222 THE COCO-MARICOPA AND 
of the Jornada and towards the Colorado. Their pre- 
sent position adjoining the Pimos, was chosen for the 
benefit of mutual protection. a 
This people restrict themselves to a single wife. 
Their ideas of a Supreme Being, in whose existence 
they believe, are of so vague a nature that I could not 
ascertain fhem with exactness. After death, they 
believe that their souls go to the banks of the Colorado, 
their ancient dwelling-place, and there take refuge in 
the great sand hills, where they are metamorphosed | 
into various animals and birds. Their heads, hands, 
feet, etc., each become owls, bats, wolves, and other 
animals. They believe, too, that the souls of their ene- 
mies, the Yumas, also find a place there; and that the 
wars which have so long existed between them on earth, 
will be continued there, after death. © 
When a man desires to marry, and has made choice 
of a girl for his wife, he first endeavors to win over 
her parents by making them presents. The fair one’s 
attention is sought by another process. To do this, he 
takes his flute, an instrument of cane with four holes, 
and, seating himself beneath a bush near her dwell- 
ing, keeps up a plaintive noise for hours together. 
This music is continued day after day; and if no 
notice is at length taken of him by the girl, he may 
‘hang up his flute,” as it is tantamount to a rejec 
tion, If the proposal is agreeable, the fair one 
makes it known to the suitor, when the conquest 6 
considered complete. No girlis forced to marry against 
her will, however eligible her parents may consider 
the match. Whenever a girl marries, it is expected 
that her husband will present her parents with as mu‘ 
ee I ere TS 
