«. ''ornBeriy 'h^^t i!i -liiio tii!"-* kiP-.'H bor*.* «»v»j tbe jfi:>t-»<,-'»— n t-iiw ifin M"'^- f.'t!'i"i' ii -tPiii **r«v«'rM«l »V!f-!i ..>!■* ,)f lips, riiti«l\ ■••usiT'H;--^'. 'V llK-^- «»'(«<.<». '>?»»«' i> '►^/TV-' ;■>»»■-•" t'- r«i *<; It ifirjM ) "iffti. itt-^'t f'i i,'\ fi,^\t*fti*jtmn>^^adi^-i othrr nrtidcj) ui iii\-iH'rt_<, , Mr. tJauu rnn, itn Kuj^li'-Ti m.ntJci.ian r«N»>«{inn' ;«t Y^iaimall ffarli.ir, Vancoi \et tslmul, iiiformM iub that on hi* pl.-ico thwre >> ert? jrriivrs liaving at _ iiioh conior u large stone, tb-- inferior Kii^ye (111b«1 with rublii^li. Tbo origiii of tbc<

!iH. The tiitifiuetions of rank or vvtsaltb in all en.srsoiis of no "•■^iiHlibTAtioii mill !eet. Vancouver, wlioM' aueni-tou wan iirtrlioiilnrly utlraefi'd lo tiieir iiiethotls of flihixwnijj nf tiie dead, iiiii!i»ii)ii~ ibal •:* Pori I.>l«)«»'ery be ^•IH^' liaNlcei ^ susiM.-iidud lo tho (reus ooniuiiiiuK tbo nlveleloiis of yiiui;jj ehiiitren, iinil, wliut iH nol ennily eAplaiiied, oniall fujnare lioxest, eoiitii'Hirijj;. appr.nmtly. IikmI I ilo not, thinlr that any of these ttlbori place arlii.leM of f"od w il li the rtnart. i)or !>ni-e I tn on aide to i-i^ri^ fruiv tivilTg }f)n««rly f')ilo«(>d th»' priuTi'i' WTbtti b' ■.f»4 i.e. «-*?'. i tic • "' u]fiufrfi)tMf< *ifc-.. «.»*» *»»•■.««■ HiitU- )11:H» :4 -^.-'V- ^l . (t-, *. Irt '■■ HOilK tir •lllp, ill .111!'. :.d bones of a au>ib.'r i*y ,siii.irr^ ih. *f^i»»» ^! i->i fK in ji irts of lT,i!ifoniiii iKid amoM({ ji>» 'f«.*'"»-«"4<." . .i. -ri«»l .. !h' i.\»rrittr«i'' of Nf» Cslif-nTii*. fiiii. tj" ii,wr»>n: '■••'«»• r>.I.?-. . !• ">- 'u ^V'rtstiut;* (.osi-h; <'f U»r .Souo ! do f'rt »' miWOt. Jf ■'. ■•.i«sr t<'>w> \''»». i.tirrMiVe ttjat »/»»,-.= gci'- /»f i)».ri* HsmI rcfi'iutly paissrd tlii..>ii>t!i (.Le ;<»\jmr;f, •*« ii,t»:U(« tUltl i>> till* •j'-J.'itivit.vof H»>r,w» -»wuiUin>*e»rJ^d for»«nt expiMed at ihf- (i)o« ."f ftis'.icit jkud .urv itrobabh ♦;* ' U>vl^*»«, *i«Ui/ afrfid, liiwl ImriMid a bfMise,. in \vi)'i b the. ii;Wldii»ii'« lud ,ii f^hr A'lwl in il. 'f lii < is freoticiiily ddiie. Tliiv ftluioHi .i4V!u>;=ibly roiii'>v-- (■-' .> .»'■;/ jdEu-* wbore niilou's-i him prn Jii;i d, g'euerulU d''.>.nv,vinK ti>'» li.^fif- »!»■ \t Pftii! C'ne Mr. V. -lidiiuy. one of Viincoc . >■ . .'•.»»...»■*, noli»'-d ^rvci^l s'lmleberN foruied exuell-y like ji Mmliy-box. H iui.' of i^wii a.'r.i 'ip' ii, aiif adultn were lil .Hi', tiotieid, but not One of ihi tts mn li lis pointiiivj itei /r .",,iv*, Rpears, or othei .veapori". U l!? li;.ird!y ne«e8.,a,iy to wiy lht»t ^u'.ii .1 practlie in .>Uogetb had (-'•oliably l>e>'i) ti moved and l>iiiii;d elsewhere. I'll' i:orp>""S of lUildfiu ar>- \ario!i«ly dJj^;.'Ctsi!d i>,n.i. A in-iuet ly devotid lo infint^ is. h'>w( vor, an unusual occurreuejj. .In cawsa at t^vnii u» 4ie.n of note much pomp wah unwi In ttii?- S K*«-l n ^ f f > Q VARHOW.] lUTRIAL SACRIFICE TSINUK, accompaiiiiiicnts of th' rito. Tlio cuuocs wero of frreat size and value — the war or statu ciiiiocs of tli6 (It ceased. Fretiueutly one. was inverted over that, holding the liiidy, und in oiio insti ncu, near Hhoalwutur Buy, tlitt corpse was deiiosittHl iu h huiuII euuou, which a^aiu v as placed iu a larger oiiu and covered with a third. Among the Tuinuk am? JSd/irt/i'f (he tumaliiio-iis board of the owner was placed near him. The Pnget Sound Indians do not uiaku these tamahno-iut boards, but thoy sometimes con- structed utUgies of I heir chiefs, resembling the person as nearly as possible, dressed in his usual costume, and wearing the articles of which he was fond. One of these, rep- resenting the Skagit chief Suecstuni, stood vory conspicuously uput into or hung up aroundthegrave, being first carefully rendiTed unserviceable, and the living family were literally stripped to do himortothedead. No little solf-donial must have been practiced in parting with articles so precious, but those interested freipiently had the least to say on the subject. The graves of wiinien were distinguished by a cup, a Kamus stick, or other implement of their occupation, and by articles of dress. Slaves wc- '.l..ed in proportion to the rank and wealth of the deceased. Iu some instances they were starved to (htatli, or even tied to the dead body and left to |ierish thus horribly. Atpresent this practice has been almost entirely given up, but till within a very few years it was not uucouuuon. A case which occurred iu 1850 has been ulreajly mentioned. Still later, in 1H.'>I!, Tiiinted, ileeorated, and greater cure taken by placing them iu sequestered spots." The motive fVu' sa<'ri(iciug or destroying property on (ircasinn (d' de.nth will be re- ferred to in treating of their religious i, and it seems to be rather u ceremoniul perfonnance than an act of spouta- ih;ous grief. Tho duty, of course, belongs to the woman, and tlu! early morning is usually chosen for the pnri>ose. Tht^y go out alone to some place a little distant from the lodge or camp and in u loud, sobliing voice repeut a sort of stereotjped formula ; as, for instance, u mother, on the loss of her (diild, " Akmnlih nlii(l-ila hnd-diih ah ta hud ! iid-di-diih," " .\li cliief!" " My child dead, alas!" When iu dreams they boo uuy of their deceased friends this lamentation is renuwed. 3 I- 180 MORTUARY CUSI'OMS OP NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS*. With most of the Northwest Indians it was quite common, as men- tioned by Mr. Gibbs, to kill or bury with the dead a living slave, who, failing to die within three days, was strangled by another slave ; but the custom has also prevailed among other tribes and peoples, in many cases the individuals offering themselves as voluntary sacrifices. Man- croft states that — In Panama, Nata, aud hoiiiu other distrivtH, whuu a cauiqiiu diud, thuHc ut' liis uou- nubinos that loved him enough, those that he h>ved ardently and so appointed, n8 well as certain servants, killed themselves and were interred with him. This thoy did in order that they might wait npon him in the land of spirits. It is well known to all readers of history to what an extreme this re- volting practi'je has prevailed in Mexico, South America, and Africa. ill AQUATIC BURIAJj. As a coullrme«l rite or ceremony, this mode of dis)>osing of the dead has never been followed by any of our North American Indians, al- though occasionally the dead have been «Iisposed of by sinking in springs or water-courses, by throwing into the sea, or by setting afloat in ca- noes. Among the nations of antiquity the practice was not nu(;oninion, for we are informed that the Ichthyophagi, or flsli-eaters, mentioned by Ptolemy, living in a region bordering on the Persian Gulf, invariably committed their dead to the sea, thus repaying the obligations they had incurred to its iuhabitiints. The Lotophagiaus did the same, and the Hyperboreans, with a commendable degree of forethought for the sur- vivors, when ill or about to die, threw themselves into the sea. The burial of Balder " the beautiful," it may be remembered, was in a highly decorated ship, which was pushed down to the sea, set on Are, and com- mitted to the waves. The Itzas of Guatemala, living on the islands of Lake Peten, according to Bancroft, are said to have thrown their dead into the lake for want of room. The Indians of Nootka Sound and the Chinooks were in the habit of thus getting rid of their dead slaves, and, according to Timberlake, the Cherokees of Tennessee " seldom bury the dead, but throw them into the river." The Alibamans, as they were called by Bossu, denied "the rite of sep- ulture to suicides ; they were looked upon as cowards, and their bodies thrown into a river. The Kev. J. G. Wood* states that the Obongo or African tribe take the body to some running stream, the course of which has been previously diverted. A deep grave is dug in the bed of the stream, the body placed in it, and covered over carefully. Lastly, the stream is restored to its original course, so that all traces of the grave are soon lost. The Kavague also bury their common people, or wanjambo, by sim- ply sinking the body in some stream. * Uncivilized Races of the World, 1870, vol. i, p. 483. VAIIItOW.) ACiUATIC BURIAL — G0SH-UTE8. 181 Historians iiitbnn lis that Alaric was buried in a manner similar to that employed by the Oboiigo, for in 410, at Coseu^a, a town of Cahibria, th«' ( }oths turned aside the eourse of the river V^aseuto, and having made a grave in the midst of its bed, where its course was most rapid, they interred their king with a prodig- ious anxmnt of wealth and riches. They then caused the river to resume its regular eourse, ami destroyed all persons who had been con- cerned in preparing this romantic grave. A later example of water-burial is that af- forded by the funeral of Do Soto. Dying in 1542, his remains were inclosed in a wooden chest well weighted, and committed tothe tur- bid and tumultuous waters of the Mississippi. After a careful search for well-authenti- cated instances of burial, a(iuatic and semi- aquatic, anumg North American Indians, but t\v(t have been fouiul, which are here given. The tirst relates to the Gosh-Utes, and is by Capt. J. II. Siiup.son:* Skull Valley, wliicli is apart of the Great Salt Lake Desert, and which we have crossed to-day, Mr. Gcorj;o W. B^iaii, my (jiihle over this route last fall, says de- rives its iiaiiie from the iiuinlier of skulls which have heeu found in it, and which have arisen from the cus- tom of the (ioshutu Indians liuryiufr their dead in s])ring8, which they sink with stones or keep down with sticks. He says he has actually seen the Indiaus hury their dead in this way near the town of Provo, where he resides. As corroborative of this statement, Cap- ^"'- 3i>— Moui-ning-cradie. tain Simpson mentions in another part of the volume that, arriving at a spring one evening, they were obliged to dig out the skeleton of an Indian from the nuid at the bottom before using the water. This peculiar mode of biuial is entirely unique, so far as known, and but from the well-known probity of the relator might well be question»'d, especially when it is remembered that in the country spoken of water is i)d. Wood, in his work already quoted, states that the Fans of Africa devour their dead, but this disposition is followed only for the coiumoa people, the kings and chiefs being buried with much ceremony. The following extract is from Lafitau : • Dans I'Ain^riiine M<^ridionaU' quolqne Peuplea d(5eharnont les corps do Icnrs Gner- ricrs ct les nuuigont hiurs chairs, ainsi que je viens do lo dire, et aprcs les avoir c>m- 8nuiiiip» thoy Att) ofltOii in Ihn hubit of I'tuiteniiit; tlniit ('ikiiiH>A rxattttuinj; (li« i(eu«l liiHlirn >f tju- ulil und yonng, nr, whlxh ih t>ft<>ii i.)ii< I'lixo, clifvuUnJ uiU» Uif brauchuK "f i'**^, wllcr«^ their bixUuHaii) Mi tod>'i'J Ihiiirbntiix tn iliv whilut thf'.v urn bumliiirtMl in mmiy Hkiiix niitl ■iiri.'Unl.v jiiu'lu.' ii' tlmir laimon, wift) )»i "Vi mill ptpeit !..• siiiokn i»« tlioy »tu iK.iTiMuii.n^ tJicir "loni; jounu'y iiiii-r lii'iiUi U>ih' . •■■ .«iitmpl'it<»<1 tiiiiiliii^ gnoiml*. ' mlii>;li tiiufu* iienpl.^tliiuk is to bn )m rfiiniK'il in tln'ir <- ih'mN". I'^iKtirc 30, after (Jiitliji, In jk-^pifseiitatioii nl ii iiioiMHlt.*;-(;rHtlU«. Vtvnro .'II r«»prpS(Mit8 tbi* H(»rt<>\tlnj? nioflicr rrHinniitin^' tlic I>'mIv of uir lU'iiil cliiM to (lit- iiii'ics oftlitYftleineuts. ^^l8 i»»i term <|»T*i(atfy ««<>>• T|i tti*« JfHW!'"/} >* l'j«»rn- Vt-rti^ fo r.\'pr>'4H ' I lie iltnoMi !UjE of I L-e oi*«t/ i()t\ l«^^-^ ftuii .«ui»i)tlx *ii th.- »!U{vJV!nii; iHwiAi* -Hid rolativtM. Exponm'«i of tit- 'Hd lo sutiinulH tiit of Jiiiy poNitivc jnoof, it is iiol l»o- Jicved tliiil the l«i()iili AHiericuii liidiaus lollowvtl tho ciistniii, iilthougii (;aiitiihalis.m w;iy bavf pievuileii to ti liuiitt»(l extiuit. H is truo 1 hi^fl H »vj iK'(uiint.s iiro giveti by aiithois. bnt thcsf. ■,\iv. tiousidwoil apo iimutionpd i*; Aiinricftii iiiiit^yj}!*. . ?^ v^^ ?^ ^'^- That .^lifh a. inoans of disponing of^tfcip dwwl wa not in iifftctic^o:* Mtuicwiiat r»;in.iil;.il>le wbiii wuiaiux li.l.j .•.nyuinUi.i.fUin I'Vi's .„,.«'i, ,«4«»i-*. iiivin have beoti tumid in tvimiwirtfti^ ojtr i*i»d uew »>•..,«» f<''. OTid fjio stateijit'iits iua»l«bv iSiuhvfr. l.^*Stfta, Mui-nt, mid otb«TH, t:t'ti».j?, riMl;vrtiij,l >(>,-' «i'*> AttM K*J*UHihd lh»*K.i?rt'V»*rei*Iy straufjlfd the uijwl mh'i inix«-^ i^v tiwh with iHn'uftt iJiHacc and Tcrtiiliaii both affmn that. lUr timii diid aiu-it'nt BtiW.,,'. vjjjijjponreil thH (h'ad, atui Latituii itMnarks tlihi ';».>rtaiii ladiaiis of N'>iit« ,Vin«'ii<;a did % Hh' .saiin', t'sltieiiiiiig this iii(M](.>.^'r.di'*iM>siil. mo!<- liO'H>ra,bh' arnl initnh to * Ik; pii'fcnt'd than )o rot and bf i^Wt^y M'orius .1. (J. Wooil, ill his work already (iiiotiii. statt'x tiiai tlHiFaii;* of Africa (U'\()iir their d««id, l>ut this di.MJ t)(^ft>r tlici coinmoivg?''^'' p(H»j>h', tbt' k\nii>i and ihicfs beings bu£ 'd with in'ii h ccroirtttny. rhi> followinjjf extract is from I.:ijy^;* 1> ■ ■ I'Aiiii^iiqiv Meiiiliotiiiln f'-ijiW iVcilimnrnt Ipb corps do lours CJiiT- nrn It Irs iiiaiigeiit li-ms cliaivh, ailisi iK'Iinr t<-m|>n Ivir- .-■.diivrtw uvc^ Tfsiiiwa'^ansli'iir.'ii i ( ':ili.iiii's, c.t n j>?tttcut ..•t;8 rifini.'lt'lmj diitii U » ■ trfBli»! . « ,\ gningjil^^f/iili i.J^j)jj>y riuiiiiiPi' i.'iir ■•irtirugc par ccttc vtift et jn*]'^*^'' *^'' 1* >"rr('ii^'flil!cjp»>'*uhomif, ', ^-^ '* '.'^M i *^ ^■f TAnunw 1 MOURNING — CROWS. 183 II I'M. vi'iii (|ii'il y oil u i|ii! fiiiit fiMthi !i8tti uiul HhuuldcrH, nnd raiHe the Bkin in the Name manner to nmko the scars f^how ((> ailviiut'igw uftiT tho wouuil was healed. Some of their mutilations were ghiistly, and my heart sickened to look ut thenif hut they would not appear to i-eceivo any pain tVoni them. It ishouUi bu rcmeiubered that mauy of Beckwourtb'8 statemeuts are to be taken eum tjrana saltH. From I. L. Mabau, United States Indian agent for the Cbippewas of Lalie Superior, Ked Olill', Wisconsin, the following detailed account oi luouruing lias been received : Tiierc is probably no people that exhibit more sorrow and grief for their dead th'\n they. 'I'l.c young widow mourns the loss of her husband ; by day as by night she is heai(' silent ly sobbing ; she is a constant visitor to the jjlaco of rest ; with the greatest I'eluetance will she follow the raised camp. Tlie friends and relatives of the young mourner wi'' incessantly devise methods to distract her mind from the thought of her lost husband. She refuses nourishment, but .is nature is exhausted she is prevailed ujiou to partake of food ; the supply is scant, but on evei'y occasion the best and lar- gest proportion is deposited npou the grave of her husband. In the mean iime the female relatives of the deceased have, according to custom, submitted to her charge a parcel made up vif dinerent cloths ornamented with bead-work aud eaglet's featliei's, which she is charged To keej) by her side — the place made vacant by the demise- 'if her husband — a reminder of her widowhood. She is therefore for a term of twel V(! moons net ])i'rmitted te w<'ar any (ineiy, neither is she permitted to elicken up and comb her heau; '.is to avoid attracting attention. Once in awhile a female relative of de- etiased, commiserating with her grief and sorrow, will visit her and volmitarily pro- ceed to comb out the long-neglected and matted hair. With a jealous eye a vigilant watch is kept over her conduct during the term other widowhood, yet she is allowed the privilege to marry, any time during her widowhoid, an iinmarricd brother or cousin, or a person of the same Uodim [»ic] (family mark) other liusband. At the expiration other term, the vows having been faithfully performed and kept, the female relatives of deceased assemble and, with greetings commensurate to the occasion, proceed to wash lier face, comb her hair, and altire her person with new apparel, and otherwise demonstrating the releiise fro,.i her vow and restraint. Still she has no; her entire freedom. If she will still refuse to nuuTy a relative' of the de- ceased and will nuirry another, she then has to purchase her freedom by giving a certain amount of goods aud whatever else she r.iight have manufactured during her widowhood in anticipation of the future now at hand. Frequently, though, during widowhood the vows are disregarded and an inclination to llirt and play courtship or u>r\a an alliance ol marriage outside of the relatives of tin- deceased is being ine'iilged, and when discovered the widow is set upon by the female relatives, her slick braided hair is shorn close un to the back of her iiccK, all her apparel aud trinkets are torn from Iier person, and a miarrol freipiently results fiitally to some mem Vier of one or the oilier side. Thomas L. McKenney* gives a description of the Chippewa widow which diil'jrs slightly from the one above: I have noticed several women here carrying with them rolls of clothing. On inquir- ing w hat these imported, 1 learn that lliey arc indonn who carry them, and that these are badges of mourning. It is indisjieiisable, when a woman of the Chippeway Nation loses hei husband, lor her to take ol her best apparel— and the whcdeof it isnotwor'h a dollar--aud ro'.l it up, and conline it by means of her husbiind's sashes; and if ho had ornaments, these are generally put on the top of the roll, and around it is wrapped a piece of cloth. This bundle is culled her husband, and it is expected I'latsheis •Tour to the Lakes, 18!>7, p. 298. I 'tUit\-.Jl. .,! I'L a a CHipprvvAY widow T4>CAtf.| MOHKNING CHIl'PKWA. lb? ■:| J. nt'.vor to )t ««p»n without Hs If she M-alks out she tnkes it with her ; if »h<> sits down iu l»»i' W*^;, Ae placps it by hc-r 8imi; of her hili- hiishiind loiiu; i'noii);h, arid which in giMicially at thi,' oupii jti( n of a yi-ar. Sho is thon, Imt no! tiiilmv. ivleawul from hpr mourning, Jiml :it lilMirty ti> marry ftgflun, Kho li.ui I' •• jinvilcge to takuthia hudhiiiid tj) the fiiimlv of thi'dooojfted and leave it, hoi thiB ia ronsidorfj iodncorous, and is ueldom douo. Soiintiuics a lirother of the dBct-iised taken the widow for his wUV at the grav nf her hushaud, whirh i« domi hy a iwrrmony of wtilliiug hor ov«r it. Asvi *\»a h» .hiie a i-ight to do ; uud wlioii this in done sho is not n; into (MOwming; or, if she choOMs, she has this right lo go to him, and hn ih louM to .mitijort w. ^ ' 1 I lottgo to-t1ay, where 1 saw cue of thesft hadgi-,8. 'flir «i/.o vanes acoonl- ■: tiunutity of clothing which tht- widow may bappitn to hnvo. It isoxi>i^«!t iii'tr r tlii • faxliinii f „i"-. none of liii hii«l'aiirt'«f!niii'v 'iiHinjj for f ho Iiim\j^« .« t'-Vi i. i.jj''*(i»-'»^."4".' ♦'>Mily worn ,;!-.. ..^, ....... . 1 >. Sh« tiiii M, aud loU! 'itona i»hc iiod luoatxifiA !->iiig iaud was po! - • ^^ «•» i> r ;(!4jiU(it iiiieLt ii,'> ' . ' < ■ ti>il soiiir. ololUcs. 8iic got for ' <.V,iili«rf+.'' Th.'j -elv fei .. ■!'i-v titok i'-,,{ Ihoir Uair for lti« (i«r»' "f fboir jjrii 1 «(i^i ■»"»-• tr??* i4iouru by piueis 'VJ» fati-s •.i*«w. t t>iui1.t«Hl to tu»>ai.')nu that wti«:i prou.iitu intf g<'t(i^ f^^nHut. ftu.' ;,.wtgA i ig hu-ha:.!!. A Chtitpow.ty mother, on loniog lo'i chllil. jir'-purfH n\\ imago ol it in tlui l>e«t umti nor sho is abli', imd dinssfs it jis tli..; did li>r ii' ug . . «if a TOiiiiiKltr lor tbo di'^wi hiisl)iiiiti,iiia4l(.'fi nn ni{,'«, fill's, !M» «;iisloiii. In some iii.itiinte.s tin' widow.s iin- --%«l bi ( -t) wiMi thftm, lor tt vitiribhi jn'iiitil, u Ininiilt' i^on- 1 ' > tlw ;••,,„, ., ijri' (|«><*n8fd i'oiis;«t. '1 ib«iiv*«r-' I 'Hit;; tn jiancrofl,* were loHowcd liy .suiiic < (4* nil Ail ti» s of Ili(liiili8, (hosp of th(> Hiunbos luul Mus ■ !', UK L'!o*« lioiiiid i" '«i-pt;i i.Hii (jr-n (■ t,f lur inp.diiiiidfor ii >iur, at"t<'r .^bitl. »!.(» took If mid C'UrXNl tu-an wsti i r for anollior year, at ia** (>iB.:ts^ ti!«^m up IU U» ■JUS.', 1' ! thou oali ^v.^r£ho ailowi.'d ic !i>ttn> ^^mn. Hii.i.i'.( f -m.- Mt all's, 1,-71. »oi ;.;.. ':tl,744. !l ip» p- • ' - :".' '■ ; JTII . I J II -- J- 'l*l I i ■"^^ I ,' T1 YAIIROW.] MOURNING — CHIPPEWA. 185 uevcr to be scon without it. If she walks out she takeH it with her; if she sits down iu her lodge, she places it !>>• lier «i;ased is bilried with him, and that both husband and wife cut the hair and burn the hut on the death of either, placing a gruel of maize upon the grave for a cei-taiu time. Benson* gives the following account of the Ohoctaws' funeral cere- monies, embracing the disposition of the body, mourning feast and dance : Their funeral is styled by them "the last cry." When the liusbatKl dies the friends assemble, prepare the grave, and place the corpse in it, but do not fill it up. The gun, bow and arrows, hatchet, and knife are deposited in the grave. Poles are planted at the head and the foot, upou which Hags are placed; the grave is then inclosed bj' pickets driven in the ground. The fune 'al ceromimies now liegin, the widow being th(! chief mourner. At night and morning she will go to the grave and pour forth the uiobt piteous cries and wailings. It is not imijortant that any other member of the family should take any very active part iu the "cry," though they do participate to some extent. The widow wholly neglects her toilet, while she daily goes to the grave during one entire moon from the date when the death occurred. On the evening of the last day of the moon the friends all assemble at the cabin of the di.sconsohite widow, bringing provisions for a sumptuous feast, which consists of vimi and jerked beef Ijolled to- gether in a kettle. Wliile I he supper is preparing the bereaved wile goes to »lie grave and pours out, witli unusual vehenieuci', her bitter wailings mid lamentations. When the f'(Ki(l is tboroiiglily ciiDki'd llie kt'ttlc is taki-n Irom tli,v IiIn wivcH iiiid by a(.veral of liis Biibjects. Tlu; Icasoi' Siiiih tuok :;iirc tu f'ulliiw thu »!iiii<- iriiHtoiii. Tiie • law likewiHO uoiidemned every Niituhe/. lo deuth who liud iiiiirried a girl of the lilood of the Slum as hoou uh Hbe was (expired. Oil tbU oceuMioii I must tell you the liistory of an ludiau who wuh uowayH williug to siibiiiit to this law. Mis iiaiiie was ICIttavtriil; he contracted an alliance with the Snii8, liut the coimeiiueueeH which this boiior bronght aloug with it bad like to have proved very unfortunate to hiiu. His wife fell sick ; as soon as be saw her at the point of death \ui lied, eiiibarki^d in a piragua on the Mississippi, and came to New Orleans. He put himself under the protection of M. de Bieuville, the tlien governor, and ottered to be bis hiintsman. The governor accepted his services, and interested himself for him with the Natchez, who dechired that bo had notliing more to fear, because the ceremony was past, and he was accord- ingly no longer a lawful prize. ICltvuvteal, being thus assured, ventured to return to his nation, and, without set- tling among theiii, be made several voyages thither. He happened to be there when the Sun called the Slung Serpent, brother to the Great Suii, died. He was a relative of the late wife of Elteacteal, and they resolved to make him pay his debt. M. de Bienville had been recalled to France, and the sovereign of the Natchez thought that the protector's absence bad annalled the reprieve granted to the protected person, and accordingly be caused him to be arrested. As soon as the poor fellow found him- self in the hut of the grand chii^f of war, together with the other victims ilestiiied to be sacrificed to the Stung Serpent, be gave vent to the excess of bis grief. The favor- ite wife of the late Sun, who was likewise to he sacrificed, and who saw the prepara- tions for her death with firmness, .iiid seemed impatient to rejoin liere to taki^ the sensation of pain from theu\ ; after 1 hat they were all strangled aud put upon mats, tho favorite on the right, the other wife, on tho left, and the others according to their rank. TAUKOW.I BURIAL SACRIFICE — WASCOPUMS. 189 of theptn; the hut was full of Suns, NobleSgiind HonorubleH,* who were iiU tri-niblui)r, but the French ruiHecl their Hpirits again, by hiding all the urnm liclonging to the nhv- ereign, and filling the bnrrel of his gun with water, that it might be uuUl for utm lor Home time. Ah soon us the Suns saw their sovereign's life insiil'ety, they thanked the French, by squeeziug their bauds, but without speaking; a most profound silenee reigned through- out, for grief and awe kepi in bounds the multitude that were present. The wife of the Great Sun was seized with fear during this trausactinn. She was asked whether she was ill, and she answered aloud, " Yes, I am " ; and added with a lower voice, " If the Frenchmen go out of this hut, my husband dies aiul all t he Nutcbes willdie with him ; stay, then, brave Freuehmeu, because your words are as powerful us arrows; besides, who could liav(! ventured to do what you have donef Hut you are his true friends and those of his brothi-r." Their laws obliged the Groat Sun's wife to follow her husband in the grave; tlii was doubiless the cause of her fears; and likewise the gratitude towards the Fi ■ nch, who int' i lasted themselves in behalf of his life, jjrompted her to speak in the above-mentioned manner. The Great Sun gave his hand to the olflcers, and said to them: "My friends, my heart is so o'-erpowered with grief that, though my eyes were open, I have not taken notice that you have been standing all this while, nor hcive I asked you to sit down; but pardou the excess of my uffliction." TheFren:!hn»on told him that ho had no need of excuses ; that they were going I o leave him alone, but that they would cease to be his friends unless ho gave orders to light the tires again,! lighting bis own before them ; uiul that they should uot leave him till his brother was burled. He took all the Frenchmen by the haiuls, and said: "Since ;vll the. chiefs and uolile offlcers will have me stay on earth, I will do it; I will not kill myself; let the tires be lighted again inunediately, and I'll ivait till death joins me to my brother; I am aheady old, and till I die I shall walk with the French; had it not been for them I should have gone with my brother, and all the roads would have been covered with dead bodice. Improbable as this account may appear, it 1ms nevertheless been credited by some of the wisest and most careful of ethnological writers, and its seeming appearance of romance disappe.irs when the remem- brance of similar ceremonies among Old World peoples comes to our minds. An a[>parently well-iiuthenticated cavse of attempted burial sacriiice is described by Miss A. J. Allen,| and refers to the Wascopums, of Oregon. At b'lurth, by meaning looks and gestures lather than words, it was found that the chief luvi determined that the deceased boy's friend, who had been his companion in bunting the rabbit, snaring the pheasant, and lishing in tl.e streams, was to be bis compiiniou to the spirit land; his son should not be deprived of his associate in the strange world to which he had gone; that associate should perish by the hand of his father, aud be conveyed with him to the dead-house. This receptacle was built ou a long, black rock in the center of the Columbia River, arouud which, being so near the fulls, the current was amazingly rapid. It was thirty feet in length, aud perhaps half that in breadth, completely enclosed and sodded except at one end, where was a "The established distinctions anmng these Indians were as follows : The Suns, rela- tives of the Great Sun, held the highest rank ; next came the Nobles ; after them the Honorablea ; and last of all the coinmou people, who were very much despised. As the nobility was propag.ated by the women, this contributed much to multiply it. tThe Groat Sun hivd given orders to put out all the fires, which is only done at uhe death of the sovereign. tTen Years in Oregon, 1850, p. 261. 1!)0 MOKTUAKY CUSTOMS OF NOBTH AMKUICAN INDIANS. iiiiiTow npprtiirojiist Hiiillace on that occasion an allowance was served up for tho deceased out of every article of which it consisted, while others were beating, wounding, and torturing themselves, and letting their blood flow both over the dead man and his provisions, thinking possibly that this was the most palatable seasoning for the latter which they could possibly supply. His wife furnished out an eutertalnment present * Nnt. Races of Pacif. States, 1875, vol iii, p. 51:5. t Pilgrimage, 1828, vol. ii, p. 443. YAnilOW.] BUniAl. FKA8T8 — 81IPKRST1TION8. 101 fur liiiii nfiill licrliiiii and rnun, with wliicli, l('tlii'r witli IiIn arum, IiIh provisidiiN, liiN oniiiiiiciitH, iniil his mjHtic im>i1ii'iiio Imn, he wuh wriipiii'd up in (lie Hkin wliich IiimI Ii4'<'n hiH hwt fovi'nnn whj-n ulivr. Ho wiih th<'n lied ronnd with llio liiirk of Hiinui piirtirnlar tni'H wliicli thoy nHC for milking I'nrdH, nnd linridii of i vrry linn tcxt- iir« und hold (Iho oidy oncH ind«' Mitnitou WUH th(^ I'aKltS tiiH spirit wonld hr. rnahh-d more easily from snili a sitnalion to fly with him to Pnrnditio. Iliiid* iiKMitioiis iiii ivccoiiitt of a biiiial feast by Do Rroboiif wliicli o- Ki'l. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) // 1-. V- d^ Z W W o 1.0 !l 1^ mil 1.4 ■50 ^^" ■JUL:. 1.6 4" -► V Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 145S0 (716) 872-4503 ^"^4^' «'^> ■ 192 MOBTUAKY CUSTOMS OV NOKTH AMEKICAN INDI/IJS. FOOD. This subject has been sutUcieiitly meutioned elsewhere iu cunuection with other matters aud does not need to be now repeated. It has been an ahnost universal custom throughout the whole extent of the country to place food in or near the grave of deceased persons. Ill DANCE' . Gymnastic exercises, dignified with this name, upon the occiusiou of a death or funeral, were common to many tribes. It is thus described by Morgan :* Au occuHioual and very siufrular figure was called the "daucefor the dead." It was kuewu a» tbo !ic-wa. It was daueed by the wonieu alone. The iiiimic waa en. iii'ly vocal, a select baud of singers being stationed in the center of the room. To the soiigs for the dead which they saug the dancers joined in chorus. It was plain- tive and mournful music. This ('yel with the lloor of the pit. The mouth of the tunnel was closed with brush, and the venerable sexton woidd not remove it until he had slowly and devoutly paced several times to and fro before tlu entraiu'c. Passing in I found the massive roof supported by n ninnber of peeled poles painted white and ringed with black and orimmeuti'd with rude devices. The lloor was cov- ered thick and green with sprouting wheat, which had been scattered to feed the spirit of the captain of the tribe, lately deceased. Not long afterwards a deputation of the Senel came up to cond(do with the Yo-kai-a on the loss of their chief, and a dance or series of dances was held which lasted three days. During this time of course the 8on61 were the guests of the Yo-ka(-a, and the latter were subjected to u * League of the Iroquois, 1S.">1, !■. 'M7. ttJont. to North American Uthuol., lS7ei, iii, p. I(i4. tAHUOW.I DURI AL DANCES YO- KAI- A. 193 conaidorablo expense. I was proventort by other engagements from being present and shall bo obliged t')'nd on the description of an eye-witness, Mr. John Tenney, whose account is here given with a few changes; There arc four oflioials connected with the building, who are probably chosen to preserve order and to allow no intruders. They are the assistants of the cMel'. The in\itation to attend was from one of them, and admission was given bf the '^ ime. These *"our wore black vests trimine ' with red tlanuel and shell ornunicnts. The iliirf made no special display on the occasion. In .idditiou to these four, who were officers of the assembly-chamber, there were m old man and a yonng woman, who seemed to be priest and priestess. The yor.ig woman was dressed dillereully fnmi any other, the rest, dressing in plain calico dresses. Her dress was white covered with spots of red finnnel, cut in neat ligures, oniiinienti'd w ith shelln. It looked gorgeous and de- noted some ofliee, the name of which I could not ascertain. Hefore the visitors were ready to enter, the older men of the tribe were reclining around the lire smoking and chatting. As the ceremonies were about to comiiu'uce, the old man and ystop my ears. The air was rent and piercad with their cries. This wailing anil shedding of tears lasted about three or five minutes, though it seemed to last a half hour. At a given signal thf^y ceased, wiped their eyes, and quieted down. Then preparations were made for the ilance. One end of the room was set aside for the dressing-room. The (diief actors were iivi^ men, who wen^ muscular and agile. They were profusely decorated with paint and feathers, while white and dark stripes covered their bodies. They were girt abont the middle with clolh of bright colors, sometimes with variegated shawls. A feather mantle hung from 1h<^ .shoulder, reach- ing below the knee ; strings of shells ornamented the neck, while their heads were cov- ered with a crown of eaglc! feathers. They had whist 'es in their mouths as I hey danced, sw.aying their heads, bending and whirling their liodies ; every muscle .seemed to he exorci lod, and the feather ornaments qui\ered with light. Tlu'y wi're agile and graceful as they bounded about in the sinuous course of the dance. The live men were assisted by a semicircle of twenty women, who only marked time by stepping up .and down with short step. They always took their places first and disappeared first, the men making their exit gracefully one by one. The dresses of the women were suitable for the occasion. They were whit" dresses, trimmed heavily with black velvet. The stripes were about three inches wide, some plain and others edged like saw teeth. This was an indication of their mourning for the dead ohicf, in whose honor they had prepared that style of dancing. Strings of haliotis and pachydesma slell beads encircled their necks, ami ariuind their waists were belts heavily loaded with the same material. Their head-dresses were more showy than those of the men. The head was encircled with a bandeau of ot*ers' or beavers' fur, to which were attached short wires standing out in all directicuis, with glass or shell heads strung on them, and at the tipslittle feather llagsand (juail plumes. Surmount- ing all was a pyramidal plume of feathers, black, gray, and scarlet, the top generally \^^ A E 194 MOKTIIAKY CUSTOMS OP NOHTH AMERICAN INDIANS. lilting a bright Hciirli^t bunch, waving und loHsing very lioautifn'.ly. All those com- liinod gave their heads a vnry Itrilliant and Npangltul appearanco. The llrst day (ho danco was slow and funereal, in honor of the Yo-ka(-a ehief who died a short tirao bcforo. The music was mournful and siinple, being a monotonous chant in which only two tones wore used, accompanied with a rattling of split sticks and stamping on a hollow slab. The second day the danco was more li vely ou the part of the men, the music was better, employing airs which had a greater range of tune, and the women g'inorally joined in the chorus. The dress of the women was not BO beautiful, as (hey appeared in ordinary calico. The third day, if observed in accordance with Indian crstom, the dancing was still more lively and the proceedings more gay, Just as the -'.omiiig homo from a Christian funeral is apt to be much more jollj than the going out. A Yo-kal-a widow's style of monrniug is jieculiar. In addition to the usual evi- dences of grief, she mingles the ashes of her dead husband with pitch, making a white tar or unguent, with which she smears a band about two inches wide all around the edge of the hair (which is previously cut otf close to tho head), so that at a little distance she apjiears lo l)e wearing a white chaple(. It is thcii' custom (o " iced the spirits of the dead " lor the space of one year by g'>- ing daily to places which thi'y were accustomed to frequent while living, where they •iprinUle pinole upon the ground. A Yo-kaf-a mother who has lost her babe goes every day for a year to some placit where hor litlle one played when alive, or to the spot where tho boily was burned, and milks her breasts into the air. This is accompanied by plaintive nuMiruing and weeping and piteous calling uptm her ii.'U ^:\n ij i'c>;,uru, and som<^tinuts she sings a hoarse and melancholy chant, and dances with a wild estatic swaying of the body. SONUS. It liiis nearly al wnys been ciiatoinary to sing songs at not only funerals, hilt for viuying jx'riods of time afterwards, altliough these chants may no doubt o(',(!asioiiiilly Iiavc been simply wailing or moiirnuil ejaculation. A writer • mentions it as follows : At almost all funerals tLiro is an irregular crying kind of singing, with no occom- linniments, but generally all /-iiiuBor .Viiitiusot'llioGrouks !iml Kgyptiiiut) • • • mxHh mikUmm c..iin«ct8 wiik ibo Coptic " yn lay-Jeo-ya l^iL" Tho AUclHia which Ltmm^M:! U'-^a the South Anwiicana sing must have bon the i^umo w.til. The Oreoi ■^«rh ^.u-si, MU the Latin uhilan, with uu Kr.-lish howl and wail, are probul.lv wnvwl flfoni this njitiinit fonii oi' lamcuf ation. Itt our own tirm- a writa- on tli(i manner and customs of the Orcc-Ui, de 8t!rilW*ftlHJCuliar uIMviiH or hallolnjali he heard, iVoui whicu he inferred ihat the A si«^e«i Indians wtfcsit b% tbe tl«*pe«idawt# fif tb#, im^ tr^sm sT if -«^" ^'^ '<* ■■ " -iVji. under uim ^*«rV., athletic auu ,. ; .. (oHdw^i^ the ul wfekJi have been p,y ^, , ^^^ ^^mhu u> a P«:aK*tev ■. : .wJary or mljuuci pan >.. >** -^ ;^%a rjtes, WiiM. rw*. ®*v^iij . . j^r It,,; |;«»^i.'«-«'oM of tjjtj ju.jpotty ol t&c ■is^Mm'^- Dr. Oti.iiir:. Uc^.fer!*!,*!, . . ■ .- , *kV ^' »«ft*-» t}»ie wa& Stiltioucd araoi..., ,h. v\afa}M'to!! and tSiswetun Sioux, fiu rushes a detailed and in ^resting memwt of what is called 'he ■• gliost gamble." This !>• played with luarked wild phun 8tone.s, So far as ascertained it is peculiar to tM Sionx. Figure l'>3 appear.s as a fair illustration of the manner in wkhib this s-'i^ti is played. Mm ite .iBiith of u wealthy Indian the n*»r rolfttives take charge of ihe elTeots, aoA*. »«4j»te«l time— usnally at tho time of tho firsS foaNt held ovur tho l.imdlo «m- talBt««*i- ieck of hair-cU.-j- are dividwl ii.t.., many «waU piUw, «o aH t<> givo all tho huUam lliiy,.*wl to play an i.ppo.i Miiity U win K..mething Duo ludiau i>> siih-cfed to -\^^»mmi(bm.t, !itul hf plays agiiiiistall tho othftr*, who ar«» nv.t i-cquirod to stakt- vtWug w ift,, f.5»uU. b.it si.uply iiivit.'.! to take part in tht, wreuiony, which Is ir MTy hala if »;..? (v.dR,} of tho dead jwireon, iu wtUoli is cfmtaiuwi tlic l.undi.- inolcit 'rt loot, of k,Mt l!t .;»»,.» where tho ghost himsi^if is not wealthy th<< stakoa ftu- -I by i.,» v, i. ., „u should ho have any. TLo playei's are called in (,i,o al •'■■ '''•'■> " " *" k1J"»«'» rfl.roseutative, the gambling; „ fug rto„„ j„ ..« hj i„*,„ , .1,.,. ]f t|„, invited playur sncc'Piis in beainig the gUiwt, < of iIk iJi^-»«il|Et (if tlii' riffor of tlic wrd li'ft in tln> ( cnliT, Uu' rcvciHr Kidc liavinn a Idack spot in tlii' crntt'i-, tlic liody licinjj plain. Two seeds have a lintfalo's lu'iid on <;nc' side am! tin' reverse sini|)ly two crossed Idaek lines. There is Init oin< S(>ed of this kiml in the set used )i,v the women. Two seeds have half of one side Idaekcned and the rest left plain, so as to represent a half moon ; the reverse has a hlack loM>;itndini. . line crossed at ri(;ht annles liy six small ones. There are six throws wheroliy the ]dayi'r can win. anil tive that entitle him to another throw, Tho winning throws are as follows, each winner takinK a pile (d'Ihe fjliost's noodt: Two plain om-s np, two plain with Idack spots np, hntl'alo's head n]i, am', two half moonH nil wins a pile. Two ]ilaiii Idack ones np, twr) hlack with natnral spot np two longitudinally cros,sed ones n]i, and the transversely eros.sed one nj) wins a pilo. 'I'wo plain Idavk ones np, two hlack with natnral spots np, two half moons up, and the transvtirsely crossed one np wins a pile. Twn plain Idaek ones, two lilai'k with natnral spot nj), two half moons up, and the ImtValo's head np wins a pile. Two|ihiin ones nil, two with hlack spots np, two liin);itndinally eio^sed om'S np, and the trans vcrscly crossed ouc up wins u pile. Two plain ones up, two with lilaek spots np, Fru. 4.'i.— Aiixilinry tlirow No. !i. Iiutl'alo's lioad up, and two loiif? crossed np wins a pile. The following auxiliary throws Piititlo to another chance to win : two plain ones up, two with hlaek spots np, one half moon up, ono loufjitudinally iTossed one up, and hntlalo's head up gives another throw, and on this throw, if the two jilaiu ones up and two with Mack spots with either of the half moons or hulValo's head np, the playnr takes a pile. Two plain ones up, two with black spots up, two half moons up, and the transversely crossed \ ::_n av ^JttSt. 'i^itfe't' TYT^ir- --.,1— .--.„ tst, \ r»*i. »i.--F}s{nfr»l f'irnii Stoiu'N. ..ilf' 1 fM' MOKTI'ART .fBTOMS OF NOHTH AMTKICAN PTDtANS. Il<>r>>i> nliilr mt'ii ritiiio iti'ii>ri^ l|i<''« liiilliiti- iiml ti»u({lil Ihrin iiinnv ol' hl>< ini- IMiivi'il vii'( iiii>iiiik of ll;{iii'<(l plitm vnlx. lim in<*i) ii«l|i|{ I'lutil uikI II'" wonitfn iHivi'ii HcriN. Hijdrrtl iim fullowK, uikI hIihwii ill KiKiin-ur 'l'\v(> xfeAn are Hiin|il> )ilHtiki'n> >l 'in oiu' hI'Ic, lti#< nvrriMi ••xiininhiK iioiliir>4. T«u MifiU i»rr black on niii< nitli-, ivtili a «tiiiill H)Mit r, tliii timlv Vitg jtlNiti. I *!) *r««»..<| h\m;\: His. . TIi*it is liiit II M> 4<:t'il ol tliix l>iiii| ill llir Nft iiM'il liy thu wonifii )'>vo immmU I'liYr- mtlf nf mm sido i<1.tf;kniii«l iind lln rem U't'l pliiin, s<> ih I«i i'r)M'i'>i iiI « Imlf' niHin ' llui i*T«ri»» hiMi 11 liUii. !• ri«itiulin i1 liii' ••'•m«tl III rlglit iiii);I<'h '".x «>\ M">|1 ohi'h. 'I'lii'ri' ur<- "in tlll"vr» wf;i;>tpt«v l!u (jIhVI'V CUIl 1*111, ftlul ttVf tllUl eMfill" llilii 1|'- >'" t'lKii. ujlU Miwk )i)H>t!i III-, ImlKiili '■• ^n'mi ills mitl Iwii l».;lf innrni< i.f ».!"» k'>> r""i ('Mi'v '-i^tk, «>»« 'i)!i»'k with 'laiur*! «ii«J »ij« l«'> i«ii^'t»4i.'. *"» f •••w't* « '-Ti iriwl me ^r,t3»v"^t^•i» 'wi^^xj 'J'* • ,-•;»»«- ii,•»^ "!>»■* "II ' * » "'>.»•* "»">■ ' !«i:Vl!rti 9(>l>t> J«|!>, i'V'l !(«*<' (J.-*'"" *JJ. «n»; Ibt- tr ift' fiKiOlt} .M»>»^ « '•■.•■ ',<: '■'•«l.». ^ ?-iUl' . , «l '-il.-w. iW"!ll««!k WlHl >!>t«. »i «i»«t m', tw" UjHt "••r"* «n< «i*i fht *• •'•isno.vj* T^Vjtlftt t.-'tv» Uj-. «!'■ wi>t. Ikl'f-lt >\'"*i> I v. IWI- i»>;j(Hn'i<-*«ni!.- ■ >,i«^ 'I '**<«\. 'f.fJ »5»'' tftr fi'lilM" «K» Flu. 4* Af-ti'nry throw X«. ?i Iiutrnlo's liciii! Ill", '""' ^'•^'^ 'oi'tf I'rt'X*'! up wiiiH !V vi'"- 'I 'i'' (bllowinji iHiviHary MiniwH entitli' to ftijolii>T iliiiiioo to win , ( vn plnin ones iii>, two with Iil.iik .spott* up. oil" hftif ni'r.in np, on*- tr.iigitiulinully < rntspil mu' np, niid biitt'alo's lio.id up nivrs Miiotlii-r throw, am! on tiii<» tbrow, it' th'- two plain oth'.s np niid two witli bliu'.k kjmiJ* with .ithei oi (be hulf i < ••otifi ur biitfiilo'sboud rip, ili<> playp r tiiki-s ;». pib;. T'.vo plaiji oni'« up, two wiih black -•-'•t» 'ip, iwn half moous up, uiid thi; (ruii«verfiely cfiT^wwl JrT.r. .-i^ffe* VJVJOtO 51 c\;tcsc Fio. :M.— Fifrniv.l I'liiiii St. .Ill [.. I'm. :i.-..-\V iiiniiifj; 'I'liiow Nn. I. 9 o ^^ riii. :i(i.— Wiiiuiiij!; Tlilow Ni i^ > l''lii. :17.— Wiliiiiii}; 'I'liKiw Nil. l'"i«}. :W.-Wiiiiiiii{r Throw No. 4. I'Ki. ;«».— VViiiiiiiijr Tlilow Ni). fi. l''l(i. lit.— Wiiniiiij; Throw No. G. Fig. 41.— Auxiliary Throw No. I. FlQ. 42.— Auxiliary Throw No. •^. Flo. 43.— Aiixilinry Throw No. ». Klo. 44.— Auxiliary Throw No. 4. '?^?aH .. Vui. 4(1. — (iruvc^ PoHtM. 1 I rmmm.i BUBTAT, POflTS— #*Hnt AND CHIPPKWAH. im ■«* -ip .mtitie* t.. anchor Urn.. ^ !,„■„ if all .,J th« |,lr,.,k M.lw tomo n|., nxm.ntl,,,, -««, tb« throw ,v,„H On» •« .J.. M„,„ nti«« „,, u,„l ,i|| th... rest wilh bliick .iik-H iii. tl-rtm i..io(li.r a I tlwotli.^ 1.,., ,„g the !.-a«t t.lu k on glv.'«»nothrrtUn.w,.i.U if (I., throw in lh«i. .UipUenttHl M »»!«. Th« elghrJi so,..l, uscm) by th. m.-n, f. .« lu plrte- ui Ih-ir ,-m„<. ^lu^arns.- Its loririKK ait' mminoiifd ah -vo. I irmi-tnit «ul. (lib impec a mil „f thiM< ^»i"t wods, which ,..n b,<.w..l lo ili.wlT,U.« th,! «i„,ie if tlrimml. Thes.> simxU an, «t«l lo Ik« ncarl.v » fujiwliwl y.^w «lfl, a„,l iwtn of thtuu are now very mrc. ^ F-r n.. „ . ... '.i,t«tr,hig tliirt nccount Dr. Mclliosncy ackiiowlrHl(r.-« **' '•• *'• <-'• Miller, i»hyeiciuii to tb» «i.«J8et«n ludiiiu PJfwwi 36 to tr, represent tho ..ppeararicc^ of flir- plum ntoiuN iiud tb« 'fittereut thn.ws; these hiive bneu carefully diuwn lro», th« «et of »toue.s sent by Dr. McOhesuey. ''•*'** "^ • ''f srrave, or at both euds, and ' ''H>achievw 1 .y*. • f ^ tiate jite, . etstJiJn touuiai. , u.. '-^« -> •!• the dead, but. „r : , '. Tb.-. Tbe citat4.nu . li^t: f|}« prettt- 15oUraiiii* speakn ut %1, i* fc),|l IlBrc) I saw a moHf singiibi • whilst upon anoi (lev (-logo to i\. u leoordiuy u- nuiiiliuc cyf onemie* •• tutel.-iry Mrmilcii:,. The lollowjuy oxlruct frrmt «di«d ajwjd by tbe Sioux and (JhJ|ii»«W8-M, 1 by tJUH mUhiy, in counectiuu witb the ii Ammii the SioiLv m„l SVostorn (jhip,>,»,v,. ,„„.r th, ... host dothfus and ornuwouts, it is then pU^^i „« ,» ^calTol,! „■ . .« cnt.rdy .leca.vo.l. uft,!r which the h„««. .. .... „ ,l ^„.| «rav.-|„«,<. . .,. . ., , , h«Hl ot iho_«ruv« a tui„u,.. ,,ic.c of ...lar .« .,.,.. .,.„a. called the «<0«W.^ ';. ^ ■ ■ -urd fontaii.s Iho sy„il,olie or -; ,i,-.H'««hM« figure, whi,J. rfcordx it ,'• .- t„f,.„,,Hmt i. to .>,y tlK-.yn,h,,i ./ * ., f,. ,K ,„• sunmmo, aud sach ' ' ' 'i"! dei/easedhiuibeon ' " ■■ ' I - !•■ i-.-s i ,•,,,,... ■ .i.'iuy— ..two facta from • iittallytobeikirivcd. Iii»»«l.l«v. (tMmo'R is attempt, d -^. '''*<•''( however, tlfatiuguitihtid ctoaft tew th*t* w,^ibg, ■^■, *' >.> :»;«. ~ "" ' ' " ■ *' "^f *?«»t*«l Kttttes, ia".l, part i, p. ."M St tfibt?. ,.. wt'rotii bit^ol i-ag, iv,t4«, •; '=' ^ • ,«-? doe« But. exist to any «jk.i,i.., <■)■•, ■ '■•■ ' '• ■'!, Iiicn)gijjj)ti..ii •"■""' .:aIofliJ» ^ates to tbt; tmij^. fsm$h ' in ita I :;5":i ■•'*».■ A' — I Sl^ffi^ \'}ti #6 ^{ve\4^ ToHtj*. '% TABnOW.) BURIAL POSTS SIOUX AND OHIPPKWAS. 197 one up entitles to another throw, whiui, if ivll of the black sides oomo up, excepting one, the throw wins. One of the plain ones up iiiul nil the rest with black sides up gives another throw, and the sanio then turniufr up wins. One of Iho plain black ones up with that sido up of all the others having the least black on gives another throw, when tho same turning up again wins. One half moon up, with that sido up of all tho otV.ors having the lea.sl bbit^k on gives another throw, and if the throw is then duplicated it wins. Tho eighth seed, used by the men, has its place in their ganio whenever its facings are mentioned ..'oove. I transmit with this paper a sot of theso lignred seeds, which can Ih; used to illustrato the game if desired. Theso seeds ara said to bo nearly a hundred years old, and sets of thcui are now very rare. For ussistiiif? in obtaining tliia iiccoiuit Dr. McChesncy acliiio\vleil{j08 bis indebtedness to Dr. 0. C). Miller, physician to t'c Sisaeton Indian Agenv'y. Fignres 35 ♦^o 45 reprtisent the appearance ot tho plum stones tiud tho dift'erout throws; theso have been carefully drawn from tho set of stones sent by Dr. McChesney. POSTS. Those are placed at the head or foot of tho grave, or at both ends, and have painted or carved on them a history of tho deceased or his family, certain totomic chanwters, or, aiicording to Schoolcraft, not tho achieve- ments of tho dead, but of those warriors who iussisted and tlaiu^Ml at tho interment. Tho northwest tribes inid others fretpiently plant poles near the graves, suspending thorefroiii bits of rag. Hags, horses' tails, &c. The custom among tho present Indians does not exist to any extent. Beltrami* speaks of it as follows : Ileie I saw a most singular uuio.i. One of theso graves wasaiirmuiinted by across, whilst upon another doso to it a trunk of atreo wasraised, covered with hieroglyphics recording the nuudicr of enemies shiin by the teinint of the tomb aud several of his tutelary Manitous. Tho IbUowing extract from Schoolcraft t relates to tho burial posts used by the Sioux tind Ohipi)ewas. Figure 4(! is after the pi<',ture given by this author in connection with the iiccount (pioted: Among tho Sioux and Western Chipixnvas, after the body had been wrapped in its best clothes a:ul ornaun'uts, it is then [daced on a scallold or in a tree until the llesh is entirely deciiyeil, after which thi^ bones art! buried and grave-posts lixed. At tho head of the grave a tabular piece of cedar or other wood, called the mtjidalUj, is sidi. This grave-board contains the symbolic or representative lignre, which records, if it be a warrior, his totem, that is to say tlu* symbol of his family, or surname, ami such arithnu!tical or other devices as seem todeiuile how many times tho deceiused has been in war parties, aud how nuiuy scalps ho has tak'Mi from tho enemy — two facts from which his reputation is essentially to be derived. It is seldom that nu)re is attempted iu tho way of iuscrlptitm. Often, however, distinguished chiefs have their war llag, •Pilgrimage, 18^8, ii, p. :i(lH. tUist, Indian Tribes of thu United States, Iti.'il, part i, p. ilTiU, m ;.'.??*' i ( 198 MORTdARY CUSTOMS OF NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. or, in modern days, a small ensign of American fabric, disiilayod on a standard at. tlio head of their graves, which is loft to flyover the dccoascd till it is wasted by tho ele- uients. Scalps of their oncmivs, feathers of the bald or black eagle, the swallow- tailed falcon, or snrao c.irnivorons bird, are also placed, iu such instances, on the adje- dal'uj, or suspended, with oiferings of vcrious kinv^s, on a separate staff. Bnt the latter are snperadditions of a religions character, and belong to the class of tho Ke-ke-wa- o-win-an-tig (ante. No. 4). Tho building of a funeral fire on recent graves is al.so a rite which belongs to the consideration of their religious faith. FIRES. It is extremely difflcnlt to determine why the custom of building fires on or near graves was originated, some authors stating that the soul thereby underwent a certain process of purification, others that demons were driven away by them, and again that they were to afford light to the wandering soul setting out for the spirit land. One writer states that— The Algonkins believed that tho fire lighted nightly on the grave was to light tho spirit on its journey. By a coincidencfi to bo explained by the universal sacredness of the number, both Algonkins and Mexicans maintained it tovfour nights consecutively. Tho former related tho tradition that one of their ancestors returned from tho spirit land and informed their nation that the journey thither consumed just four days, and that collecting fuel every night added much to the toil and fatiguo the soul onconn- tcred, all of which could be spared it. So it would appear that the belief existed that the fire was also in- tended to assist tho spirit in preparing its repast. Stephen Powers* gives a tradition current among the Yurok of Cali- fornia as to the use of fires : After death they keei> a lire burning certain nights in the vicinity of the grave. They hold an 1 believe, at least the " Big Indians " do, that tli(> spirits of the departed aro conipolled to cross an extremely attenuated greasy pole, which bridges over the chasm of the debatable land, and that they require the flro to light them on their darksome journey. A righteous soul traverses the pole cjuickcr than a wicked one, hence they regulate the number of nights for burning a light according to the charac- ter for goodness or tho opposite which the deceased possessed in this world. Dr. Einil Bessels, of the Polaris expedition, informs the writer that a somewhat similar belief obtains among the Esquimaux. Figure 47 is a fair illustration of a grave-fire ; it also shows one of the grave-posts mentioned iu a previous section. ♦Cont. to N. A. Kthnol., 1877, vol. ii., p. !58. i .-,v,^;- >•■<» ,-^ 198 MOUTUAHY (US TOMS* OK NORTH AMKRK'AN INDIANS. or, .Ml inodwi davfl, as.nall enrig« „f Atncricai. M.ric, displuvrd on n Htanrtard a( tlu- hfid of tUcit ia.ixv*, rthifl. [« !..ft lo tij ,.v..i flh', .If, ensod till it i» wiwl,.,l by iho «l.v uiinth. .S<,ttl|». of fboir i-iiwiii..*, f<«.U]iers of tlio bald or Wvk ««tglr, the ".swallow- till!...! ..Uron, t.rmiuip farni v„r.-.u>i l>ird, .ir.. also ,.I»o.cd, iii «wfMp».,««ce», on tb« at?/.', ria^itf, or .susiiendrd, ivith ofiv,u.t;.s of various kinds, on b «!^i«f«,> *«»«; |}h!, tlw Uf i.(*r .•iro m.p..rml.litio),» of a :..i,gio,i.i duiruelcr, and Wong to .fef «!,»»*« th<» Ke-K.>-wa. . w.ti-im-hj; (OH?^ No. 4). 'Vlw. buUdiiig ola finiw^l » i, ^im, a rui which bidotigs to the TOimiderBUou of their i*h^r^ m^. 1 ^mm (.m or m>-.r ^rj.j.i -,Jt off ,f ■:«*»•«' -f.-'M' ■^♦ffVai. ■ 4-:- ;{ t*iisi tt«« <.nnl srf'rc unv.-u ,ni t;, ",,;, tlu'iji, itiio apnii that thi-y wwt ♦•■ ;»fti»i-,1 h^fbt h) the '.Tuixlcring .soul seMintio.it for the ,'^)iril land.. 0;.,^ wiitci- st.it«'« thill— Tho .ilu;ouidu.s bolkn-ftd that th.; fuo li-hmd nighUy on tbo jrr.avo was to U-h.t tbo 81>irlt.ou its,i..nrncy. By (i c<,inci.ienwtobe osidiiiucd l,y tUo imivo.raal sucr, Jncss of tl>«* munb.T, botli Algonkius and M.-xJcajiBinaiiUaiiiHil itfor /our nights ooiv-cutively. The former relut.cd lh« tradition that on., of then- aiK.-Htoi-s returned from the si)irit land .wd Jnloi . < d th^ir nation th.-vt tho journey thithor ouHnm.-d just foiir days, an-i that eoUeelinir fuel every nin:ht a.hie.i nincli to the toil and fati«n., tho so.tl ,neov.n- tered, all of which eonld be spared it. yo :. wonM iijKiW that thv hmtef ^^sx^ml t.hat. tb«« A«. ram Alw in U'nth'd Ut amis) Uie spitit in fUviisfitt^ 1% nfmi. lonn;i as ^o th« ime of ftrt*t ^ .•^rtai .b.rtl.. Utw.v !i..t,f. rtiir., haniiiijf eeiits,. )ii,r?»t« ui lj»t) VU-MH', »/ tl>f gVfUre. •i;> , !r,Mt .,« i Ih'wv-p, at hmut *ii<)-' Bif {wliatts*' 1,1, th«i «.fc.5>.j.(rit«kthP d. parted .•ire e.uroelied t.. .row »,» tvjrtfeurtly i»tiBUu.i;-.t r<«ji*T ^'io, wiji.'h bridgoi, over the < hu-ni of the debal;»b!.? imn! %^ *M» ttisA' r«-|tnio tho (mi t« Ifght thuni on their darksome jonriiey. A >-i^!.t<«i«« -*&! tj^w^iw t.ho pole .^tti, kur than a wieked onv., nonce, they rogii!st'i f !i.. !.Mmij»r0f m««M f«r burning a. lighr according to tli- ehar.ie- ter for (joodnoas or tin- oj'4!oajt.: wliith the rtoeeasea posw^s/ 1., 1877, voi. ii., p. 58. imm- 4 47 GnAVl. t I H t lilhiniii^- Y^kHKOW.) IJURIAL SUPEKSTITI0N8 — CHIPPEWAS. 199 SUPERSTmONS. An entire volume might well be written which Hhoulcl embrace only an account of the superstitious regarding death and burial among the Indians, so thoroughly has the matter been examined and discussed by various authors, and yet so much still remains to be commented on, but in this work, which is mainly tentative, and is hoped will be provoca- tive of future efforts, it is deemed sufficient to give only a few accounts. The first is by Dr. W. Mathews, United States Army,* and relates to the Hidatsa : Wlieu a Hidatsa diea, his shado liufrcrs four uigUts around the camp or village in which ho died, and then goes to the hidgo of liis departed kindred in the " village of the dead." When ho has arrived there ho i.s rewarded for his valor, self-denial, and ambition on earth by receiving tlio same regard in the one placcas in the other, for there as hero the bravo man is honored and the coward despised. Some say that the ghosts of those that commit snicido occupy a separate part of the village, but that thoir con- dition differs in no wise from that of the others. In the next world human shades hunt and live in the shades of butfalo and other aniuuils that have here died. There, too, there are four seasons, but they come in an inverse order to the terrestrial seasons. During tho four nights that the ghost is supposed to linger ne.ir his former dwelling, those who disliked or feared tho deceased, and do not wish a visit from the shade, scorch with red coals a pair of moccasins which they leave at tho door of tho lodge. Tho smell of the burning leather they claim keeps tho ghost out ; l>nt tho true friends of the dead man take no sucli precautions. From this account it will be seen that the Hidatsa as well as the Al- gonkins and Mexicai>d believed that four days were required before tho spirit could finally leave the earth. Wliy the smell of burning leather should be oii'ensive to spirits it would pe^rhaps be fruitless to speculate on. The next account, by Keating,t relating to the (JhippQxvas, shows a slight analogy regarding the slipi)ery-pole tradition already alluded to : Tho Chippewas believe that there is in man an essence entirely distinct from tho body ; they call it Ocheclmg, and appear to supply to it the qualities which we refer to the soul. They believe that it quits the body at the time of death, and repairs to what they term Chekcchekchckawe ; this riigiou is supposed to be situated to the south, and on tho shores of the great ocean. Previous to arriving there they meet with a stream which they are obliged to cross upon a large snake that answers the purpose of a bridge ; those who die from drowning never succeed in crossing the stream ; they are thrown into it and remain there forever. Some souls come to the edge of the stream, but are prevented from passing by tho snake, which threatens to devourthem ; these are tho souls of the jtersons in a lethargy or trance. Heing refused a passage these souls return to their bodies and reanimate them. They bolievo that animals have souls, and oven that inorganic substances, such as kettles, &c., have in them a similar essence. •Ethnol. and Philol. of tho Hidatsa Indians. tLong's Exped., 1824, vol. il, p. 158. U. S. Gool. Surv. of Terr., 1877, p. 409. 200 MORTUARY CUSTOMS OF NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN^ lu tbis laud uf hou1» all aro treated accordiug to their moritH. Those who have been good men aro I'reo IVom j)oin ; thoy have no diitiuN to perform, their time is speut in dancing and Hinging, and they feed upon muHhrnonm, which are very abundant. The houIh of bad men are lianutud liy tlie phantom of tliu per8onH or things tliat they have injured; thus, if a man buH destroyed nnidi ])roperty the pliantonis of the wreulis of this property obstruct liis passage wlutrever lie goes; if he has bewi cruel to his dogs or horses they also torment him after death. The ghosts of those whom during his lifetime ho wronged are there permitted to avenge their injuries. They think that when a soul has crossed the stream it cannot return to its body, yet thoy believe in apparitions, and entertain the opinion that the spirits of the departed will frequently revisit the abodes of their friends in order to invite them to the other world, and to forewarn them of their approaching dissolution. Steplitii Powers, in his viiluablc work so often quoted, gives a uuui- ber of examples of superstitions regariliiiff tlie demi, of which the follow- ing relates to the Karok of California : How well and truly the Knvok reverence the memory of the deafl is shown by the fact that the highc^st crime one can commii. is the pet-chi-d-ri, the more mention of the dead relative's name. It is a deadly insult to the survivors, and can be atoned for only by the same amount of blood-money paid for willful murder. In default of that they will Iiave the villain's blood. • • * At the mention of his name the moulder- ing skeleton turns in his grave and groans. Thoy do not like stragglers even to in- spect the burial i)laee. « • • They believe that the soul of a good Karok goes to the " hapi)y western land " beyond tliL great ocean. That they have a well-grounded assurance of an immortality beyond the grave is proven, if not otherwise, by their beautiful and poetical custom of whispering a message in the ear of the dead. * * • Believe that dancing will liberate some relative's soul from bonds of death, and re- store him to earth. According to the same author, when a Kelta dies a little \,\vd flies away with his soul to the spirit land. If he was a bad Indian a hawk will catch the little bird and eat him up, soul and feathers, but if he was good he will reach the spirit land. Mr. Powers also stsites that— The Tolowa share in the superstitious observance for tue memory of the dead which is common to the Northern Californian tribes. When I asked the chief TahhokolU to tell me the Indian words for "father" and " mother" and certain others similar, he shook his head mournfully and said, "All dead," "All dead," "No good." They are forbidden to mention the naiiu! of the dead, as it is a, deadly insult to the rela- tives, • * * aud that the Mat-tOal hold that the good aepart to a happy region somewhere southward in the great ocean, but the soul of a bad Indian transmigrates into a grizzly bear, which they consider, of all animals, the cousin-gcrman of sin. Tlie same author who has been so freely quoted states as follows re- garding some of the superstitions and beliefs of the Modocs : * * * It has always been one of the most passionate desires amoiig'^oModok, 08 well as their neighbors, the Sbastika, to live, die, and be buried wheAjthey were bom. Sonu! of their usages in n^gard to the dead and their burial may bo gathered from an incident that occurred while the captives of 187:1 were on their way from the Lava Ueds to Fort Klamath, as it was described by an eye-witness. Curly- headed Jack, a liromiiient warrior, committed suicide with a pistol. His mother and female friends gathered about him and set up a dismal wailing ; they besmeared themselves with his blood and endeavored by other Indian customs to restore his life. The mother took bis head in her lai> and scooped the blood from his ear, another old woman }>laced her h.'iiid upon his heart, and a th-rd blew in his face. The sight of the group— these poor old women, whoso grief was unfeigned, and thedyingmau — was terrible in its sod- , . YAimow.) BURIAL SUPERSTITIONS, 201 I i ness. OtitHido the tont stood Uof^iis Charley, Hiika Jim, Sbaokiiosty Jim, Steamboat Frank, Ctirly-hcaded Doctor, anil othcrH who li.ul been the dying nmn'H companions from childhood, all alTcctod to tears. When he wan lowt^red into the grave, before the soldiers began to cover the body, Hiiku Jim was Hcim running eagerly about the camp trying to exchange a two-dollar bill of currency for silver. Ho owed the dead wor- rier that amount of money, and he had grave doubts whether the cnixency would be of any use to him in tlie other world — sad commentary on our national currency ! — and desired to bavu the coin instead. Procuring it from one of the soldiers he cast it in and seemed greatly relieved. All the dead man's other etl'ects, consisting of clotb ing, trinkets, and a half dollar, were interred with him, together witli some root-flour as victual for the journey to the spirit land. The superstitious fear Indiaus have of the dead or spirit of the dead may be observed from the following narrative by Swan.* It regards the natives ox vVashiiigton Territory: My opinion about the cause of these deserted villages is this: It is the universal custom with these Indians never to live in a lodge where a person has died. If a person of importance dies, the lodge is usually burned down, or taken down and re- moved to some other part of the bay ; and it can be readily seen that in the case of the Palux Indians, who had been attacked by the Chehalis people, as before stated, their relatives chose at once to leave for some other place. This objection to living in a lodge where a person has died is tho reason why their sick slaves are invariably carried out into tho w ids, where they remaiti oither to recover or die. There is, how- ever, no disputing the fact that an imuieusn mortality has occurred among these people, and they are now reduced to a mere handful. The great superstitious dread those Indians have for u dead person, and their horror of touching u corpse, oftentimes give rise to a dillicuUy as to who shall perform tho funeral ceremonies; for any person who handles a dead body must not eat of salmon or sturgeon for thirty days. Sometimes, in cases of small-pox, I have known them leave tho corpse in the lodge, uud all remove elsewhere ; and in two instances that came to my knowledge, the whites had to burn the lodges, with the bodies in them, to prevent infection. So, in the iustauces I have before mentioned, where wo had buried Indians, not one of their friends or relatives could be seen. All kept in their lodges, singing and drumming to keei) away the spirits of the dead. According to Bancroft t — The Tlascaltecs supposed that tho common people were after death transformed into beetles and disgusting objects, while tho nobler became stars and beautiful birds. The Mosquito Indians of Central America studiously and supersti- tiously avoid mentioning the name of the dead, iu this regard resem- bling those of our own country. Enough of illustrative examples have now been given, it is thought, to enable observers to thoroughly comprehend the scope of the proposed final volume ou the mortuary customs of Iforth American Indians, and while much more might have been added from the stored-up material on hand, it has not been deemed advisable at this time to yield to a desire for amplification. The reader will notice, as in the previous paper, that discussion has been avoided as foreign to the present purpose of the volume, which is intended, as has been already stated, simply to induce further investigation and contribution from careful and conscientious • Northwest Coast, 1857, p. 212. — tNat. Races Pacif. States, 1875, vol. iii, p. 512. 202 MOKTIJARY CUSTOMS OP NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. observers. From a ])eruHul of the exceri)t8 from books and correspond- ence given will he seen what facts are useful and needed ; in short, most of them may serve as copies for preparation of similar material. To assist observers, the (pierics published in the former volume are also given. Ist. Name of the tribe ; present appellation ; former, if differing any ; and tiiat used by the Indians themselves. 2d. Locality, present and former.— The response slioidd give the range of the tribe and be full and geograi)hically acciurate. 3d. Deaths and funeral ceremonies ; what are the important and characteristic facts connected with these subjects? How is the corpse prepared after death and disiK)sed of? How long is it retained ? Is it spoken to after death as if alive? when and where? What is the char- acter of the addresses? Wlat articles are deposited with it; and why? Is iood put in the grave, or in or near it afterwards? Is this said to be an ancient custom ? Are persons of the same gens buried together; and is the dan distinction obsolete, or did it evei- prevail? 4th. Manner of burial, ancient and modern; structure and position of the graves ; CREMATION.— Are burials usually made in high and dry grounds? Have mounds or tumuli been erected in mod- ern times over the dead? How is the grave prepared and finished? What position are bodies placed in ? Give reasons therefor if possible. If cremation is or was practiced, describe the process, disposal of the ashes, and origin of custom or traditions relating thereto. Are the dead ever eaten by the survivors? Are bodies deposited in springs or in any body of water ? Are scaffolds or trees used as burial places ; if 80, describe construction of the former and how the corpse is prepared, and whether placed in skins or boxes. Are bodies placed in canoes? State whether they are suspended from trees, put on scaffolds or posts, allowed to float on the water or sunk beneath it, or buried in the ground. Can any reasons bo given for the prevalence of any one or all of the methods? .ire burial posts or slabs used, plain, or marked, with flags or other insi^ \ia of position of deceased. Describe embalmment, mum- mification, desiccation, or if antiseptic precautions are taken, and sub- sequent disposal of remains. Are bones collected and reinterred ; de- scribe ceremonies, if .any, whether modern or ancient. If charuel houses exist or have been used, describe them. 5th. MOURNING OBSERVANCES. — Is scarification practiced, or per- sonal mutilation ? What is the garb or sign of mourning ? How are the dead lamented? Are periodical visits matle to the grave? Do widows carry symbols of their deceased children or husbands, and for how long ? Are sacrifices, human or otherwise, voluntary or involun- tary, offered ? Are fires kindled on graves ; why, and at what time, and for how long t Gth. Burial traditions and superstitions.— Give in full all that TARIIOW.) FINAL REMARKS. 20.T can bo learned on these subjects, as they are full of interest and very iinpurtant. In short, every fact bearing on the (li8i>08al of the dead ; and correhv- tive customs are needed, and details should be as succinct and lull as possible. One of the most important matters upon which Information is needed is the "why" and "wherefore" for every rite and custom; for, as a rule, observers are content to simply state a certain occurrence as a fact, but take very little trouble to inquire the reason for it. Any material the result of careful observation wiU bo most gratefully received and acknowledged in the final volume; but the writer must here confess the lasting obligation he is under to those who have already contributed, a number so large that limited space precludes a mention of their individual names. (Jriticism and comments are earnestly invited from all those inter- ested in tuo special subject of this paper and anthropology in general. Contributions aro also requested from i)ersons acquainted with curious forms of burial i)revailing among other tribes of savage men. The lithographs which illustrate this paper have been made by Thos. Sinclair & Son, of Philadelphia, Pa., after original drawings made by Mr. W, H. Holmes, who has with great kindness superintended their preparatron.