dy a piece of leather, or some other
article, as a present, which in some measure appeases the resentment
of his relatives, and preserves the unfortunate quack from being
maltreated. During the nine days the corpse is laid out, the widow
of the deceased is obliged to sleep along side it from sunset to
sunrise, and from this custom there is no relaxation even during the
hottest days of summer! While the doctor is performing his last
operations she must lie on the pile, and after the fire is applied
to it she cannot stir until the doctor orders her to be removed,
which, however, is never done until her body is completely covered
with blisters. After being placed on her legs, she is obliged to
pass her hands gently through the flame and collect some of the
liquid fat which issues from the corpse, with which she is permitted
to wet her face and body. When the friends of the deceased observe
the sinews of the legs and arms beginning to contract they compel
the unfortunate widow to go again on the pile, and by dint of hard
pressing to straighten those members.

[Illustration: FIG. 10.--Tolkotin cremation.]

If during her husband's life time she has been known to have
committed any act of infidelity or omitted administering to him
savory food or neglected his clothing, &c. she is now made to suffer
severely for such lapses of duty by his relations, who frequently
fling her in the funeral pile, from which she is dragged by her
friends, and thus between alternate scorching and cooling she is
dragged backwards and forwards until she falls into a state of
insensibility.

After the process of burning the corpse has terminated, the widow
collects the larger bones, which she rolls up in an envelope of
birch bark and which she is obliged for some years afterwards to
carry on her back. She is now considered and treated as a slave, all
the laborious duties of cooking, collecting food, &c. devolve on
her. She must obey the orders of all the women, and even of the
children belonging to the village, and the slightest mistake or
disobedience subjects her to the infliction of a heavy punishment.
The ashes of her husband are carefully collected and deposited in a
grave which it is her duty to keep free from weeds, and should any
such appear, she is obliged to root them out with her fingers.
During this operation her husband's relatives stand by and beat her
in a