( i9° ) 



main till the feftival of the dead. A very large 

 ditch is dug here, and a fire kindled. Then the 

 young men approach the carcafe, cut the flem from 

 thofe parts which had been marked out by the m af- 

 ter of the ceremonies, and throw it into the "fire, 

 together with the bowels. During this whole 

 operation, the women and efpecially the relations 

 of the deceafed, continue turning round thofe who 

 are at work, exhorting them to acquit themfelves 

 well of their duty, and putting grains of porcelain 

 in their mouths^ as we do lugar plums in the 

 mouths of children, when we would have them do 

 any particular thing. 



The burial is followed by prefents, which are 

 made to the family afflicted, and this is called 

 covering the dead, Thefe prefents are made in name 

 of the village, and fometimes in that of the na- 

 tion. The allies likewife fend prefents at the death 

 of confiderable perfons, But before this, the fa- 

 mily of the deceafed make a feaft in his name, 

 accompanied with games, for which prizes are pro- 

 pofed. There are a fort of jufts or tournaments 

 carried on in this manner : one of their chiefs 

 throws upon the tomb three buttons, about a foot 

 in length, a young man, a woman and a girl take 

 each of them one, and thofe of the fame age, fex 

 and condition endeavour to wreft them out of 

 their hands. The perfons with whom they remain 

 are reckoned the conquerors. There are likewife 

 races, and fometimes they fhoot at a mark in a 

 word, by a cuftom eliablimed through all Pagan 

 antiquity, an action wholly melancholy in itfelf, 

 concludes with fongs and fhouts of victory. 



It is true, the family of the deceafed take no 

 part in thefe rejoicings \ but on the contrary ob- 



ferve 



