yarnow.] BOX-BURIAL—INNUIT. 157 
wealth of the dead man, a number of articles which belonged to him are attached to 
the coffin of strewed around it; some of them have kyaks, bows and arrows, hunting 
implements, snow-shoes, or even kettles, around the grave or fastened to it; and almost 
invariably the wooden dish, or ‘‘kantaég,” from which the deceased was accustomed to 
eat, is hung on one of the posts. 
INNUIT OF YUKON. 
The dead are enclosed above ground in a box in the manner previously described. 
The annexed sketch shows the form of the sarcophagus, which, in this case, is orna- 
mented with snow-shoes, a reel for seal-lines, a fishing-rod, and a wooden dish or kan- 
taég. The latter is found with every grave, and usually one is placed in the box with 
the body. Sometimes a part of the property of the dead person is placed in the coffin 
or about it; occasionally the whole is thus disposed of. Generally the furs, provis- 
ions, and clothing (except such as has been worn) are divided among the nearer rela- 
tives of the dead, or remain in possession of his family if he has one; such clothing, 
household utensils, and weapons as the deceased had in daily use are almost invaria- 
bly enclosed in his coffin. If there are many deaths about the same time, or an epi- 
demic occurs, everything belonging to the dead is destroyed. The house in which a 
death occurs is always deserted and usually destroyed. In order to avoid this, it is 
not uncommon to take the sick person out of the house and put him in a tent to die. 
Fic. 14.—Ingalik grave. 
A woman’s coffin may be known by the kettles and other feminine utensils about it. 
There is no distinction between the sexes in method of burial. On the outside of the 
coffin figures are usually drawn in red ochre. Figures of fur animals usually indicate 
that the dead person was a good trapper; if seal or deer skin, his proficiency as a 
hunter; representation of parkies that he was wealthy; the manner of his death is 
also occasionally indicated. For four days after a death the women in the village do 
no sewing; for five days the men do not cut wood with an axe. The relatives of the 
dead must not seek birds’ eggs on the overhanging cliffs for a year, or their feet will 
slip from under them and they will be dashed to pieces. No mourning is worn or in- 
dicated, except by cutting the hair. Women sit and watch the body, chanting a 
