Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1864-12-08
The Davenports 0utdone.
ACuriOus Story OF an Indian "Medicihe
Mans, Tricks.

y correspondent OF the London Morn.
ing Post says that the Davenport "m.ni-
festations" of tying and untying is an oil
trick among the Indians of the northwest
coast Of America. He was travelling in
Oregon in 1884, and met certain Thomas
Mckay. who had been in the HUDSON Bav
Company's service. This Mckay told the
following story of an adventure of his soms
years beiore:--
There was a camp OF the Nisquallv
Indians near ours. and amongst them was
a famous medicine man or con Juror, as you
would call him. That chap could tell
everything that was going to happen for q
hundred years to come, l believe; so Mr.
Ogden determined to consult him. Well,
we all went TO his lodge. which was made
the same as the Sioux make theirs. with
poles covered over with buffalo SKINS
His. as well as the others, was round, in
the shape of a sugar-loaf, about twelve feet
across and about twelve feet high, and ut
the top of it he had got a parcel of bells
hung. There was nothing in the lodgc
when we went in only him squatted in the
middle of it, AMI bundle of buffalo robes
lying against the wall ofthe lodge. These
we afterwards lifted mp. and werc quite
sure that no one was hid under them
Mr.. Ogden told him he had co me to con-
suit him as great medicine man about
something that we wanted 20 know. He
was almost naked, having nothing on but
an old buffalo role over his shoulders and
a cloth about his loins
AFTER Mr.. Ogden had spoken he went
through lot of manouvres and antics.
which he called making medicine;' and
then, although 1t was perfect calm, not Q
breath OF wind moving. the lodge COM
mcnced rocking violently from side to
side. at times lying almost PROSTATE, as if
it was blown down by a gale Of wind, and
then rising up and going down on the 9TH
er side. and all this time the bells were
changing, and ciashing, aud making Q ter
rible row; then all OF a sudden everything
became perfectly still. and he told us to
go outside and see what was on top of tho
lodge. When we went outside we locked
immed lately for some one near the lodge. =.
but there was not soul, and no one
could have been hid, tor il was on quite q
bare piece of prairie, and not bush near
~. w U iOOhOu Ou hhO NOP Va tuC lOlKos
as he had told us. aud there was white
crow, which certainly had not been there
when we went into it.
$50 we returned to him and told him
what we had seen; then he said, Now tie
me mp as close as you can, SO that cannot
get away, and take your own ropes for
we thought it was a bit of humbug, and
were going to use his old ropes, so we got
our own good lassoes and lsriats (horsc
hair ropes) and took hi: butfilo robe of
him and tied him up; frs, We tied his
hands behind his back he was squstted
or his hams and heels). and tied his legs
together, and his hands to his legs; then
we tied rope round his body, and tied
him all of heap as it were, and knotted
the ropes at every turn, so that one would
think it W ould take man at least half an
hour to cast him adrilt. Well, then.
somebody proposed that we should tic
him in the net, this as q seine net that
we had at the camp; so we rolled him up
in it, knotted tie ends together and also
secured them again with the rope. He
asked US to put his knife near him; this
we did, laying it down about o yard from
him, as he was lying looking like ball of
net He told rs to go out of the lodge.
and not to look in again until we heard
the bell ring.
"When we got out Wa looked on the
top of the lodge for the white crow, and
had hardly noticed that it was gone before
we heard the bell. We rushed in, and
there was the old beggar seated in the mid
4 l. Ii ,.I
first, with his buffalo robe on. and looking
as if nothing had happened to him, and on
his shoulder was the white crow. He then
told us to go ont again, and this time we
were out perhaps five minutes--but when
we went into the ludge again tnero he was
tied up looking just the same ball of net
as we had left him in the first place. But
the white crow was not to be seen. He
told us then to unite him, which we did.
and precious long time it took us to do :
it, for he was so firmly tied and knotted
up. After he was free he sat for q short
time, apparently to recover his strength,
and then began making medicine again:
whereupon, as before. the lodge waved. the
bells rang. tho white crow came in and
few in rapid fight, circling round the old
mans head. and when all became still
again. perched itself upon Lis shoulder.
Then he said, Now yeu may ask me
what you want to know so Mr.. Ogden
said; I'VE wish to know when Mr.. M'Tav-
ish and his party will be here The an
swer was, 'On the third day from this. st
half an hour before sunset. you will sec
him and his party coming down the hill.
The next question was Where is he now"
The answer. They are encamped upon
certain creek. naming it, He was then
asked, What has delayed them so long?'
and be answered that they had been de-
tanned iu the m Mountains four days by SNOW.
Well, sir. on the third day from that, just
about half an hour before sunset, sure
enough there we saw the party coming
down the hill. and when they got into
camp they told us that three days before
they had been camped upon the creek that
was named by the old man. and that they
had been delay Ell in the mountains four
days by snow" )" avs,
A cherry ripe and rich is fragrance aud