Page:Guatimala or the United Provinces of Central America in 1827-8.pdf/280

Rh them, and the observation is correct; but whether this arises from any favourable conformation of body in the Indian, or whether it may not rather be attributed to the fact, that deformed children being generally weakly, seldom survive without a more tender treatment than savages can give, may be somewhat doubtful. The male children are chiefly employed in cutting and collecting wood, and as they grow up become tillers of the ground. All the Indians are exceedingly fond of bathing, especially in warm springs, in which many of them will immerse themselves several times a day. Others use what may be termed the hot air bath. This is a species of large round oven, into which, when heated, they creep, and soon obtain a profuse perspiration over the whole body; while in this state, they suddenly plunge themselves into the nearest cold stream, and appear to receive great pleasure from the shock, never suffering any injury by the practice.

Their marriages and funerals are conducted according to the rites of the Romish church, but to these they add various ceremonies of their own. A marriage is celebrated by savage dances to harsh and inharmonious music; and the funerals present a scene of nightly revel and drunkenness, somewhat similar to a wake among the lower orders of Irish.