which are occasions of state with them, but they retire into
a state of sublime quietude which makes more civilized
people sad to observe; but when the term of mourning ceases,
at the end of the year, they have high mass said for the
benefit of the soul of the departed; after this they again
appear upon the arena of their wild sports and continue to
be gay and happy until the next mortal is called from this
terrestrial sphere to the happy hunting-ground, which is
their pictured celestial paradise. The above cited facts,
which are the most interesting points connected with the
burial customs of the Indians of the pueblo San Geronimo de
Taos, are not in the least exaggerated, but are the absolute
facts, which I have witnessed myself in many instances for a
period of more than twenty years that I have resided but a
short distant from said pueblo, and, being a close observer
of their peculiar burial customs, am able to give you this
true and undisguised information relative to your circular
on "burial customs."

Another example of the care which is taken to prevent the earth coming
in contact with the corpse may be found in the account of the burial of
the Wichita Indians of Indian Territory, furnished by Dr. Fordyce
Grinnell, whose name has already been mentioned in connection with the
Comanche customs. The Wichitas call themselves _Kitty-ka-tats,_ or those
of the tattooed eyelids.

When a Wichita dies the town-crier goes up and down through
the village and announces the fact. Preparations are
immediately made for the burial, and the body is taken
without delay to the grave prepared for its reception. If