Page:Narrative of a Voyage around the World - 1843.djvu/179

1837.] Lately, fever and ague carried off whole tribes; and the spots they had thus so carefully reared, were but their own tombs! On one of these I had fixed a station, and on digging to insert the post, the parts of a skeleton, with hair perfect, mixed with ashes, were turned up. It is, therefore, probable that they burn their dead, to destroy the animal matter, and prevent contagion. This Rancheria was assigned by our pilot (an Indian) to the Onēē-shǎn-á-tēē tribe; but as he appeared to name every tribe below Point Victoria (where they are Wallocks) by the same appellation, I am induced to attach little importance to his nomenclature, as I have been since informed that they keep to the left bank.

At a position nearer Point Victoria where no mound was apparent, many entire skeletons were scattered about, above ground; which probably may have resulted from the mortality before alluded to (a few years since) having cut them off before they could reach their Rancheria. My first impression was, that some great battle had been fought, and that their dead had been left. But this is not customary, and they would not have been left so complete by birds or beasts of prey. As these skeletons appeared less disturbed, it is probable that at these seasons of inundation, birds and beasts retire to the mountains or wooded elevations.

On our passage down, we visited the Indians whom we had found encamped. They were also of