OCR Text |
Show 106 SUGGESTIONS FOB OOLLECTOBS. 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 states that " The Tolowa share in the superstitious observance for the memory of the dead which is common to the Northern Californian tribes. When I asked the chief Tahhokolli to tell me the Indian words for ' father7 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 name of the dead, as it is a deadly insult to the relatives," * * * and that the " Mat- t6al hold that the good depart 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- german of sin." The Mosquito Indians of Central America studiously and superstitiously avoid mentioning the name of the dead, in this regard resembling those of our own country. FINAL BEMABKS. We have thus briefly, though it is hoped judiciously and carefully, reviewed the subject of Indian burial, avoiding elaborate discussion, as foreign to the purpose of the work, simply pointing out from the carefully gleaned material at our disposal such examples and detached accounts as may serve as guides to those whose interest in the subject may lead them to contribute to the final volume. Before closing, however, it is necessary to again allude to the circular which has been forwarded to observers and call attention to some additional matters of importance connected with the queries, which are as follows :* 1st. NAME OF THE TRIBE; present appellation; former, if differing any; and that used by the Indians themselves. 2d. LOCALITY, PRESENT AND FORMER.- The response should give the range of the tribe and be full and geographically accurate. 3d. DEATHS AND FUNERAL CEREMONIES; what are the important and characteristic facts connected with these subjects? How is the corpse prepared after death and disposed of I How long is it retained ? Is it spoken fo after death as if alive? when and where? What is the character of the ' Advantage has been taken to incorporate with the queries certain modifications of those propounded by Schoolcraft in his well- known work on the Indian tribes of the United States, relating to the same subject. |