132 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 43 



When the warriors have finished their meal they come to tlie place where 

 the frame is plantoil to which the victim is tied. They make him advance 

 a little and turn his entire body around in order that the people may see him. 

 The one who has taken him gives a blow of his wooden war club below the back 

 part of his head, making the death cry. Having thus stunned him he cuts the 

 skin around his hair, puts his knees on his forehead, takes his hair in both 

 hands, pulls it from the skull, and makes the death cry while removing the 

 scalp in the best manner he is able without tearing it. 



After the scalp has been taken from the victim, they tie a cord to each of 

 his wrists, throw the ends of the cords over the upper crosspiece, which many 

 take and draw in order to pull him up while others lift him, placing his feet 

 on the crosspiece below and tying him to the corners of the square. They do 

 the same to his hands at the upper corners of the square in such a manner that 

 the victim in this position has his body free and entirely bare, and the four 

 limbs form a St. Andrew's cross. 



From the time that they begin to take the scalp from the victim the young 

 people go in search of dry canes, crush them, and make packages or bundles of 

 the entire length of the canes which they bind in many places. They bring other 

 dry canes, also, which have been neither crushed nor bound which the warriors 

 make use of against the victim. 



The one who took him is the first one to take* a single crushed cane, light it, 

 and burn the place he may choose. But he devotes himself especially to burn 

 the arm with which he [the prisoner] had best defended himself. Anotlier 

 comes and burns another place. These, with their pipes filled with dried and 

 burning tobacco, burn him about the foot. Those heat a nail red hot, with 

 which they pierce his foot. All, in fact, one after the other, revenge themselves 

 as best they are able on this victim, who, so long as sti*ength remains to him, 

 employs it in singing the death song, which, when closely examined, is found 

 to consist of grievous cries, tears, and groans. Usage decides and governs 

 everything. 



Some have been seen to suffer and sing continually during three days and 

 three nights without anyone giving them a glass of water to quench their thirst, 

 and it is not permitted to anyone to give it to them, even should they ask for 

 it, which they never do, without doubt, because they know that the hearts of 

 their enemies are inflexible. In fact, it must be admitted that if the natives 

 are good friends during peace, they are in war irreconcilable enemies. 



It sometimes happens that a young woman who may have lost her husband 

 in war, seeing the victim when he arrives entirely naked and without means 

 of conc(»aling his defects, if he has any, demands him for her husband, and he 

 is granted to her on the spot. 



It also ha)ii)ens that when he suffers too kmg a pitying woman lights a cane 

 torch, and when it is burning well makes him die in an instant by putting this 

 torch to the most sensitive place, and the tragic scene is in this way ended. 



The declaration of war of which I have spoken is only the i)relude to that 

 which the tablet announces, which is left near the village which they have 

 attiicked. Here is how this tablet is made : At the very top of the tablet on 

 the right side is the liieroglyphic sign whicli designates the nation declaring 

 war; then a naked man, easy to recognize, witl) a war clul) in his hand: then 

 an arrow i)laced as if about to pierce a woman who fiees, her liair disheveled 

 and floating in tlie air. Immediately l)efore this woman is the proper sign of 

 the nation on which war is declared. All this is on the same line, and the truth 

 is painted on this part of the tablet." What is below is not so certain, besides 



« I. e., it is evident what this means. 



