Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1892-07-22
CHEROKEE TALlSMANS.
Carefully Guarded Stones, of Which the
Greatest Is the Ulasutti.

NTedtest tne OAHbuIuls
Stones endowed with magic powers
have held an important place in the |
worlds belief from the days of the |
oracular stone in the breastplate of the |
ancient Jewish high priest down to the
Lee penny and the murrain stone of
modern times. The Cherokee medicine
men make use of several stone tails
mans, commonly crystals found among
their native mountains. One is a trans
lucent purple stone about an inch
long, with a sharp point With this
the conjurer claimed to be able to find
lost or stolen articles, or to tell the
whereabouts of game in the mountains
To test the matter, a coin was thrown
into the grass at random while he was
not looking, and he was told the money
was his if he could find it. Procuring a
string about yard long, he tied one
end of it around the middle of the stone.
Then, holding the stone suspended so as
to swing freely he set it whirling in a
circle, with stroke of his finger, at the
same time reciting in an undertone
some secret formula. The stone re-
volved rapidly, then more and more
slowly and stopped with the point to-
ward the north. He walked few feet
further in that direction, gave the stone
another twirl, and again repeated the
formula, explaining that it must be
done seven times, and that on the sew
enth trial the stone would point to the
exact spot where the money was lying.
Having gone through the whole per-
formance, he finally halted at the wrong
place. After hunting in the grass for
some time he was obliged to give it up.
He declared that his failure was due to
the fact that the stone was not fastened
as it should have been. The other In
dians said that the stone was all right,
but that the man was liar, which was
perfectly true, and that, although
pretty good doctor, he knew nothing of
magic. They asserted that in the hands
of certain conjurers, whom they named,
the charm never failed.
To obtain a knowledge of future
events, they use another talisman.
They put it into bowl of water,
where, according to their testimony, it
moves about on the surface, following
| the direction of knife in the hand of
| the coniurer, who all the time repeats
his secret formula. Whipple describes
| that ceremony as he witnessed it
among the western Cherokees forty
years ago. The talisman was small
piece of very dry bread.
The greatest of all Cherokee tails
mans is the Ulasutti Qiterally transpar-
ent) stone. There is no end to the
stories concerning this stone, which the
Indians invariably speak of in half
| frightened manner, as children speak of
ghosts. They assert that it is magic
scale from the head of great horned
serpent with body as large as tree
trunk and two blazing Goals of fire Tor
| eyes, which lived ages ago and worked
terrible destruction among the people
until it was killed by famous magi-
clan. In the encounter single drop of
the serpent's poisonous saliva fell upon
the head of the slayer, whose hair was
transformed into a mass of writhing
snakes.
The Indians describe it as trian-
gular crystal, fiat on the bottom and
tapering up to a point, and perfectly
transparent with the exception of a
single red streak running through the
center from top to bottom, 1t is evil
IDENTIFY beautiful specimen of rutilc
quartz, 50 exceedingly rare that the con-
| Juror who can obtain one outranks all
his rivals.
The stone must be fed, the Indians
say, with the blood of small game every
seven days-rubbed over with the blood
of the animal as soon as killed. Twice
year it demands the blood of deer
or some other large animal. 1t is
wrapped in whole deer skin and kept
in some secret cave in the mountains.
Were the tribute of blood to be with.
held or neglected the Ulasutti would
issue from its hiding place at night as a
great blazing ball of fire, and fly
through the air to satisfy its appetite
by drinking the life blood of the con.
juror.
The original owner was afraid of it.
and he changed its hiding place fire.
quently, so that the stone might not bt
able to find its way out. When he dice
it was buried with him, as otherwise il
would issue from its cave by night, like
fiery meteor, to search for his toni
night after night for seven years. But
IF unabIe-to find its owner, it would &C
back to sleep forever where he hat
placed it.
As far back as 1862 Timberlake heard
of the stone with the wonderful story
of its origin. He said that it was KEEP
hidden in some place known only t
two women, who refused to betray tn,
secret. Adair, the celebrated trader
also speaks of it a few years later. Th'
coniurer refused to let him see it fo
fear of proclamation
When consulting it for an unknown
or future happening the conjuror gaze
into the Ulasutti, and there sees mir
, rored all that he wishes to know, ant
: by the action of the specter, or its posi-
ton near the top or bottom of the tails
| uldH, lc lcdlIlS hoO Ouly VIC SNohJ Dll
also its proximity in time or place.
1t is believed that only one of thes
stones is in possession of the eastern
: Cherokees. The owner has refused al
inducements to show it. He said tha
: he kept it hidden in a cave, wrapped i
its deerskin covering, and that if h
should expose it to the profane gaze G
= white man he could kill no NOR
y game, even if he were permitted t
live. 1t was very evident that he be
lieved what he said, for no offer coul
= change his determination Y. Sun
a PoeticaI Authority.