Telegram-herald., 1889-10-06
INDIAN MEDICINE MEN.
Their ImpOrtancs ana Iznasncs
Among tns DGz0tahs
"A Exsl.Aa1oB - Iheir woaas<fsl
Cures BriHxlng tss = De-1 - Life -
CsrsaaSssss AslsasazE ths Lll4z--
uoa - ssoEssts-

n Ea1i b>cEW--l las p 21-sAec "a N
terestiag paper % tas DaxC 4as u tas re-
Dor-s u las Snills01i4a lDsat4tss 4ad
s41az st1er tA-lzs be Fe-2ArAs tA@r ne
a-s.ilci.s-Taaa. % Aiga Pr.est, i saVar -aoly
= elisf, aLd sitlo-ga ke main taias as
sgay of the Use u uly lysteries &la lucsaata-
l-ons. aeVsrtleless a. Liznss shows . p5Ner
walsh - nsL understood - those outside
tae Cult or brotherhood, aad ga =
kaoEiedse q the aladlclaal properties of
hsrls Oftsa p=l .orus cures tsat sad ole %
believe 20 j. ~. altogether ths chag s4-aa be
is represented Hls cures are oflea tas
a adsr ~ 80 Jal-sd states army SAY
s-s
A lall1sns Ln polRt IS cited ~ The case q
az Iaalan EhO OLs day came staggering
izt0 camp with hls lsg horribly swoilea
from sAs bite u veu0mols saake. The
camp surgeon could 30 nothing FOR the saf-
fsrSri DIT be was eomple-ely cured % the
u-olcln s-Elzn. AE0tAeT case - quoted
IA which q cataract q the eye WAS
cared - inserting brass n.inss into
the az ctsd organ. To impress upon
tas mlld Of tae salient the divine nature OF
hls medicine. .hs nedicins-Lnan adds 20 tho
efficacy Of his remedy mysterious panto-
mines. coAtorLioas of the 0ody And features,
Z =
patient - Affected with serious ailnent.
be- places a paper or bark hgure On tho
ground, AID, waile lie patient IS held over
H. be hres a gln, by which at the sickness
passes lato tns image In the ground and IS
killed by the discharge OF The gun They
claim that all this power IS received FROM
the Great oplriJ, who cOufers upon them
soirItual medicine 50 powerful that they can
sull a. viii, resuscitzte tho dead aud cure
the sick This spiritual medicine : repre-
seated Dy any th4ag thai strikes the fancy
a. = bunch u feathers, a claw, bird, or the
head Of al animal
When = couacl IS held, a barricade IS
erected Ia the form of a. ei.ipse, and q tent
Is raised Al each end Of the Inclosure, one
for the high priests OF medicine men and
the other fer ten men who have been Sc
lsc-ed 70 keep order ana conduct the cere-
mOny. lhe high priest, from his seat IN
the medicine-tent, appoints four assistants,
enc oeariug a drum, one pillow and stick,
one rattle, while the last assists by grunt-
ing. A big drum ia the center OF tue circle
: being constantly beaten By several drum
mers The hgh priest then speaks 10 them
OF he holy dance which was founded ceatu-
res ago and tells them Of the power Of
the medicine OF their ancestors aud warn
ing skeptics not 20 scof at them or their
crafL IS they have the power or tI.usiDg a
claw or s,One through the body OF any one at
Wal, causing instant death. In proof OF
this assertion, he calls one OF his assist
ants % hlm, and points toward him with the
medlcine-bag, at the same time pulling az
hin with his hrs, whereupOn the assistant
falls % the ground apparently senseless.
Then the priest salaams ~ the four points OF
the compass, and invo6es the Great Spirit
10 aid him and the other members present
IN bringing the dead brother 10 life. The
drums are then beaten and frantic dance
IS begun, when the lfeless form gradually
returns 10 consciousness, aud splts into his
hand a mass Of froth and blood. in which is
found a claw or a stone The hlgn priest
now dances around the circle, and, waving
his mesiiciue- bag, blows upon some one else,
who in the same manner falls 10 the ground
sens, .ess. Tue chief continues and the
dead man. reyiving, assists IN shooting
others, until the inclOsure Is fun Of bowling
savages dancing, yelling and shooting each
ether.
When a new member is initiated, be is
taken into the cOuncll-tent for instructions,
which are secret BE IS then stripped OF
bis clothing, excepting an apron about his
ioins and u0cassins on his feet. He is then
painted entirely black, except a small red
spot between MS shoulders. The candidate
Is exhortel 10 be good and is told
that his medicine viii be correspond
ingly powerful, and that ne must give
feast once q year. III he does
not, no will meet with misfortunes. sick
ness or death. The candidate now receives
the holy claw or stone. The medicine man,
approaching h.m from the east, describes
the course of the sun with the medicine
Dag, and oOwlug To the four points Of the
compass, mutters an incarnation, and
thrusting the Oag toward him. says: There
goes the spirit" The candidate then falls
PROSTATE, and blankets, skins, ornaments,
etc, are thrown as offerings over the can
didats. At command Of the high priest the
novice recovers. and is presented with the
medicine Dag. becOm lng recognized mem
her of the order. After these ceremonies
tho feast begins, and the food which has
been cooking before the tent Of the assist
ants Is distributed among the people. Tue
dance iasts from day0reak to daybreak Of
the day following; and as these dances are
frequently gwen in vsuter with the ther-
r0meter often far below zero. II may easlly '
De imagined how the candidates must suffer,
cad as they are IN q coat OF paint II is
generally understood that the members Oi
the order have secret signs and passes. bat
the penalty OF exposure IS 50 sure and swift
that none OF the secrets are ever divuiCed.
There are wei known instances in which
iudIscreet members have mystcr.ously on,
permanently disappeared, a. the instance,
IL Is supposed, of the medicine-men.