108 MORTUARY CUSTOMS OF NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS. 
body being then buried in a grave prepared for its reception, and in the manner de- 
scribed for a warrior, cooking-utensils taking the place of the warrior’s weapons. In 
eases of boys and girls a kettle of cooked food is sometimes placed at the head of the 
grave after the body is covered. Now, if the dead body be that of a boy, all the boys 
of about his age go up and eat of the food, and in cases of girls all the girls do like- 
wise. This, however, has never obtained as a custom, but is sometimes done in cases 
of warriors and women also. 
Cremation has never been practiced by these Indians. It is now, and always has 
been, a custom among them to remove a lock of hair from the top or scalp lock of a 
warrior, or from the left side of the head of a woman, which is carefully preserved by 
some near relative of the deceased, wrapped in pieces of calico and muslin, and hung 
in the lodge of the deceased and is considered the ghost of the dead person. ‘To the 
bundle is attached a tin cup or other vessel, and in this is placed some food for the 
spirit of the dead person. Whenever a stranger happeus in at meal time, this food, 
however, is not allowed to go to waste; if not consumed by the stranger to whom it 
is offered, some of the occupants of the lodge eat it. They seem to take some pains to 
please the ghost of the deceased, thinking thereby they will have good luck in their 
family so long as they continue to do so. It is a custom with the men when they 
smoke to offer the pipe to the ghost, at the same time asking it to confer some favor on 
them, or aid them in their work or in hunting, &c. 
There is a feast held over this bundle containing the ghost of the deceased, given 
by the friends of the dead man, This feast may be at any time, and is not at any 
particular time, occurring, however, generally as often as once a year, unless, at the 
time of the first feast, the friends designate a particular time, such, for instance, as 
when the leaves fall, or when the grass comes again. This bundle is never per- 
mitted to leave the lodge of the friends of the dead person, except to be buried in the 
grave of one of them. Much of the property of the deceased person is buried with the 
body, a portion being placed under the body and a portion over it. Horses are some- 
times killed on the grave of a warrior, but this custom is gradually ceasing, in conse- 
quence of the value of their ponies. ‘These animals are therefore now generally given 
away by the person before death, or after death disposed of by the near relatives. 
Many years ago it was customary to kill one or more ponies at the grave. In cases of 
more than ordinary wealth for an Indian, much of his personal property is now, and 
has eyer been, reserved from burial with the body, and forms the basis for a gambling 
party, which will be described hereafter. No food is ever buried in the grave, but 
some is occasionally placed at the head of it; in which case it is consumed by the 
friends of the dead person. Such is the method that was in yogue with these Indians 
twenty years ago, and which is still adhered to, with more or less exactness, by the 
majority of them, the exceptions being those who are strict church members and those 
very few families who adhere to their ancient customs. 
Before the year 1860 it was a custom, for as long back as the oldest members of these 
tribes can remember, and with the usual tribal traditions handed down from genera- 
tion to generation, in regard to this as well as to other things, for these Indians to 
bury in a tree or on a platform, and in those days an Indian was only buried in the 
ground as a mark of disrespect in consequence of the person having been murdered, 
in which case the body would be buried in the ground, face down, head toward the 
south and with a piece of fat in the mouth. * * * The platform upon which 
the body was deposited was constructed of four crotched posts firmly set in the 
ground, and connected near the top by cross-pieces, upon which was placed boards, 
when obtainable, and small sticks of wood, sometimes hewn so as to give a firm rest- 
ing-place for the body. This platform had an elevation of from six to eight or more 
fect, and never contained but one body, although frequently having sufficient surface 
to accommodate two or three. In burying in the crotch of a tree and on platforms, 
the head of the dead person was always placed towards the south; the body was 
wrapped in blankets or pieces of cloth securely tied, and many of the personal effects 
es Ai 
