siOBX; - Smithsonian Institution

18 BUREAU OF AMERICAN" ETHNOLOGY [BuluIOS
not be forgotten and scattered to bleach and moulder on the carelessly trodden
plain? I have sought with a heart full of anxious sorrow, for a decent and
satisfactory resting place, in which to deposit the bones of my long lost father.
I could think of none. And I dare assert, that there are thousands in hearing
of my voice, at this very moment, whose faithful hearts have asked the same
embarrassing questions. I am liappy in the acknowledgment, and I trust
with much confidence, that the whole people will view tliis important matter
in the same satisfactory light. The wise propositions of our worthy chief
have answered perplexing questions and have fully relieved the unsettled work-
ings of many anxious hearts.
" It is true, as our wise chief has already suggested, that we can now
witness the wonderful and never before heard of sight of a live nation packing
on their backs an entire dead nation, our dead outnumbering the living. It is
a pleasure to me, now that my eyes have been opened by the chief's proposition
to the propriety of placing these relics of the dead nation to themselves, that
we have power and time to do as he suggests, and most reverently to secure
them from being tumbled among our greasy packs, and from the occasional
dropping of the precious bones, through the holes in the worn out sacks to be
lost forever. Let us, in accordance with the wise and reasonable proposition
of our minko, fetch all the sacred relics to one place ; pile them up in a comely
heap; and construct a mound of earth upon them, that shall protect them from
all harm forever."
And the people rose up and with one voice, said, " It is well ; we are content."
The minko stood up again and said that in that great multitude there might
be some whose feelings in regard to the disposition of the bones of their dead
friends would not permit them to pile them with the dead nation. Tlien they
all shouted aloud, " It is good, it is satisfactory."
Men were then appointed to select an appropriate place for the mound to be
erected on, and to direct the work while in progress. They selected a level
piece of sandy land, not far from the middle creek ; laid it off in an oblong
square and raised the foundation by piling up earth which they dug up some
distance to the north of the foundation. It was raised and made level as
high as a man's head and beat down very hard. It was then floored with
cypress bark before the work of placing the sacks of bones connnenced. The
people gladly broupjht forward and deposited their bones until there were none
left. The bones, of themselves, had built up an immense mound. They brought
the cypress bark, which was neatly placed on, till the bone sacks were all
closely covered in, as dry as a tent. While the tool carriers were working
with the bark, women and children and all the men, except the hunters, carried
earth continually, until the bark was all covered from sight, constituting a
mound half as high as the tallest forest tree.
The minko kindled the council fire, and, calling an assembly of the people,
told them that the work on the great monumental grave had been prosecuted
with skill and wonderful industry. He said that the respect which they had
already manifested for the deceased relatives was very great ; that notwithstanding
the bones were already deeply and securely covered up, the work was
not yet completed. Yet it was suflSciently so to allow them to suspend operations
for a season. Winter was drawing near; the acorns and nuts were
beginning to fall and were wasting. The people must now scatter into the
forests and collect the rich autumnal fruits which were showering down from
evei-y tree. That done, the people must return to the encampment ; and as
the tool carriers had produced seed corn enough for all to have a little field,
each family must prepare ground for that purpose. Then, after the corn was