202 
MOURNING. 
or spirituous liquors if tliey can be obtained; it is 
generally rather a season of quiet rejoicing than of 
sorrowing. At the end of the month, four of the sons, 
if the party may have had such family, otherwise, the 
four nearest male relatives, are obliged to go out hunt- 
ing for the ground pig, a large description of Echimyna 
—the Aulacodus Poensis—s. favourite food of the 
Edceyahs, which when cooked, is partaken of by those 
only who were engaged in the hunt ; after wdiich some 
of it with yam and palm-wine, are placed over the 
grave for the supposed use of the dead. 
One of the most unfortunate accidents that can 
happen, in their opinion, is to touch the foot of a 
deceased person; they say it is certain to be fol- 
lowed by the death of the unlucky individual, and 
perhaps under the continued influence of religious 
fear, brought on by such an occurrence, it may be 
indeed realized. All their rude ornaments are buried 
with them. 
The money, a sort of small limpet, {Patella,) with 
a hole drilled through it, and made up into strings, as 
also the yams or other property, is divided equally 
among the children, if there are any, if not, among the 
nearest relatives. 
They believe in the immortality of the souls of the 
good, and that evil spirits''^ can afilict them both 
here and hereafter, so that one great province of the 
* M6h-walla-bi is the expression both for devils and their hell or 
bad place. 
