cooi'Eu] BIBLIOGRAPHY OF TRIBES OF TIEREA DEL FUEGO 151 



in the other world (Th. Bridges, a, Fr. tr., 181; fc, 239). Other au- 

 thorities state definitely that the Yahgans believe the soul remains 

 near the grave or wanders over the woods and mountains, especially 

 at night (Bove, a, 800; h, 142; c, 135; d, Arch., 297; Spegazzini, a, 

 16; Dabbene, 1), 203), happy or unhappy, according to moral conduct 

 in life (Bove, 11, c. supra). 



The Rev. Mr. Bridges, Dr. Hyades, and Dr. Lovisato give other 

 testimony apparently contradicting their denials mentioned above. 

 Dr. Hyades states {p, 332) that dead criminals haunt the living; Dr. 

 Lovisato, curiously enough, after denying any definite belief in a future 

 fife, adds that after life souls wander through the woods (6, 149); the 

 Rev. Mr. Bridges says in an earlier paper {a, Fr. tr., 181) that the 

 Yahgans believe in the immortality of the soul, and in a later paper 

 Qi, 206) that they at least speak of ' ' exhalaciones como de los esplritus 

 errantes de los suyos," and that they have a word for death, cagagulo, 

 which means "subir y volar" (cf. also a, Fr. tr., 181). 



Perhaps the most interesting statement regarding Yahgan belief 

 in survival is that which the Rev. Mr. Despard made (b, 698): "He 

 [the Yahgan] thinks, when a man dies, his breath goes up to heaven ; 

 but for what he has no notion. . . . He denies the upward ascent 

 of breath to other animals." 



Weighing aU the above evidence, it seems fairly well established 

 that the Yahgans believe in survival, but whether they have any 

 definite concept of immortality or of future recompense is at best 

 very doubtful. 



D. Onas. — Of the Ona belief in survival there seems to be no weU- 

 grounded doubt. It is attested by Sr. Lista (6, 130), Dr. GaUardo 

 (319, 32^-327, and passun), Mr. Barclay (a, 77), Dr. Dabbene (b, 269), 

 Dr. Cojazzi (38, 72, 76), and Father Beauvoir (&, 165, 217-219, and 

 passim). The shades of the dead wander through the woods (C. Ga- 

 Uardo, 336). The Onas have a word for soul, men (Cojazzi, 76), m'ehm 

 (Dabbene, h, 269), meh'n (Barclay, a, 77), mehji (C. GaUardo, 327, 

 336). The dead know what is taking place on earth, but take no 

 active part in human affairs (Barclay, a, 77; Dabbene, 6, 269; C. Ga- 

 Uardo, 319, 327), except dead witch-doctors (Cojazzi, 72; C. GaUardo, 

 299, 341). The dead are feared by the Onas (C. GaUardo, 322). 

 According to Dr. Cojazzi (76) the departed are happy or unhappy in 

 accordance with their conduct on earth, but this is denied by Dr. 

 GaUardo (326). 



The Onas also believe that many animals and birds and many 

 natural objects, as mountains, stare, sun and jnoon, trees, etc., were 

 once jnen or women (C. GaUardo, 326, 338; Beauvoir, h, 165, 207, 

 217-219; Cojazzi, 86; Furlong, h). This beUef colors much of their 

 folklore. There is no evidence of a beUef in reincarnation. 



64028°— Bull. 63—17 11 



