BDSHNELL] NATIVE CEMETERIES AND FORMS OF BURIAL 89 



for that of rejoicing. In modern times the mourning period has been 

 reduced to ten days, and the journey of the spirit is now believed to be 

 performed in three. The spirit of the deceased was supposed to hover 

 around the body for a season, before it took its final departure; and 

 not until after the expiration of a year according to the ancient belief, 

 and ten days according to the present, did it become permanently at 

 rest in heaven, A beautiful custom prevailed in ancient times, of cap- 

 turing a bird, and freeing it over the grave on the evening of the 

 burial, to bear away the spirit to its heavenly rest. Their notions of 

 the state of the soul when disembodied, are vague and diversified; but 

 they all agree that, during the journey, it required the same nourish- 

 ment as while it dwelt in the body. They, therefore, deposited beside 

 the deceased his bow and arrows, tobacco and pipe, and necessary food 

 for the journey. They also painted and dressed the body in its best 

 apparel. A fire was built upon the grave at night, to enable the spirit 

 to prepare its food." (Morgan, (1), pp. 174-175.) 



Morgan also referred to the ancient custom " of addressing the 

 dead before burial, under the belief that they could hear, although 

 unable to answer. The near relatives and friends, or such as were dis- 

 posed, approached the body in turn ; and after the wail had ceased, 

 they addressed it in a pathetic or laudatory speech. The practice has 

 not even yet fallen entirely into disuse." It wnll be recalled that at 

 the Seneca town of Tsonnontouanne, in 1731, the French traveler 

 Le Beau witnessed this peculiar ceremony, which had already been 

 described by Lahontan a generation before. ( (1), II, pp. 51-52.) 



Another strange custom of these people was mentioned by the same 

 writer when describing their dances. He said : "An occasional and 

 very singular figure was called the Dance for the Dead. It was known 

 as the 0-ke-wa. It was danced by the women alone. The music was 

 entirely vocal, a select band of singers being stationed in the center 

 of the room. To the songs for the dead, which they sang, the dancers 

 joined in chorus. It was plaintive and mournful music. This dance 

 was usually separate from all councils, and the only dance of the occa- 

 sion. It commenced at dusk, or soon after, and continued until to- 

 wards morning, when the shades of the dead, who were believed to be 

 present and participate in the dance, were supposed to disappear. 

 This dance was had whenever a family, which had lost a member, 

 called for it, which was usually about a year after the event. In the 

 spring and fall, it was often given for all the dead indiscriminately, 

 who were believed then to revisit the earth and join in the dance." 

 This ceremony agrees with the Keutikmo of their neighbors to the 

 eastward. 



Such were the customs of the people of the Five Nations. 



