520 SEMINOLE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. 
He told me that his people believe in a “Great Spirit,” whose name 
is His-a-kit-a-misi. This word, I have good reason to believe, means 
“the master of breath.” The Seminole for breath is His-a-kit-a. 
I cannot be sure that Ko-nip-ha-teco knew anything of what I meant 
by the word “spirit.” I tried to convey my meaning to him, but I think 
I failed. He told me that the place to which Indians go after death-is 
called “ Po-ya-fi-tsa” and that the Indians who have died are the 
Pi-ya-fits-ul-ki, or ‘“‘the people of Po-ya-fi-tsa.”. That was our nearest 
understanding of the word “spirit” or “soul.” 
MORTUARY CUSTOMS, 
As the Seminole mortuary customs are closely connected with their 
religious beliefs, it will be in place to record here what I learned of 
them. The description refers, particularly to the death and burial of a 
child. 
The preparation for burial began as soon as death had taken place. 
The body was clad in a new shirt, a new handkerchief being tied about 
the neck and another around the head. A spot of red paint was placed 
on the right cheek and one of black upon the left. The body was laid 
face upwards. In the left hand, together with a bit of burnt wood, a 
small bow about twelve inches in length was placed, the hand lying 
naturally over the middle of the body. Across the bow, held by the right 
hand, was laid an arrow, slightly drawn. During these preparations, 
the women loudly lamented, with hair disheveled. At the same time 
some men had selected a place for the burial and made the grave in 
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Fic. 75. Seminole bier. na 
this manner: Two palmetto logs of proper size were split. The four 
pieces were then firmly placed on edge, in the shape of an oblong box, 
lengthwise east and west. In this box a floor was laid, and over this a 
blanket was spread. Two men, at next sunrise, carried the body from 

