Page:The People of India — a series of photographic illustrations, with descriptive letterpress, of the races and tribes of Hindustan Vol 7.djvu/282

KORKOOS. Fines also extend to killing of some animal: for a cow or bullock, a pig, three goats, and seven chickens; for a kite, five chickens; for a tame cat, seven chickens; and so on: but the list is not a large one. Their marriage ceremonies are five in number, and resemble those of the Gonds; but if there is no objection on the part of the husband, a man can marry another manes wife. She must, however, leave her children behind her. The dead, as with the Gonds, are sometimes burned, but more frequently buried; and the sidoola, or funereal rites, are frequently deferred even for years, but after a time the spirit of the deceased becomes troublesome, and has to be laid at rest. This is done by planting a stake in the place of stakes belonging to the gote, or tribe of the Korkoos to which the deceased belonged. It is a stout stake, squared and planed, and squared at the top. On one side the sun and moon are. carved, with a spider and human ear; below, a rude effigy of the deceased on horseback, with weapons in his hand. When the stake is prepared, it is taken out to the place where cattle rest outside villages, and bathed and anointed with turmeric. That evening the funeral feast is given. Next day the stake is carried to the place sacred to this purpose, which belongs to the particular gote or division; and the bones of the deceased, if procurable, or otherwise some bamboo pith which has been sanctified, to represent them, is placed in the hole dug for the purpose of securing the staff Two pice are added, and the stake is finally placed in the hole. A goat and chickens are then sacrificed and eaten. The Korkoo language appears different from the Gond, and independent. It is called a dialect of the Kol, but it does not seem to have been scientifically investigated. (Elliot on the Korkoos, Ant. Soc. Central Provinces).

Korkoos are capital sportsmen, and infallible trackers of beasts of all kinds. Inhabiting dense forests, they become familiar with the haunts and habits of all wild animals, and are invaluable to the keen sportsman. In the group represented they are in attendance on a great English hunter, who is exhibiting his trophy of a bison's head, and will be easily recognised by many.