THE ABOKIGINAL TRIBES. 155 



sider, that is the earliest form in which the religion of 

 savages develo2:)s itself, the Korkiis would seem in this 

 respect to have advanced a stage beyond the Gonds. 

 The sun and the figure of a horse (a Scythian emblem of 

 the sun) are carved on wooden posts, and receive sacrifices. 

 They also sacrifice to the manes of their dead, but only 

 for a certain period, to " lay " them. Belief in sorcery 

 and witchcraft is not so prevalent among them as with 

 the Gonds and Bygas. Their semi-Hindii chiefs have 

 accepted Siva and his companions; but the common 

 Korkiis seem to care little about them, excepting in the 

 immediate neighbourhood of his great shrine in the 

 Mahadeo hills. A few glorified heroes receive attention, 

 but not to nearly so great an extent as among the Gonds. 



In disposing of the dead, the aboriginal tribes all 

 appear to have formerly practised burial ; but those who 

 have been much Hinduised resort by preference to 

 cremation. The process being an expensive one, how- 

 ever, it is not lavished on all alike, women and children 

 being still mostly buried, while adult males are burnt. 

 Also during the rainy season, when burning is incon- 

 venient, burial is often adopted for all alike. Most of 

 the tribes erect some sort of a memorial to the dead ; 

 the Gonds generally in the shape of little mounds, 

 covered by slabs of stone ; while the Korkiis carve ela- 

 borate pillars of teak- wood, w^ith emblems of the sun 

 and the crescent moon, and of the deceased party 

 mounted on a horse, which they erect under a tree 

 appropriated to the purpose near each of their villages. 

 A very populous cemetery of this sort may be seen close 

 to the village of Puchmurree. 



I have already described the personal appearance of 

 the men of the Gond and Korkii tribes. Their women,. 



