Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-08-12
SACRED TALISMANS.
CAREFULLY GUARDED STONES AMONG
THE cHERoXEES.
The Greatest of These Ave Inspiring
Relics Is the uiasutti. . Transparent
Stone About Which Innumerable Sso-
ries Arc Toid-ltA Owner.

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
modern times. The Cherokee medicine
men make use of several stone tails
mans, commonly crystals found among
their native mountains. One is trans
lucent purple stone about an inch 'ong
with sharp point. With this the con-
jurer claimed to be able TO find lost or
stolen articles, or to tell the where
abouts of game in the mountains.
To test the matter 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 a yard long he tied one
| end of it around the middle of tie stone
Then holding the stone suspended so as
to swing freely, he set it whirling in
circle with stroke of his finger, at the
same time reciting in an undertone some
secret formula. The stone revolved
rapidly, then more and more slowly.
and stopped with the point toward the
north He walked few feet farther 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 seventh trial the
stone would point to the exact spot
where the money was lying.
Having gone through the whole per-
Torrance, he finally halted at the wrong
place, After limiting 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
dams said that the stone was all right,
but that the man was liar, which was
perfectly trne, and that, although
pretty good doctor. he knew nothing of
magic. They asserted that i'll the hands
of certain conjurers, whom they named,
! the charm never failed.
To obtain knowledge of future
events they use another talislnan. They
put il into Il bowl of water. where, ac-
cording 10 their testimony, it moves
about on the surface, following the di-
rection of knife in the hand of the con-
jurer, who all the time repeats his Sc
cret formula. Whipple describes that
ceremony as he witnessed it among the
western Cherokees forty years ago.
The tslis,n,u was "A small round piece of
| very dry bread.
The greatest of all Cherokee talisnans
is the ulasutti literally transparency
stone. There is no end to the stories
concerni,,- This STONE. which fhe Indians
invariably speak of in half frightened
manner, as children speak of ghosts.
Tbcv assert that it IS "A magic scale from
the head uf u great horned SERPENT. with
a BODY rs LARD as n tree trunk and two
blazing coal, of fire for ewes. which
lived ares ago and worked terrible de-
struction an.pa.: the people until it was
killed by a lannon's magician. In the
encounter n single drop of the serpent's
poisonous saliva fell upon the head of
The shaver. who's. hair was transformed
into n mn, Of writhi1r snakes
The Indians describe il as A triangular
crystal. fiat IN fho bottom and taporiug
rnt,a,,,5r+ and p.rfectlv tra,,s,,orant
with inc ( ICt'EiiIDl OF a single red streak
riunir.. thron.th The center from TON TO
bottom 1t is evidently a beautiful
specimen of rftile quartz. SO exceedingly
rare that the couinrer WIN. can obtain
ono outraul,s all his rivals.
The STONE must he fed tbe Indians
say with the blood of small .-,.ioe every
seven davs-rubbed over with the blood
If tho animal os soon as killed. Twice
n wear it demands the blood of a deer or
soma otIor lar, animal II il wranned
in a wbnla deerSI,in and kent in some
secret cave in the mountains. Were the
tribute Of blood TO I've withheld or
neglected tg, ,l;sufti would issue from
its hiding pIa..a ut ulvot rs 4 treat blaz-
in, hall of fire and fv through the air
70 satisfy its annette bv drinking the
tfabIooa If tho copiurer.
The ,fj.,i,t,l owner was afraid of it.
and he ,IanoeI its hiding Mace fire.
uueutlv So that the stone might not he
,hIa 70 find ,ts way mt When he died
/, w,s buriad with him as otherwise II
would issue from its cave by night, like
n fiery meteor TO search for his tomb
night after n,,,ht for seven wears. Bat
IL upabl.. tr ind its owner il vould 90
hack 10 s}oen forever where he had
nlaced il
As far hack "a 100 TimberIake b.arA
of the sto,,.. with the wonderful story