210 



Harmon's journal. 



tended his incineration, to day. — The corpse was 

 placed on a pile of dry wood, with the face up- 

 wards, which was painted and bare. The body 

 was covered with a robe, made of beaver skins, 

 and shoes were on the feet. In short, the deceas- 

 ed was clothed in the same manner as when alive, 

 only a little more gaily. His gun and powder 

 horn, together with every trinket which he had 

 possessed, were placed by his side. As they were 

 about to set fire to the wood, on which the de- 

 ceased lay, one of his brothers asked him if he 

 would ever come #mong them again ; for, they 

 suppose that the soul of a person, after the 

 death of the body; can revisit the earth, in 

 another body. They must, therefore, believe in 

 the immortality, though they connect with it 

 the transmigration, of the soul. 



The deceased had two wives, who were 

 placed, the one at the head, and the other at 

 the foot of the corpse ; and there they lay un- 

 til the hair of their heads was nearly consum- 

 ed by the flames, and they were almost suffo- 

 cated by the smoke. When almost senseless, 

 they rolled on the ground, to a little distance 

 from the fire. As soon as they had recovered 

 a little strength, they stood up, and began to 

 strike the burning corpse with both their hands 

 alternately ; and this disgusting, savage cere mo- 



