Before confinement it was their custom to retire to a secluded place near a brook, or stream of water, and prepare a shelter for themselves with mats and covering and food, and await delivery "without the company or aid of any person." After their children were born, and if were males, they immersed them some time especially they in the water, no matter what the temperature, and then swathed them in warm clothing and gave them great attention. Several days after delivery they returned to their homes, but until the was weaned, had no commerce with their husbands,

child

holding it to be disgraceful and injurious to their offspring. In sickness they were very faithful to each other, and when death occurred the next of kin closed the eyes of the deceased.

The men made no noise over the dead, but the women made frantic demonstrations of grief, striking their breasts,

tearing their

and calling the name of the deceased day and night. Their loudest lamentations were on the death of their sons and husbands. On such occasions they cut off their hair and

faces,

burned

it

on the grave

in the presence of all their relatives,

pitch black, and in a deer's skin jerkin mourned the dead a full year. In burying their dead the body

painted

their

faces

was placed in a sitting posture, and beside it were placed a pot, kettle, platter, spoon, money and provisions for use in the other

Wood was then placed around the body, and ,.the whole covered with earth and stones, outside of which palisades were erected, fastened in such a manner that the tomb re sembled a little house. 1 To these tombs great respect was paid, and to violate them was deemed an unpardonable provo world.