MICHELSON. ] THE SINGING AROUND RITE. 609 
began beating it. Then his fellow-members of They who go about 
singing gathered. At the time when the dead began to be led to be 
buried they themselves (They who go about singing) beat the drum 
on their way in the rear and sang there as long as he was not carefully 
buried. As soon as he had been carefully covered with earth they 
ceased singing. Ina way it was asif they came to say farewell (to the 
dead). That is why they did that. And it was as if telling the one 
by whom they had been blessed. They used only one song in the 
same spot. Then (the one blessed) said to those bereaved by the 
death, ‘Well, I shall tell you why we do this, why we go about 
singing unconcernedly this day. We do not simply go about singing 
joyous songs there; these are the wailing songs for us who are mem- 
bers of They who go around singing and for this, your relative. If 
you are grieved and think, ‘why, pray, did he die,’ you must fast. 
If you weep you must sing those (songs). Then you will know why 
he died.” 
Then one woman, whose brother was the dead, fasted. She wept 
as she sang those songs: 
(Merely syllables.) 
So she sang. Sure enough she soon dreamed why he died. She 
was told by one (person). “I guess that must be real,” that woman 
thought. That woman thought mightily of Those who go about 
singing. Whenever she had anything she gave it to them to cook. 
“You must beat the drum,” she would say to them. It is said that 
that man (the one blessed) made her a member of They who go 
about singing, as she was in too good faith with them (?%). It is said 
that she neyer was absent, even if she were greatly impeded by any- 
thing; whenever she heard their drum she went thither, it is said. 
Well, when they soon moved again (the one blessed) accompanied - 
them. They desired meat and hides, it appears. ‘‘Well, at this 
time hides are usually very fine,’ they said. The man who owned 
the drum went with them. They obtained many hides and departed. 
When they arrived yonder they were met by one. ‘‘ Very many are 
dead, many have fled across the river. But these also are beginning 
to die. They have fits. They are sick (but) for a very short time 
and then die,’”’ they were told. As soon as the one who owned the 
drum arrived yonder he began to cook. He was helped to beat the 
drum very quickly. In a short time (the members of his society 
had all come, each and every one being attired in regalia, and they 
again went around entering the wigwams. They also went across 
the river, wading with their finery on them. Then they went about 
entering (the wigwams) of those who had fled across the river. Then 
