CHAPTER XXIV.

FUNERALS.

During the long enforced inaction of the winter camp, which the noble red man must get through as best he can in gambling and sleep, the death of some prominent person is almost a matter of rejoicing. All may indulge the luxury of grief; and from the commencement of the elaborate preparation to the final ceremony, the funeral excitement may last for a month. The death of the same person in summer would cause some little excitement, and possibly a day or two might be given to the obsequies, but should he be so unfortunate as to die during the Fall hunt, or while on some important expedition, the body would likely be thrust without ceremony in the first convenient hole in the rocks or prairie.

The favorite burying place of all the plain Indians is a tree. A platform is made in the branches and the body disposed upon it, sometimes in a sitting posture, but generally lying on the back. It is dressed in such articles of civilized clothing as the deceased possessed in life, or as are bestowed by the kindness and piety of friends. His arms, blankets, some cooking utensils, food, matches, etc., whatever may be necessary on the long journey or to enable him to make presentable appearance in the " Happy Hunting Grounds," are placed on the platform with the body. Light branches are bent from side to side like the bows of a wagon, and the whole closely covered with rawhide.

In the absence of trees of sufficient height, four light poles are set in the ground, and the platform constructed on their tops, sometimes only six or eight feet from the ground, scarcely beyond the reach of hungry wolves which sometimes collect about it. The Sioux on the reservation' now frequently use the boxes in which stores are sent to them, or, obtaining a few pieces of board, put together a

rude coffin, which with the body is mounted on poles as described.

There is no special burying place even near a camp as permanent as Indians ever make. Each head of a family buries his dead wherever he pleases, so it be at some distance. The vicinity of such a camp is frequently dotted with graves, generally each by itself, though it is by no means unusual to find ten or fifteen graves in a specially favorite tree.

When, after the lapse of years, the scaffolds had fallen, and nothing was left but bleached and mouldering bones, the remains were buried, with the exception of the skulls. These were placed in circles upon the plain, with the face turned inward, each resting upon a bunch of wild sage; and in the center, upon two slight mounds, " medicine poles" were erected, at the foot of which were the heads and horns of a male and a female buffalo. To these new places of deposit, each of which contained perhaps hundreds or more skulls, "do these people," says Catlin, "again resort, to evince their further affection for the

dead, not in groans and lamentations, however, for several years have cured the anguish; but fond affections and endearments are here renewed, and conversations are held and cherished with the dead."

The wife or mother would sit for hours by the side of the white relic of the loved and lost, addressing the skull with the most affectionate and loving tones, or, perchance, lying down and falling asleep with her arms around it. Food would be nightly set before many of these skulls, and, with the most tender care, the aromatic bed upon which they reposed would be renewed as it withered and decayed.

The Sioux seem to attach some special importance to green as a funeral color. In almost all the graves found along the Belle Fourche and examined by the early explorers, the blankets in which the remains were wrapped were green. One of the explorers found that his horse's back had become sore, and that another saddle blanket was absolutely necessary to keep the animal in a serviceable condition. An Indian grave was examined, and the dry bones found to be wrapped in a good green blanket. After some natural hesitation the blanket was appropriated as the Indians' contribution to science. The horse's back improved and all went on swimmingly until the party began to encounter small bodies of Indians, all very friendly and demonstrative in handshaking. Each man of such parties scrutinized narrowly and anxiously, first the green blanket, then the person of the individual riding on the saddle, which covered but did not conceal it.

This occurred so frequently and was so noticeable that the rider became extremely nervous and his conscience so worked upon him, that when he saw at a distance an approaching party of Indians, he immediately found something specially important in another direction. His companions made great sport of the poor fellow's predicament, and gave him the Indian name "Wa-shenar-kokape," which interpreted means "The-man-afraid-of-his-blanket." In asking several Indians, and those best acquainted

with their customs, what the numerous stone piles signified which are found along the foot-hills, I received the following answer from Mr. Hank Wright ("Our Hank,” as the Deadwood Times used to call him): "The Sioux, when any of them were killed in battle, away from their main habitation, from home, buried them in shallow graves covered with stones. The bodies were afterwards often taken up and taken home. The graves were filled up with stones and piled up on top. Every Indian afterwards when passing such a pile, whether the body was still there or taken away, would add one stone, and thus in the course of time the piles would become quite large."

Years ago a number of such stone piles were found where now the deep cut of the F. E. & Mo. Valley R. Ry., is between Sturgis and Whitewood. At that point a fierce battle, the last one between the Sioux and Crow, had been waged, the bodies buried but afterwards removed by the Sioux. Smaller piles of stone were used as indicators; the fresh water springs were thus indicated; a piece of meat on the top of the stone would indicate that the party there last had plenty of eatables on hand. A piece of a skin that victuals were scarce; the point of the uppermost stone would indicate the direction taken by the forerunners of a party. Tobacco and other luxuries were a sign of friendly welcome, etc.

CHAPTER XXV.

THE AMOROUS TRAPPER.

"Idleness and ease," says Capt. Booneville, in his “ Adventures," "lead to love, and love to matrimony, in civilized life, and the same process takes place in the wilderness." Filled with good cheer and mountain mutton, one of the free trappers began to repine at the solitude of his lodge, and to experience the force of that great law of nature, "it is not good for man to live alone." After a night of grave

cogitation he repaired to Kowsoter, the Pierced-nose chief, and unfolded to him the secret workings of his bosom. "I want," said he, "a wife. Give me one from among your tribe. Not a young giddy-pated girl, that will think of nothing but flaunting and finery, but a sober, discreet,

hard-working squaw; one that will share my lot without flinching, however hard it may be; that can take care of my lodge, and be a companion and a helpmate to me in the wilderness."

Kowsoter promised to look around among the females of his tribe, and procure such an one as he desired. Two days