FL661592

about
[words crossed out] 6 feet deep, narrowed towards
the bottom, where it was scarcely 5 feet long.
Toward the top it was made much wider,
so as to form a kind of ledge or shelve.
When the time of the interment drew nigh,
the widow of the deceased & several of her
female companions, came forward, to pay
their homage, once more to the mortal remains
of the departed. I observed one of the women
cutting her head with a sharply pointed stick
so that the blood, which she spilt upon the
corpse, ran profusely. The widow & others
had cut themselves previously in the same manner.
All threw their faces upon the corpse and
burst into a most melancholy cry, dropping
many a tear on the deceased. The weeping
and lamentations were so affecting that
I at last could not refrain from shedding
a few tears & sending up a prayer on high
on behalf of these benighted Aboriginees.
Several of the man also were deeply affected
and burst into tears. One of them, a very wild
looking warrior, more particularily attracted
my attention: he laid himself on the corpse