bushnell] 



jstatr^ cemeteries and forms of burial 



115 



tied about the neck and another around the head. A spot of red 

 paint was placed on the right cheek and one of bhick upon the left. 

 The body was laid face upwards. In the left hand, together with a 

 bit of burnt wood, a small bow about twelve inches in length was 

 placed, the hand lying naturally over the middle of the body. 

 Across the bow, held by the right hand, was laid an arrow, slightly 

 drawn. During these preparations, the women louclh' lamented, 

 with hair disheveled. At the same time some men had selected a 

 place for the burial and made the grave in this manner: Two pal- 

 metto logs of proper size were split. The four pieces were firmly 

 placed on edge, in the shape of an oblong box, lengthwise east and 



Fig. 14. — Carrying the dead, among the Seminole. 



west. In this box a floor was laid, and over this a blanket was 

 spread. Two men, at next sunrise, carried the body from the camp 

 to the place of burial, the body being suspended at feet, thighs, back, 

 and neck from a long pole [fig. 14]. The relatives followed. In 

 the grave, which is called ' To-hop-ki ' — a word used by the Seminole 

 for ' stockade,' or ' fort,' also, the body was then laid the feet to the 

 east. A blanket was then carefully wrapped around the body. 

 Over this palmetto leaves were placed and the grave was tightly 

 closed by a covering of logs. Above the box a roof was then built. 

 Sticks in the form of an X, were driven into the earth across the 

 overlying logs; these were connected by a pole, and this structure 

 was covered thickly with palmetto leaves. [PI. 13, a.] 



" The bearers of the body then made a large fire at each end of the 

 ' To-hop-ki,' With this the ceremony at the grave ended and all 



