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TEXAS INDIAN PAPERS, 1846-1859
shaved; and the women have to cut their hair close, as a symbol of mourning. A grave which I examined, was merely a shallow trench, long enough to contain the body, wrapped in the scanty garb worn at time of death, and a few brooches, beads, etc., were deposited with it; the whole covered with a large heap of stones. For a long time after the decease, the friends and relatives assemble morning and evening, to howl and cry, and cut them- selves with knives. This ceremony takes place outside of camp, and sometimes lasts a month. They bury immediately after death, not permitting the body to remain above ground any longer than necessary to prepare the grave. When a young warrior dies, they mourn a long time; but when an old person dies, they mourn but little, saying, that they cannot live forever, and it was time they should die. The Osage and other Northern tribes, have the same custom of howling at the death of a friend, with this addition, that presents are distributed to the mourners; many, therefore, come to howl, in expectation of getting a present. One of the Delaware told me, he knew one old woman, who at one death kept up such a howling and so long, that a friend of the deceased asked her what she wanted and what she howled for, she immediately said, for a horse, which was given to her, and she became silent. He told me that the custom of cutting by knives, was done, in many instances, to promote tears by the pain. The Caddo howl when in want and distress, saying, that the Great Spi:rit will hear them, and assist them if they cry to him. An untutored and primitive idea of prayer. The Creek green-corn dance and feast, said to be a religious ceremony, is very curious. When the corn is edible, the different villages assemble, and after some preliminaries, begin to drink large quantities of a decoction, of a species of Lobelia, called among them the Devil's shoe strings, which brings on violent vomiting and purging, until the whole stomach and bowels are cleansed, when they proceed to gorge themselves with green-corn-the quantity con- sumed being enormous. They then sleep, and· afterwards com- mence the green-com dance, which is kept up until all are worn
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