es
by means of a vegetable poison.

To the mind of a savage man unimpressed with the idea that self-murder
is forbidden by law or custom, there can seem no reason why, if he so
wills, he should not follow his beloved chief, master, or friend to the
"happy other world;" and when this is remembered we need not feel
astonished as we read of accounts in which scores of self immolations
are related. It is quite likely that among our own people similar
customs might be followed did not the law and society frown down such
proceedings. In fact the daily prints occasionally inform us,
notwithstanding the restraints mentioned, that sacrifices do take place
on the occasion of the death of a beloved one.

_FEASTS._

In Beltrami[96] an account is given of the funeral ceremonies of one of
the tribes of the west, including a description of the feast which took
place before the body was consigned to its final resting-place:

I was a spectator of the funeral ceremony performed in honor of the
manes of _Cloudy Weather's_ son-in-law, whose body had remained with
the Sioux, and was suspected to have furnished one of their repasts.
What appeared not a little singular and indeed ludicrous in this
funeral comedy was the contrast exhibited by the terrific
lamentations and yells of one part of the company while the others
were singing and dancing with all their might.

At another funeral ceremony for a member of the _Grand Medicine_,
and at which as _a man of another world_ I was permitted to attend,
the same practice occurred. But at the feast which took place on
that occasion an allowance was served up for the deceased out of
every article of which it consisted, while others were beating,
wounding, and torturing themselves, and letting their blood flow
both over the dead man and his provisions, thinking possibly that
this was the most palatable seasoning for the latter which they
could possibly supply. His wife furnished out an entertainment
present for him of all her hair and rags, with which, together with
his arms, his provisions, his ornaments, and his mystic medicine
bag, he was wrapped up in the skin which had been his last covering
when alive. He was then tied round with the bark of some particular
trees which they use for making cords, and bonds of a very firm
texture and hold (the only ones indeed which they have), and instead
of being buried in the earth was hung up to a large oa