The Constitutional History of England from 1760 to 1860
THE CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY OF ENGLAND from 1760 to 1860 BY CHARLES DUKE YONGE, M.A. REGIUS PROFESSOR OF MODERN HISTORY, QUEEN'S COLLEGE, BELFAST AND AUTHOR OF "THE HISTORY OF THE BRITISH NAVY" "THE LIFE OF MARIE ANTOINETTE" ETC. 1882
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
THE CONSTITUTIONAL HISTORY OF ENGLAND from 1760 to 1860 BY CHARLES DUKE YONGE, M.A. REGIUS PROFESSOR OF MODERN HISTORY, QUEEN'S COLLEGE, BELFAST AND AUTHOR OF "THE HISTORY OF THE BRITISH NAVY" "THE LIFE OF MARIE ANTOINETTE" ETC. 1882