Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1891-07-29
HEROIC TREATMENT.
How Two squaws Cured White Man of
Fever and Ague.

After week or ten days the fever
somewhat abated, says a writer in
Forest and Stream, and Peter, taking my
double-barreled rife by way of arma-
ment 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 l was lying on the bearslzin
with swimming brain and fevered
brow he came back, but not alone.I
Two strong, athletic squaws, each tot
ing large pack, were his companions.
He introduced them as sole Black bird
squaws and he gal; pooty young squaw
great medicine" :
The elder of the two was about as
tough, leathery-looking specimen of
aboriginal ugliness as have ever fallen
in with, and making due allowances for
difference in age the daughter was the
perfect model of her. They both cast
their loads unceremoniously 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 pulver-
lied, then passing them over to the
younger squaw, who soon made a pint
of very bitter tea from them which l
was told to drink. managed to gulpi
down, hot and bitter as it was, and the
old squaw then seized me without cere-
mony, packed me snugly in bear-skin
and blankets, after which she and her
daughter, wrapping their own blankets
around them, lay down on either side of
me, crowding me in a manner more
close than pleasant.
I trust King David's medicine, which
answered the purpose so well, was not
young and good-looking.
My leathery bellies answered, howev-
err, to help get up a copious perspiration,
which was just what they intended, and
when awoke from the first sound re-
freshing sleep had enjoyed for weeks
it was with a cool, clear head and limbs
free from pain.
With the rise of the sun the confound-
ed ague began to threaten me- and Mrs.
Blackbird, with the help of her inter-
esting daughter, proceeded to take
measures for expelling it in manner
quite as novel and original as her treat
ment of fever. First she undid bun
die Of dirty blue cloth and took there
from several bundles of neatly bound,
minute twigs. l had heard some hard
stories of ''whippin' out the ager," and
smelled pretty extensive mice imme-
diately, 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 APP
ply the switchings gently to the bare
skin. Gradually the blows increased in
rapidity and severity. Old Peter, who
had stood by as spectator at first,
stepped forward and seized wrist
firmly in each hand, so suddenly that I
had no time to object; and the whip
ping Immediately became energetic
and general. Each of the squaws with
switch in each hand We'd with the 9TH
er in rapidity of hitting, and as the slug
gish, torpid blood strove to dash with
answering speed through the tingling
veins the pain became uncomfortable. l
had resolved to bear all that was asked
of me in hope of radical cure, but the
torture was too severe, and | ordered
them to desist, trying at the same time
towrench myself loose from Peter. They
only laughed and laid on the harder.
l became mad with pain and went in
on my muscle, biting and butting furi-
ously at old Peter and giving the lcath-
cry females ungallant kicks about the
ribs and abdomen-a proceeding that
made them laugh all the more and
brought down the switches with in
creased vigor. l entreated and cursed
by turns, tried bribery and fattery,
begged for a resting spell, and threat
ened death to the party of conspirators
Immediately l got loose, but all in vain.
They logged me for time that seemed
an age, and only let me off when was
too exhausted to stand alone. Then |
was again enveloped in skins and blan-
kets, when, strange as it may seem. l
almost Immediately fell into deep
slumber, from which did not awake
until evening. When did awake it was
with general sense of soreness all over
the outer man; but where was the ague?
Gone. Completely cured, as well as the
favar "a