1859.] Notes on Kafiristdn. 3G3 



as possible after the signs of labour are apparent, to this general 

 lying-in house, where she remains with her offspring for a period of 

 forty days, during which time every thing she may require, is brought 

 to her. After the expiration of the forty days, she performs her 

 ablutions ; puts on clean apparel ; and returns home with her 

 child. 



During both the periods referred to, a female must on no account 

 put her hand to any vessel used for food, or for drinking purposes. 

 If she should do so, it must be destroyed : for her touch is considered 

 pollution. 



On the demise of any person, the females wail and beat their 

 breasts, as is the custom throughout most eastern countries. A like- 

 ness or image of the deceased, whether male or female, is then made 

 of wood, and as like the defunct as possible. Should he have been 

 blind, or have lost an eye, the image is thus represented ; and they 

 even go so far in their imitation, that if the deceased had any marks 

 or scars on his face or body, however minute, or any other peculiarity 

 whatever, the same is portrayed on the wooden image. When this 

 has been completed, the body being first arrayed in its best apparel, 

 is placed in a wooden coffin, the lid of which is well fastened down ; 

 and is afterwards conveyed to the place of cemetry, situated about 

 a quarter of a mile in front of each village, or as nearly opposite as 

 possible. The women, weeping and wailing, precede the corpse, which 

 is placed on a cot or sort of bier, and borne by four or six persons ; 

 the men at the same time follow chaunting the praises of the de- 

 ceased. When the corpse is set down occasionally to relieve the 

 bearers the men dance round it, at the same time continuing to 

 chaunt in a low voice. 



On reaching the burying-ground, the coffin is set down and left in 

 the open air, and the procession returns home. After this, it is 

 necessary that the relations of the deceased person should kill an ox 

 or cow, according to the number of guests to be entertained, besides 

 sheep and goats, and give a feast, at which the wine is not spared. 



M. M. Hue and Grabet, in their interesting account of travels in 

 Tartary and Thibet, mention the manner in which the nomadic 

 tribes of the desert expose their dead. One mode bears a strong 

 resemblance to the Kafir practice of exposing their dead bodies. 



