DISPOSAL OF THE DEAD. 



33 



provision post, about three o'clock; and the 

 next day, being Sunday, the servants were all 

 assembled for divine worship at eleven o'clock : 

 and we met again in the evening at six, when 

 I married the officer of the post, and baptized 

 his two children. On the following morning, 

 I saw an Indian corpse staged, or put upon a 

 few cross sticks, about ten feet from the ground, 

 at a short distance from the fort. The property 

 of the dead, which may consist of a kettle, axe, 

 and a few additional articles, is generally put 

 into the case, or wrapped in the bufFaloe skin 

 with the body, under the idea that the deceased 

 will want them, or that the spirit of these 

 articles will accompany the departed spirit in 

 travelling to another world. And whenever 

 they visit the stage or burying-place, which 

 they frequently do for years afterwards, 

 they will encircle it, smoke their pipes, weep 

 bitterly, and, in their sorrow, cut themselves 

 with knives, or pierce themselves with the 

 points of sharp instruments. I could not but 

 reflect that theirs is a sorrow without hope : 

 all is gross darkness with them as to futurity ; 

 and they wander through life without the 

 consolatory and cheering influence of that 

 gospel which has brought life and immortality 

 to light. 



D 



