Topsy-Turvy Land Arabia Pictured for Children
TOPSY-TURVY LAND ARABIA PICTURED FOR CHILDREN [Illustration: ARAB BOYS.] TOPSY-TURVY LAND ARABIA PICTURED FOR CHILDREN BY SAMUEL M. ZWEMER AND AMY E. ZWEMER [Illustration]
subsequently removed, placed in an earthen jar, and deposited outside
the village. The Kaffirs bury their head-men within the cattle
inclosure, the graves of the common people being made outside, and the
Bechuanas follow the same general plan.
The following description of Damara burial, from the work quoted above
(p. 314), is added as containing an account of certain details which
resemble somewhat those followed by North American Indians. In the
narrative it will be seen that house burial was followed only if
specially desired by the expiring person:
When a Damara chief dies, he is buried in rather a peculiar
fashion. As soon as life is extinct--some say even before
the last breath is drawn--the bystanders break the spine by
a blow from a large stone. They then unwind the long rope
that encircles the loins, and lash the body together in a
sitting posture, the head being bent over the knees.
Ox-hides are then tied over it, and it is buried with its
face to the north, as already described when treating of the
Bechuanas. Cattle are then slaughtered in honor of the dead
chief, and over the grave a post is erected, to which the
skulls and hair are attached as a trophy. The bow, arrows,
assagai, and clubs of the deceased are hung on the same
post. Large stones are pressed into the soil above and
around the grave, and a large pile of thorns is also heaped
over it, in order to keep off the hyenas, who would be sure
TOPSY-TURVY LAND ARABIA PICTURED FOR CHILDREN [Illustration: ARAB BOYS.] TOPSY-TURVY LAND ARABIA PICTURED FOR CHILDREN BY SAMUEL M. ZWEMER AND AMY E. ZWEMER [Illustration]