OH TEE PATA GO NAN. 
afd if any of the bones drop out of their places they are refixed’ 
and tied together, and the whole formed into a perfect fkeleton. 
Thus complete, it is packed up in a hide, put on the back of a 
favorite horfe of the deceafed, and then tranflated to the tomb 
of his anceftor, perhaps 300 miles diftant, and always within a. 
fmall fpace from the fea.. 
Tue fkeleton is then taken out, and, decked in its beft robes, , 
and adorned with plumes and beads, is placed fitting in a deep. 
fquare pit, parallel with thofe buried before, with fword, lance,. 
and other weapons placed by them; and the {kins of their 
horfes, ftuffed, and fupported by ftakes, alfo accompany them. 
The top of the pit is then covered with turf, placed on tranfverfe: 
beams. 
A matron is appointed to attend thefe fepulchres, whofe- 
office it is to keep the fkeletons clean, and to new-clothe them 
annually*. I forgot to add, that, on depofiting a fkeleton in: 
its tomb, the Puelches make a libation of Chucha, and, like what: 
1 have heard of an honeft Spaniard, drink Viva el. morte, Long. 
live the dead. 
Tuey allow polygamy, and marry promifcuoufly among other 
Americans; they are allowed as many as three wives apiece, but. 
if any take more than that number, he is efteemed a libertine, 
and held in very little efteem.. 
Wivows black their faces for a year after their hufbands. 
deceafe. 
In refpect to government, the Cazigques are hereditary, it is 
* This account agrees with thofe given by Laftax in moft particulars; vide 
Meurs des Sauvages, xi. 438. 
their. 
6x 
