and all to whom presents are to be given are called together to the lodge and the things are given out by the man in charge.  Generally this is some near relative of the departed.  The roll is now undone and small locks of the hair distributed with the other presents, which ends the ceremony.

Sometimes this “keeping the ghost” is done several times, and it is then looked upon as a repetition of the burial or putting away of the dead.  During all the time before the distribution of the hair, the lodge, as well as the roll, is looked upon as in a manner sacred, but after that ceremony it becomes common again and may be used for any ordinary purpose.  No relative or near friend of the dead wishes to retain anything in his possession that belonged to him while living, or to see, hear, or own anything which will remind him of the departed.  Indeed, the leading idea in all their burial customs in the laying away with the dead their most valuable possessions, the giving to others what is left of his and the family property, the refusal to mention his name, &c., is to put out of mind as soon and as effectual as possible the memory of the departed.

From what has been said, however, it will be seen that they believe each person to have a spirit which continues to live after the death of the body.  They have no idea of a future life in the body, but believe that after death their spirits will meet and recognize the spirits of their departed friends in the spirit land.  They deem it essential to their happiness here, however, to destroy as far as practicable their recollection of the dead.  They frequently speak of death as a sleep, and of the dead as asleep or having gone to sleep at such a time.  These customs are gradually losing their hold upon them, and are much less generally and strictly observed than formerly.

Figure 15 furnishes a good example of scaffold burial.  Figure 16, offering of food and drink to the dead.  Figure 17, depositing the dead upon the scaffold.

A. Delano,[66] mentions as follows an example of tree-burial which he noticed in Nebraska.

* * * During the afternoon we passed a Sioux burying-ground, if I may be allowed to use an Irishism.  In a hackberry tree, elevated about twenty feet from the ground, a kind of rack was made of broken tent poles, and the body (for there was but one) was placed upon it, wrapped in his blanket, and a tanned buffalo skin, with his tin cup, moccasins, and various things which he had used in life, were placed upon his body, for his use in the land of spirits.

Figure 18 represents tree-burial, from a sketch drawn by my friend Dr. Washington Matthews, United States Army.

John Young, Indian agent at the Blackfeet Agency, Montana, sends the following account of tree-burial among this tribe: