he tracks, may be able to
tell what animal shape the dead assumes.

Within twenty-four hours the corpse is taken away to be buried. It
is tied in three or four places to one or two poles and carried by
two men. Women never go with them to the funeral. As soon as the
undertakers have accomplished their task, they immediately wash their
persons well. Upon their return, branches of the mountain cedar are
burned inside of the house, to "cure" it.

The body is laid at rest in a shallow grave inside of a cave or
just outside of it, with the head to the east and the feet to the
west. In some caves, however, this rule is not adhered to, for I
found corpses placed in accordance with the formation of the floor
of the cave. The body is covered with an inch of earth, then with a
row of pine or palm sticks put on lengthwise, and over this a layer
of earth is spread five or six inches deep. On top of all, stones
are thrown. The bodies of grown persons are stretched out to their
full length, but with children the knees are generally drawn up.

This is one Way in which the pagan Tarahumares bury their dead. Another
mode, equally common, is to place the body lying on its back, on the
surface, without any earth to cover it; in this case the mouth of the
cave is walled up with stones, or stones and mud, and several bodies
may be found inside.

When exhuming skeletons I have frequently found bits of charcoal,
which was explained by the fact that during the first night the
mourners keep a fire near the grave, which to-day serves the same
purpose as candles. This also accounts for the smokiness of the
interior of the burial-caves, even of the ancient ones.

The dead keeps his buckskin pouch and three small gourds with
beans. Three ears of corn are placed to the left of his head,
as well as a small jar of tesvino. Another small jar of tesvino
is placed near his feet, as well as his bow and arrows, the stone
with which the arrows are stretched, reeds and sinews, his steel for
striking fire, the small stick with which paint is put on the arrows,
his sucking-tubes when the deceased has been a shaman, in fact all
his light-weight belongings, besides balls of gum from the pine-tree,
necklaces of _Coix Lachryma-Jobi_ and a hikuli plant. Everything heavy,
such as his axe, machete, beads, and money, he leaves, as it is thought
that the weight would hinder him from rising to heaven. This is the
practical view the Indians have taken since their c