SKETCH OF THE BOOTHIANS. 9 



and improper subject : it has been told once ; and it must suffice 

 that it has been once told. 



If I have already noticed the custom of adoption, I need not 

 dwell on it: the reasons are the expected services from the 

 subsidiary child : and the new attachment, on both sides, is equal 

 to that between the natural parent and progeny. Thus also it is, 

 that the widow with children, most especially if those are boys, 

 becomes a prize, be her age what it may compared to that of 

 the suitor ; since these become equally the property of the 

 husband and bound to support both. 



Respecting their treatment of dead relations, or of the dead in 

 general, we had a good opportunity of judging; as two deaths 

 occurred within our experience. Illictu, the old man, was long 

 left in the hut where he died, and would have been devoured 

 by foxes and bears, had we not interred his remains. The 

 incision found in his abdomen was unquestionably made after 

 death : but we never learned its purpose, and could not conjecture 

 whether it was a superstitious practice. The boy who had 

 been killed by a stone was not found, and we were ignorant 

 what became of him. But as we observed many graves in dif- 

 ferent places, it is evident that those who formerly inhabited 

 this country conformed, in this, to those of other tribes. On his 

 death, there was an appearance of much despair, ending in anger 

 directed toward us: but we had reason to understand that their 

 lamentations for death, though severe, were soon over, nor could 

 we hear of any ceremonies used on this occasion or on that of a 

 funeral. 



c 



