with them, 'tis a sign they are friends ; if they visit the yachts

without these, every one must be on his guard.

The belief of the Maikans regarding the separation of the

Soul is, that it goes up w^estward on leaving the body.

^sofii°^^''^ There 'tis met with great rejoicing by the others who

died previously ; there they wear black Otter or Bear

skins, which among them are signs of gladness. They have no

* desire to be with them. The Mahieu, Captain of the Maykaus,

who is named Cat, pretends that Death is the offspring of the

Devil, wdio is evil. A Skipper denying this, said, God had '

control over Death. Thereupon he asked, if He being good had

the power to give, or take aw^ay, life ? And he was answered,

'16 FIRST SETTLEMENT OF NEW-YORK BY THE DUTCH.

Yea ', which he could not understand, how this good God should inHict Evil, that is Death. But there was no one to furnish him proper instruction ; he therefore remains in his darkness. When they have a corpse, they place it, in the act of dying, squat on the heels, like children sitting in this country before the fire ; and so lay it in the grave, all sitting ; its face to the East. It appears that the Sickmiamersj before mentioned, make asort of sacrifice. Tliey have a hole in a hill in w^hich ^the'siclaua- ^^'^^J P^^cc a kcttle full of all sorts of articles that they '"^'^- have, either by them, or procured. "When there is a