swanti.nJ EARLY HISTORY OF THE CREEK INDIANS 373 
shells of the deceased, as memorials of brave men. This done they return home, but 
are not allowed to marry again until their hair has grown long enough to cover their 
shoulder^. 1 
Regarding the division of labor between the sexes, there seems to 
have been little difference between the Timucua and Creeks. Lau- 
donniere says that "the women do all the business at home;" 2 and 
Le Moyne indicates that the men prepared the ground for planting, 
while the women made holes and dropped in the seed. 3 
Le Moyne has the following to say of berdaches : 
Hermaphrodites, partaking of the nature of each sex, are quite common in these 
parts, and are considered odious by the Indians themselves, who, however, employ 
them,astheyarestrong, instead of beasts of burden. When a chief goes out to warthe 
hermaphrodites carry the provisions. When any Indian is dead of wounds or disease, 
two hermaphrodites take a couple of stout poles, fasten cross-pieces on them, and at- 
tach to these a mat woven of reeds. On this they place the deceased, with a skin under 
his head, a second bound around his body, a third around one thigh, a fourth around 
one leg. Why these are so used I did not ascertain ; but I imagine by way of ornament, 
as in some cases they do not go so far, but put the skin upon one leg only. Then they 
take thongs of hide, three or four fingers broad, fasten the ends to the ends of the poles, 
and put the middle over their heads, which are remarkably hard; and in this manner 
they carry the deceased to the place of burial. Persons having contagious diseases 
are also carried to places appointed for the purpose on the shoulders of the hermaphro- 
dites, who supply them with food, and take care of them until they get quite well 
again. 4 
As quoted above, he also speaks of the service rendered by these 
persons in bringing food to the storehouses. 5 
The following regarding burial customs is from Laudonniere: 
When a king dieth, they bury him very solemnly, and, upon his grave they set the 
cup wherein he was won't to drink; and round about the said grave, they stick many 
arrows, and weep and fast three days together, without ceasing. All the kings which 
were his friends make the bike mourning; and, in token of the love which they bear 
him, they cut off more than the one-half of their hair, as well men as women. During 
the space of six moons (so they reckon their months), there are certain women ap- 
pointed which bewail the death of this king, crying, with a loud voice, thrice a day — 
to wit, in the morning, at noon, and at evening. All the goods of this king are put into 
his house, and, afterwards, they set it on fire, so that nothing is ever more after to be 
seen. The like is done with the goods of the priests; and, besides, they bury the 
bodies of their priests in their houses, and then set them on fire. 6 
The mourning rites for persons of the lower orders are not given, 
but from Pare j a it appears that the custom of cutting off the hair 
was universal. 7 He also informs us that some object was placed with 
the body in the tomb. 7 In the narrative of De Gourgues's expedition 
1 Le Moyne, Narrative, p. 8. 
* Laudonniere, La Floride, p. 8; French, Hist. Colls. La., 1869, p. 172. 
3 Le Moyne, op. cit., p. 9 (ill.). 
* Ibid., pp. 7-8 (111.). 
<■ See p. 361. 
* Uudonniere, La Floride, pp. 10-11; French, Hist. Colls. La., 1869, pp. 173-174. 
' Pareja, Confessionario en Lengua Castellana y Timuquana, p. 127. 
