Women and children.—­Before death the face of the person expected to die is often painted in a red color.  When this is not done before death it is done afterwards; the body being then buried in a grave prepared for its reception, and in the manner described for a warrior, cooking-utensils taking the place of the warrior’s weapons.  In cases of boys and girls a kettle of cooked food is sometimes placed at the head of the grave after the body is covered.  Now, if the dead body be that of a boy, all the boys of about his age go up and eat of the food, and in cases of girls all the girls do likewise.  This, however, has never obtained as a custom, but is sometimes done in cases of warriors and women also.

Cremation has never been practiced by these Indians.  It is now, and always has been, a custom among them to remove a lock of hair from the top or scalp lock of a warrior, or from the left side of the head of a woman, which is carefully preserved by some near relative of the deceased, wrapped in pieces of calico and muslin, and hung in the lodge of the deceased and is considered the ghost of the dead person.  To the bundle is attached a tin cup or other vessel, and in this is placed some food for the spirit of the dead person.  Whenever a stranger happens in at meal time, this food, however, is not allowed to go to waste; if not consumed by the stranger to whom it is offered, some of the occupants of the lodge eat it.  They seem to take some pains to please the ghost of the deceased, thinking thereby they will have good luck in their family so long as they continue to do so.  It is a custom with the men when they smoke to offer the pipe to the ghost, at the same time asking it to confer some favor on them, or aid them in their work or in hunting, &c.

There is a feast held over this bundle containing the ghost of the deceased, given by the friends of the dead man.  This feast may be at any time, and is not at any particular time, occurring, however, generally as often as once a year, unless, at the time of the first feast, the friends designate a particular time, such, for instance, as when the leaves fall, or when the grass comes again.  This bundle is never permitted to leave the lodge of the friends of the dead person, except to be buried in the grave of one of them.  Much of the property of the deceased person is buried with the body, a portion being placed under the body and a portion over it.  Horses are sometimes killed on the grave of a warrior, but this custom is gradually ceasing, in consequence of the value of their ponies.  These animals are therefore now generally given away by the person before death, or after death disposed of by the near relatives.  Many years ago it was customary to kill one or more ponies at the grave.  In cases of more than ordinary wealth for an Indian, much of his personal property