390 



RECORDS OF THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



wliicli the female relatives may subseijueiitly pick some of the 

 calcined bones, teeth, etc., as already mentioned, though this 

 practice is not an essential The cremation may take place during 

 any part of the day. The deceased's bark blanket and personal 

 knick-knacks being burnt at the same time, though as a rule, the 

 latter, especially his necklet, will go to the widow ; his fighting 

 weapons become the property of his younger brothers. In the 

 case of certain " virile," specially distinguished and respected men, 

 some very complicated customs are associated with their cremation, 

 as follows. To start with, a corpse under such circumstances is 

 not tied up, but kept for some days until well 

 swollen up, when it is carried down to the water 

 where all its outer skin and haii' is washed and 

 rubbed oiT, and its hands tied together. Tlie site 

 for its ultimate cremation having been selected, one 

 of the old men, chosen for the occasion, carries the 

 corpse over his shoulders, like a "pick-a-back" 

 baby, its legs dangling over his chest, its arms 

 fixed by its tied hands over his forehead, and its 

 head swaying from side to side (fig. 58), it is thus 

 born in front of the procession, men and women 

 advancing in indian file, but all silent. On arrival 

 at the spot chosen (fig. 59), the body is placed on the 

 ground and made to assume the squatting position 

 (fig. 59c), proj^ped up against the butt of a 

 tree, and there it remains watching all the subsequent pro- 

 ceedings until late in the afternoon.''' In the meantime, 



Fis. 58. 





\/ -^c 



luir. 59. 



■"'•^ The natives infoiiucd me tliat tlie 1 1 d j uas ji;ijo;elv so iiluitd ru ihat it 

 eoiild see eTervtliiiiir. 



