wizards are killed, especially' if they had any-dispute: with
the chief just-before »his death; the Indians* in tthis ease*
attributing', the loss; .of their cacique rib th& wkaids and their
demons. 4 In 5 cases.also of pestilence and epidemic disorders,
when great numbers are carried offi 3the wizards' often suffer.»
“ On account of the small-pox, which almost; destroyed
the (PFèehébèt tribe* Gahgapbl Ordered att the wizards,to? be
killed* tO sbe‘if feyisocfr meanst-the distemper wopld?C0a$ev*y'
There 'are wizards and witchesi The>-fofmer arc Obliged
to’'dress hr female apparel, and are mot allowed - tet matey.
The Matter areonot-resttictelv iWizards-taratgesmerally chosen,
tïhén* ehiMret»;* and a -preference , is >alwaysa shown tailwke
who*’ at that time, of life,. discover air»effeminatedispofedibro
They, are clothed very early in female attire*? and.pFesp»ted
with the drum and ratdes belonging to tlk® profusion«which
^ e y are* H©> follow. Thosenwhcmara Seised with d&tèVöf^thë
"falling stckoes% or the ‘ öhoremêanéti!Fifiii(S&>Vitös’s; danee^
are‘immediately dhösënc for; thkiempioym®ht*»caa;teelèoted jfey
the demons themselves, whom They Isiippé&mMpQgseèsTbeïïï,
and to ‘cause all those cohvulskimsand. distortionsécaiawqn/in
epileptic* paroxysms, j!
" The burial ©T the dead, andüthe »'smpgrsrittöMSiteevpmriëe
paid to their memory, are attended with! >greatr ceremony.
When an Indian dies, one of the most distingaishedj. wooien
among -them is immediately chosen to make a skeleton of his
body; which -is .done by cutting out thé entrails,;which they
burn to ashes, dissecting the flesh from the hones as?» clean
as possible,- and then burying them underground iillTbcre?
roaming -flesh is entirely rotted off,- or till they are.removed
(which must be within a year after thednterment, but is sometimes
within two months,) to the proper burial-place-jof their
ahdeStors.
“ ‘This1 custom* is strictly observed by the,Molu-che, Ta-
luhet,- and Diuihet,- but the Ghechehet and Tehuelhet, or
Patagöniatts,| place the bones on high, upon canes or twigs
wovdn1 together,.; to dry and whiten with the sun and rain.
“ During* the; time that the ceremony of making the- skeleton
lasts,' the Indians, Covered ■ with long mantles of skins,
and their faces blackened with soot* walk round-' the tent,
with long-poles or lances in their hands, singing in a mournful
tone of -voice** and^ striking the -gtound .to frighten away
the Valichiisp’or -evil spirits? - - Some,go to. visit and console the
widow-or* widows* »and. othert relations of the- dead, that is,
if tfchfere is t done but with
it‘vie#?of interest. Duringitbife visit’d? condolence they cry,
howl, fmtkmngjt; in tlie:»'!iifdst d^malfThannerjistrainingi out
'tears*:. and; pricking ntheb afmar%and thighs* with, sharp thorns
to :.nmke Them; bifeed: f Feu this-, shew of grief they are paid
with ; fgl#s I beads* brass » eascabels,. and such-like baubles*
which;arb ;in*Mgh»©stirnMron»%mbng>fhem, The boss#S; of the
dead are al^hnaredilde^ killed, that he . may have where?
withal ■%& ridempoh' in. the M -alhue mapin,’ or country,of Tbp
Head* • reserving'; only a few to grace - th^Sa&t;fifneral pomp,
and to tcawy the relic« to Their. proper sepulchres*-. tj
«.iWheh they iremovev.the hones *o.f tKeir dead, they pack
them up/tfi^dfeediihm/lMide^r andip'ISSe the® .upon? -,pne of the
T^4cbaSedls;favouritehwfes,<»kepfe ah%e«for.that purpo^,: which
theyt^ot»i^fkr?-.theCTrtotiJfadbk)D,' ,wkh-
' &c., and 'truveh‘in-‘tlil®tmani®f, '.tte^u^h-ifit^.trtO'-thajdists#^ I
of three hundred leagues, till they arrive,a.t »the .proper -burial-
^htee* wh^c-thby^picpaidJthctht^f cefememy» f
;y<t«ii®k»Mduschb//Taluhcfe*;and DiudjefcburyTheir dead- in
ilar^vsqiuMieipitei aboM .« fathom deepo;; The bdnes aTCHpat
<*«ge<heTy ■ and». H h H %.dysn^)eahhijA-ifeip«^ -place,It then
'eldthednwith »all; thetfhhst) robes'they cantget, iUdbrned»* with
»beads*(plumes* &ei, !alli6fdvi^lch.th^.el^^ia: <?l*tfi?ai*8e.Qncte
-a »year. 1 They »areTplacedtn a fnw,rsitti®gb.with^the.sword,
danee*abow and arrows, -e&evfbo.. 4«-
-ceased had while ;uhm®fb TMsei^fdte.;«««?covei'edu^T, with
Trees, canes/ -iw'ibi’anqhes wbven tp^the.^ »nppnu which; they
put earth. An old matron is chosen out of each tribe, to take
cave of these': graves, and on account; of her»:employment is
held ih »great veneration. Her office, iip M;bp&®e^ry.year
These* dreary - habitations,i and t©;<elofb!e and!(^leaUf;the.skele'
tons.. Besides;; all this they every year, pour upon these
graves; some.»bowls- of their first-made ch/cha, and drink
some of it themselves to.the»good health of. the; dead- (N.B.
»»Not so theTehuelhet.)(Jn