These presents are supposed to calm the soul of the deceased.

The corpse was lying in a narrow coffin, upon a low bier, both of which were covered with a white pall.

Before the bier were hung two straw mats, on which were spread the deceased's clothes, drinking vessels, knives, and so forth, while on the other, lay the presents, making quite a heap, of shirts, pareos, pieces of cloth, etc., all so new and good that they might have served to furnish a small shop.
Old Tati soon entered the hut, but quickly returned into the open air, stopping only a few instants, as the corpse was already most offensive.

He sat down under a tree, and began talking very quietly and unconcernedly with the neighbours, as if nothing had happened.
The female relatives and neighbours remained in the hut; they, too, chatted and gossiped very contentedly, and moreover ate and smoked.
I was obliged to have the wife, children, and relations of the deceased pointed out to me, for I was unable to recognise them by their demeanour.

In a little time, the stepmother and wife rose, and throwing themselves on the coffin, howled for half an hour; but it was easy to see that their grief did not come from the heart.
Their moaning was always pitched in the same monotonous key.