BDSSELL] FAMILY ORGANIZATION 193 



neys were prescribed by the lengtli of the rope wliich was attached by 

 one end to liis doorpost. His food was cooked by some of Ids adult 

 grandcliildroii wlio occui)ied a iiouse near at hand. His time was 

 spent absohitely alone in the shelter, which was as devoid of utensils or 

 furnishin<rs as any dog kennel. And yet, with a pride that is deatli- 

 less in the human soul, lie boasted of the time when he was a man 

 among men and overcame the ferocious Apaches on the latter'sown 

 ground. 



VIEWS CONCERNING DEATH 



The usual primitive views of death — that it was not a natural event, 

 but a result of magic influences brought to bear by enemies, human or 

 superhuman — prevailed among the Pimas. In the legends the first 

 death that occurred in the history of the human race is attributed to 

 the venom of Soft Child, the rattlesnake, who was given the power of 

 death to protect lumself from unmerited abuse by man. The legends 

 also indicate a disposition to view the Destroyer philosophically, 

 inasmuch as the predecessors of the present race are regarded with 

 commiseration on account of their becoming so crowded because of 

 none dying to give place to the oncoming generation. 



Again and again the information was elicited that those who died 

 during the day were killed by the Sun, while those who died during 

 the hours of darkness were killed by Night. This the author inter- 

 prets to mean that the prayers that were regularly addressed to Sun 

 and Night were for preservation, and that death resulted from some 

 lapse or inattention on the part of these two deities. This agrees 

 with the e([ually emphatic statements that "death is always due to 

 magic, to animals, or to neglect of tlie ceremonies or tabus." 



MODE OF BtTKIAL 



At the moment of death the friends of the d_\-ing flee from them as 

 if to avoid tlie magic that nuiy not be satisfied witli one victim. The 

 near relatives cover the face of the corpse and l)ind tlie l)ody in a 

 bundle, with the legs drawn up. Before the Pimas obtained horses 

 tlie l)ody was borne to the grave on a litter. With ])rimitive tools the 

 graves were not dug as deep as at the present time, and to tiiis burial in 

 shallow graves is attributed the cause for covering the graves with the 

 timbers of the sheils or storeln)u.ses of the deceased (see pi. xxxix, 

 a, b, c). Now a round hole is dug to a depth of o or 6 feet, then a 

 small chamber is scooped out on the west side, in which the body is 

 extended, with the head to the south. Billets of wood are tlien 

 placed so as to lean against the roof over tlie body, so that in filling 

 the grave no earth falls u]ion it. Medicine-men are buried in a sit- 

 ting position, and in several instances have been buried in isolated 

 places which have accjuired special sacredness. 

 26 ETii — 08 15 



