The mystic mid-region, the deserts of the Southwest . ofthe tribe there is no equivalent to the wordfather, althouorh there is for attention is paid to the death of amale member of the tribe, but when a womandies the funeral ceremonies are elaborate. The Cocopahs are another banished tribe,now occupying the desert region south of theboundary line between the United States andMexico. Not many years ago their chief village wasa few miles from Yuma, which town was theirtrading-post. Smallpox broke out in the In-dian village, but the Indians continued to visitYuma and soon carried th
The mystic mid-region, the deserts of the Southwest . ofthe tribe there is no equivalent to the wordfather, althouorh there is for attention is paid to the death of amale member of the tribe, but when a womandies the funeral ceremonies are elaborate. The Cocopahs are another banished tribe,now occupying the desert region south of theboundary line between the United States andMexico. Not many years ago their chief village wasa few miles from Yuma, which town was theirtrading-post. Smallpox broke out in the In-dian village, but the Indians continued to visitYuma and soon carried the disease the authorities learned the source ofthe infection they forbade the Indians to cometo the town, and to insure obedience to thecommand, a mounted guard was placed aboutthe Indian village. Two Indians one dayeluded the guards and walked into the edict of banishment went Indians were driven from their homesand across the border into Mexico, and thevillage and all effects left behind became foodfor the \ c •>* » .* •« 4 ? ^^: ^! •. ? .1 o z 1 _j > nl 1 ^ ^ Q ^ > X Humanity in the Desert 75 The Cocopahs, as a rule, are of fine physique,hardy, and nimble, but like all desert tribesthey are unproL^ressive. A peculiar burial custom prevails amouL^these Indians. As a rule they wear their hairlong—a custom with all of the Western tribes— but upon the death of a relative it is the deceased was a distant relative the hairis but sli^ihth shortened. If a very near rela-tive it is cut close to the head. The nearnessof kinship is easily determined by the lengthof hair of the mourners. A still more curious custom prevails in con-nection with the marriage ceremony. Beforea Cocopah girl may become a bride she mustbe buried over nicrht in the earth. A hole is first dug in the sand deep enoughto admit h(^r in a sitting posture. Then a fireis built in the pit and is made to burn till theearth is thoroughly warmed. It is
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectdeserts, bookyear1904
