The New Land and the New Race 25 



axes, kettles and other things of value, with a 

 great many provisions which they bring to the 

 prescribed place. When all are gathered there, 

 they put the provisions where the people of that 

 village direct; and then have feasts and dances 

 without interruption for ten days the length of 

 time that the festival lasts during which other 

 tribes gather there from all parts to see the 

 ceremonies which are taking place. By means 

 of these ceremonies they form new ties of friend 

 ship, saying that the bones of their relatives and 

 friends are to be all put together, as a symbol 

 that, as they are all together in one place, so 

 ought they, too, to be united in friendship and 

 harmony, like relatives and friends, without being 

 able to part from one another. These bones being 

 thus mingled, they make many speeches on the 

 subject; then, after some grimaces or acting, they 

 dig a big grave, into which they throw the bones, 

 with the necklaces, belts of wampum, axe;&amp;gt;, 

 kettles, sword-blades, knives and other trifles, 

 which they prize highly. Then they cover the 

 whole with earth and with many logs of wood. 

 Then they enclose it with stakes, on which they 

 place a covering. Some of them believe in the 

 immortality of the soul, saying that after death 

 they go to a place where they sing like crows.&quot; 



For the rest, the Indian character has been Indian 

 described so variously, that we select three pro- Character 

 trayals of the same, each concerning a distinct 

 linguistic family, from the &quot;Handbook of Indians 

 of Canada&quot;; published as an appendix to the 



