denio] THE ASSINIBOIN 573 



person, or anything else. No consolation is offered to Indians at the 

 time of the funeral, nor for several days afterwards. Those who 

 wish to console must aid to mourn, but say nothing. In a few days, 

 however, many elderly men invite the relations to feast and console 

 them by the usual arguments the nature of the case dictates. The 

 reason why the feet are placed southward and the face turned in that 

 direction is that the Indian paradise is supposed to be in that quarter, 

 and the soul is thus given to the South Wind to be carried off to that 

 point. Very brave and formerly renowned warriors sometimes re- 

 quested not to be interred in any way, in which case they are placed 

 inside their lodge propped up, in a sitting posture, dressed and 

 painted, the door of the lodge is closed tight, and the outside around 

 the lodge inclosed by a hedge of thick branches and dirt to prevent 

 the wolves from entering, and the whole is thus left on the plains. 



In the course of time the lodge rots away, the wolves enter, and 

 the bones are scattered about or carried away by them. This is the 

 manner in which the Chief Wah-he-muzza, or The Iron Arrow Point, 

 ordered his obsequies to be performed, giving for his reason that 

 he wished to remain above ground in order to see and hear his 

 children all the time and to have the spot rendered remarkable by 

 his being there. 



The death of ordinary Indians is attended with like results, though 

 if not warriors of note they are merely enveloped in their ordinary 

 clothing and blankets or skins with their implements, but no horse 

 is killed over their grave. When women die their favorite dogs 

 are killed and all their tools for scraping and dressing hides, with 

 their pillow and porcupine quills, are enveloped with them. If she 

 be the wife of a chief or man of importance she is also wrapped in 

 scarlet cloth, formerly in painted skins. There is as much mourn- 

 ing and distress observed on the death of their children, perhaps 

 more, than when grown. On these occasions often some one of the 

 parents destroy themselves, and all other Indians are very attentive 

 to them for several days until the most violent grief is over. Should 

 anyone offend the parent during this time his death would most 

 certainly follow, as the man, being in profound sorrow, seeks some- 

 thing on which to wreak his revenge, and he soon after goes to war, 

 to kill or be killed, either of which being immaterial to him in that 

 state. 



The reason the implements are deposited in the grave is that they 

 are supposed to be necessary to his being in the world of spirits. It 

 is a very ancient custom, perhaps coeval with their existence. 



We know of no tumulus or barrow erected either in former or 

 later times through this country containing many bodies or possess- 

 ing the character of a charnel house, but are in the knowledge of 

 the graves of many chiefs either on scaffolds or on hills. 



