RoTH] DEATH AND MOURNING 661 
ceased. They also sometimes kill the deceased’s slaves to accompany 
the ghosts (/es manes) of the dead, and to wait on them in the other 
world ... At the last visit they make to the deceased they bring 
along with them all the things he had used or worn about him in his 
lifetime, to wit, his bow and arrows, the boutou or club, the crown of 
feathers, pendants, chains, rings, bracelets, baskets, vessels, and 
other things, and bury all with him or burn them over the grave . . . 
After the body is covered with earth the nearest relations cut off their 
hair and fast very rigorously, out of a persuasion that by that means 
they shall live longer and more happily. Others forsake the houses 
and the place where they have buried any of their kindred and go 
and live elsewhere. When the body is near rotted they make another 
assembly, and after they have visited and, sighing, have trampled on 
the sepulcher, they have a merry meeting, at which they drown all 
their grief in ouicou. Thus the ceremony is concluded and the poor 
carcass is no further tormented (RO, 566-570). 
861. Akawai—McClintock (whose many years’ position as post 
holder gave him opportunities of obtaining a most intimate knowl- 
edge of the Indians) says that the Akawai like to bury their dead 
in a standing position, assigning this reason: “Although my brother 
be in appearance dead, he (1. e., his soul) is still alive.” Therefore, 
to maintain by an outward sign this belef in immortality, some 
of them bury their dead erect, which, they say, represents life, 
whereas lying down represents death. Others bury their dead in a 
sitting posture, assigning the same reason. When the death of 
any member of that tribe is supposed to have been brought about by 
unfair means, the knife of the deceased is buried with him... 
that he may have the means of avenging himself in the world of 
spirits (Br, 356). Akawai bury the corpse in the hammock in which 
the person died, burn the hut under which he expired, and abandon 
the place after a short time, with the intention of never returning 
to it again (BE, 51). 
862. Galibi—Galibi keep the body a week before burying it, laid 
in a hammock, and the decomposing fluid oozing from it is collected 
in a vessel below. Some drops of this have to be drunk by the piai 
novitiate (Cr, 151). 
863. Makust male—At Pirara (Reverend Youd having forbidden 
burial inside the hut) the sons carried their father’s body in his 
hammock to the churchyard, the wife and daughter following with 
fruits, bones, several thongs, and a flask filled with water. While the 
grave was being dug, the two women sat at either side of the corpse, 
singing a monotonous dirge, carefully brushing away any insect 
that settled on the body and protecting the deceased’s face from the 
sun with twigs. When dug, the grave was covered in with palm 
