ender partings. "On one occasion, he was called upon by a young
man, who desired that he would pray to his spirit for his mother, who
was dead. Mr. Hunt was at first in hopes that this would afford him an
opportunity of forwarding their great cause. On inquiry, the young man
told him that his brothers and himself were just going to bury her. Mr.
Hunt accompanied the young man, telling him he would follow in the
procession, and do as he desired him, supposing, of course, the corpse
would be brought along; but he now met the procession, when the young
man said that this was the funeral, and pointed out his mother, who was
walking along with them, as gay and lively as any of those present, and
apparently as much pleased. Mr. Hunt expressed his surprise to the young
man, and asked him how he could deceive him so much by saying his mother
was dead, when she was alive and well. He said, in reply, that they had
made her death-feast, and were now going to bury her; that she was old;
that his brother and himself had thought she had lived long enough, and
it was time to bury her, to which she had willingly assented, and they
were about it now. He had come to Mr. Hunt to ask his prayers, as they
did those of the priest. He added, that it was from love for his mother
that he had done so; that, in consequence of the same love, they were
now going to bury her, and that none but themselves could or ought to do
so sacred an office! Mr. Hunt did all in his power to prevent so
diabolical an act; but the only reply he received was, that she was
their mother, and they were her children, and they ought to put her to
death. On reaching the grave, the mother sat down, when they all,
including children, grandchildren, relations, and friends, took an
affectionate leave of her; a rope, made of twisted _tapa_ [bark-cloth],
was then passed twice around her neck by her sons, who took hold of it,
and strangled her; after which she was put into her grave, with the
usual ceremonies. They returned to feast and mourn, after which she was
entirely forgotten as though she had not existed."[683]

[Sidenote: Wives strangled or buried alive at their husbands' funerals.]

Again, wives were often strangled, or buried alive, at the funeral of
their husbands, and generally at their own instance. Such scenes were
frequently witnessed by white residents in the old days. On one occasion
a Mr. David Whippy drove away the murderers, rescued the woman, and
carried her