forefathers for many generations in the past. In disposing of the
dead, they wrap the body tightly in blankets or robes (sometimes
both) wind it all over with thongs made of the hide of some animal
and place it reclining on the back at full length, either in the
branches of some tree or on a scaffold made for the purpose. These
scaffolds are about eight feet high and made by planting four forked
sticks firmly in the ground, one at each corner and then placing
others across on top, so as to form a floor on which the body is
securely fastened. Sometimes more than one body is placed on the
same scaffold, though generally a separate one is made for each
occasion. These Indians being in all things most superstitious,
attach a kind of sacredness to these scaffolds and all the materials
used or about the dead. This superstition is in itself sufficient to
prevent any of their own people from disturbing the dead, and for
one of another nation to in any wise meddle with them is considered
an offense not too severely punished by death. The same feeling also
prevents them from ever using old scaffolds or any of the wood which
has been used about them, even for firewood, though the necessity
may be very great, for fear some evil consequences will follow. It
is also the custom, though not universally followed, when bodies
have been for two years on the scaffolds to take them down and bury
them under ground.

[Illustration: FIG. 15.--Dakota Scaffold Burial.]

[Illustration: FIG. 16.--Offering Food to the Dead.]

All the work about winding up the dead, building the scaffold, and
placing the dead upon it is done by women only, who, after having
finished their labor, return and bring the men, to show them where
the body is placed, that they may be able to find it in future.
Valuables of all kinds, such as weapons, ornaments, pipes, &c.--in
short, whatever the deceased valued most highly while living, and
locks of hair cut from the heads of the mourners at his death, are
always bound up with the body. In case the dead was a man of
importance, or if the family could afford it, even though he were
not, one or several horses (generally, in the former case, those
which the departed thought most of) are shot and placed under the
scaffold. The idea in this is that the spirit of the horse will
accompany and be of use to his spirit in the "happy hunting
grounds," o