The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-01-29
AN INDIAN CURE.
Blackbird's Vigorous Way OF Curing Chills and

:
After week Or ten days the fever
somewhat abated and Peter, taking
my double barreled rifle by way of ar
mament and half dozen hard biscuit
by way OF grub, gave notice OF two
days absence, and buckling his blanket
about him went off up the trail.
Late In the evening Of the second
day, while I was lying on the bear
skin with swimming brain and q
fevered brow, he came back, but not
alone. Two strong, athletic squaws,
each tottng u large pack, were his com
panions. He introduced them as "Ole
Blackbird squaw and he gal; pooty
young squaw-great medicine. ~
The elder of the two was about as
tough, leathery-looking sp ecimen of
aboriginal ugliness as have ever fall
len in with, and making due allowance
for difference in age the daughter was
perfect mode OF her. They both
cast their loads uncerimoniously aside
and the elder proceeded at once to
business. Watching me closely as she
did so she rolled large handful OF
leaves in her hand until they were
partially pulverized, then passed them
over to the younger squaw, who soon
made pint OF very bitter tea from
them which I was told to drink. I
managed to gulp it down, hot and Bit
ter as it was, and the old squaw then
seized me without ceremony, packed
me snugly in bearshin and blankets
after which she and her daughter,
wrapping their own blankets about
them, lay down on either side of me,
crowding me in a manner more close
than pleasant
TRUST King David's medicine, which
answered the purpose so we'll, was not
squaw, or, if she were, that she war
young and good looking:
My leathery bellies, however, All
swered to help get up a copious per-
SEPARATION, which was just what they
intended, and when l awoke from the
first sound refreshing sleep I had en-
joyed for weeks it was with a cool,
clear head and limbs free from pain.
With tho rise of the sun the con-
founded ague began to threaten me,
and Mrs. Blackbird, with the help of
her interesting daughter, proceeded
to take measures for expelling it in a
manner quite as novel and original as
her treatment of fever. First. she
undid buadle of dirty blue cloth, and
took therefrom several bundles OF
neatly bound, minute twigs. I had
heard some hard stories of "whippin'
| out the ager," and smelt a pretty
extensive mice Immediately; but on
the whole concluded to go through, so
l suffered them to divest me of my
clothing and seize me firmly by the
wrists and made no objection, even
when Mrs. Blackbird began to apply
the switches gently to the bare skin.
Gradually the blows increased in
rapidly and severity; old Peter, who
had stood by as spectator at nrst step
ped forward and seized a wrist firmly
in each hand, so suddenly that had
no time to object; and the whipping
Immediately became energetic and
general. Each of the squaws with
switch In each hand We'd with
tho other in rapidity OF hitting. and.
as tho sluggish. torpid blood strovs
to dash with answering speed through
tho tinRling veins the pain became I'M
endurable. had resolved to bear all
that was asked Of me in hope OF q
radical cure, but the torture was too
severe, and I ordered them to desist
trying at the same time to wrench my
self loose from Peter. They only
laughed and laid on the harder. I be-
came mad with pain and went in on
my muscle, biting and butting furious
ly at old Peter and giving the leath-
cry females ungallant kicks about the
ribs and abdomen-a proceeding that
made them laugh all the moro, and
brought down the switches with in
creased vigor. entreated and cursed
| by turns, tried bribery and fattery,
begged for resting spell, and threat-
ened death to the party OF conspir2-
tors Immediately got loose, but all
in vain. They logged me for a time
that seemed an age, and only let me
OF when was too exhausted to stand
alone. Then I WAS again enveloped
In skins and blankets, whom, strange
as 1t may seem. I almost Immediately
fell into deep slumber from which
did not awake until evening. When
did awake 1t WAS with a general
sense OF soreness all over the outer
man; but where was the agueP Gone.
Completely cured, as we'll as the
fever, although I had some slight re-
turns OF the latter occasionally, which
always yielded to In dian treatment,
however. -Exchange
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