344 FUNERAL CEREMONIES. 
the relations and friends. The body is immediately 
wrapped np in the skin or clothing worn during 
life, and in the course of a day or two, it is placed 
upon the wirkatti or bier, which is made of branches 
crossed so as to form the radii of a circle, an exami- 
nation is then entered upon as to the cause of death, 
in the following manner. The bier is carried upon 
the shoulders of five or six persons, oyer places where 
the deceased had been living ; whilst this is going 
on, a person is placed under the bier, professedly in 
conversation with the deceased. He asks, what per- 
son killed you ? If the corpse say no one, the inquest 
ceases ; but if it states that some person has, the 
bier moves round, the corpse is said to produce the 
motion, influencedby kuingo (a fabulous personifica- 
tion of death). If the alleged murderer be present, 
the bier is carried round by this influence, and one of 
the branches made to touch him. Upon this a battle 
is sure to ensue either immediately, or in the course 
of a day or two. 
At the time of burial the body is removed from 
the bier, and deposited, with the head to the west, 
in a grave from four to six feet deep. Children 
under four years are not buried for some months 
after death. They are carefully wrapped up, 
carried upon the back of the mother by day, and 
used as a pillow by night, until they become quite 
dry and mummy-like, after which they are buried, 
but the ceremony is not known to Mr. Moorhouse. 
In the Encounter Bay neighbourhood, four 
