laid
upon a mat or skin in the middle of the hut or cottage. The arms and
effects of the deceased were then piled up near the body. In the
evening, soon after sunset, and in the morning before day-break, the
female relations and friends assembled round the corpse and mourned over
it. Their lamentations were loud in proportion to the love and esteem
they bore the deceased, or to his rank, or to the _pains he suffered in
dying_. And they were repeated daily till his interment.

The burying-places of the Delawares were at some distance from the
dwellings. The graves were generally dug by the old women, as the young
people abhorred this kind of work. If they had a coffin, it was placed
in the grave empty. Then the corpse was carried out, lying upon a linen
cloth, full in view, that the finery and ornaments, with all the effects
left by the deceased, might appear to advantage. The funeral was
accompanied by as great a number of friends as could be collected. It
was then let down into the coffin covered with the cloth. During the
letting down of the corpse, the women set up a dreadful howl, but it was
deemed a shame to weep. Yet, in silence and unobserved, they could not
refrain from tears. It may be seen that they had partially conformed to
the customs of the white people. The "coffin" and "linen cloth" were not
Indian.

The funeral ceremonies of the tribes inhabiting New England were similar
to the authentic part of those practised by the Delawares. Graves were
dug and the body deposited therein, together with such utensils of
cookery, and weapons of war, as it was deemed would be wanted by the
spirits of the deceased in the world they were about to visit. They had
one custom, however, which I did not observe among the southern
tribes--that of placing weights on the grave to prevent the body from
getting out again, and haunting its friends.

It will be seen from these various customs, that one belief is common to
all the tribes scattered over the western continent--that of the
existence in man of the spiritual essence which we call _soul_; of its
flight after death to another and better world, variously located
however; and of its being there actuated by the same wants and wishes,
engaged in the same occupation and pursuits, and requiring the same
means for the attainment of the same ends, as in this.

END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

LONDON:
F. SHOBERL, JUN., LAZENBY COURT, LONG ACRE.

End of the Project Gutenb