Page:A description of Greenland.djvu/190

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148
The Natural Hiſtory

CHAP. XIV.

How the Greenlanders mourn and bury their dead Friends.


When any Perſon dies, they take what belongs to him, as Houſe-Furniture, Utenſils and Cloathing, and throw it all out into the Field;They throw all that belongs to the Deceaſed out of the Houſe. that by touching of them they may not become unclean; or any Misfortune befall them on that Account. And all that live in the ſame Houſe, are obliged to carry out any thing of their Goods that is new, and has not been uſed: But in the Evening they bring all back again; for then they ſay the Stench of the dead Body is quite diſſipated. Then they begin to lament and mourn for their dead Friend, with Tears and ghaſtly Howlings, which they continue for an Hour, and the the neareſt Relations take the Body and carry it to the Grave, made up of Stones thrown together in a Heap; under which they bury him dreſſed in his
beſt