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Death, &c. 98 P.23. 100 A father, on being convinced that he was near his end, especially if aged, usually called his children about him, told them his situation, gave them advice and instruction respecting their future life & repeated to them such ancient traditions and told them such ancient customs as seemed important for them to remember. Just previous to the death of any one in a house, all the children were sent away, and none suffered to remain, generally, but the doctor & the adult relatives.
In the death of any one, the male seldom made much ado in weeping, but the females were excessive, and immediately commenced a most doleful lamentation, expressing the relative name of the deceased, as for instance, if it was a child the lamentation would be 'A que tsi, hi hi hi, i.e. my child, o, o, o, or alas alas - this was sung rather than spoken, with a very mournful tone of voice. The expressions of grief were greater or less, according to circumstances. Sometimes the mourners seemed entirely inconsolable, determined to go to the grave weeping. In each town there was a man appointed to bury the dead. This man, therefore, at a proper time, came to the house where the corpse was, and buried it. The most ancient custom was to bury the corpse in the house, directly under where the person died, except in the case of a distinguished chief, and then he was buried under the seat he had usually occupied in the council house. But when not buried in the house, the man took the corpse and carried it himself to the place of interment, followed by the adult relatives. sometimes the corpse was laid by the side of a large rock, - a wall about eighteen inches high, was then built on one side, and a covering of wood, or an arch of stones, made over, and then stones were heaped up over the body. Sometimes the corpse was laid between two junctions, - covered over and then stones heaped on: and sometimes it was buried in a grave, dug in the earth. Frequently a part, or the whole of the clothing etc of the deceased, was buried with the corpse ^ or burned at his buryal. The buryal being completed the funeral procession returned. The man who buried the corpse, entered the house alone, took out the goards & whatever furniture happened to be in the house when the person died, and carrying them away, either burnt or buried them. He then took out all the old fire, ashes & wood from the fire place, and made new fire for future use. He then took the family (after they had taken emetics) to a stream, where all plunged entirely seven times. Then putting on clean clothes, they remained in a state of separation, in some camp, being unclean four days. They then returned to their house: and directly the priests right hand man, sent a messenger to them, with a piece of tobacco to enlighten their eyes, and a strand of beads to comfort their hearts, and a