ht be deposited in this little hut; but I afterwards
understood, that it was in the house where the man in the red cap opened
the rites, by playing his tricks at the door. The company just mentioned
being seated on the mat, began to sing a melancholy tune, accompanied with
a slow and gentle motion of the body and arms. When this had continued some
time, they raised themselves on their knees, and, in a posture between
kneeling and sitting, began by degrees to move their arms and their bodies
with great rapidity, the tune always keeping pace with their motions. As
these last exertions were too violent to continue long, they resumed, at
intervals, their slower movements; and, after this performance had lasted
an hour, more mats were brought and spread upon the area, and four or five
elderly women, amongst whom I was told was the dead chief's wife, advanced
slowly out of the house, and seating themselves in the front of the first
company, began to cry and wail most bitterly; the women in the three rows
behind joining them, whilst the two men inclined their heads over them in a
very melancholy and pensive attitude. At this period of the rites, I was
obliged to leave them to attend at the observatory; but returning within
half an hour, found them in the same situation. I continued with them till
late in the evening, and left them proceeding, with little variation, as
just described; resolving, however, to attend early in the morning, to see
the remainder of the ceremony. On my arrival at the house, as soon as it
was day, I found, to my mortification, the crowd dispersed, and every thing
quiet; and was given to understand, that the corpse was removed; nor could
I learn in what manner it was disposed of. I was interrupted in making
farther enquiries for this purpose, by the approach of three women of rank,
who, whilst their attendants stood near them with their fly-flaps, sat down
by us, and, entering into conversation, soon made me comprehend that our
presence was a hindrance to the performance of some necessary rites. I had
hardly got out of sight, before I heard their cries and lamentations; and
meeting them a few hours afterward, I found they had painted the lower part
of their faces perfectly black.

The other opportunity I had of observing these ceremonies, was in the case
of an ordinary person; when, on hearing some mournful female cries issue
from a miserable-looking hut, I ventured into it, and found an old woman
with he