Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-13

L.
WN46GlAVx- are eaten by the kio-
~AYXMy-W was and other south
49, ern prairie tribes, pro-
ducing an intoxica-
h ton somewhat like
that of hasheesh
USED IN moderation, they are a most power
full tonic. Like the famous coca of Peru
they check waste and so stimulate bodily ac-
uvity as to enable man to work hard
without sleep for days together
The Indians chew these cactus hearts and
swallow them. They induce a condition Of
exaltation. While under the influence a
man Is lifted out of himself, as it were.
lie is wide awake, yet dreaming. The in
tellect is not clouded, but stimulated in a
nigh degree. But the most remarkable
thing about this plant is that it's peculiar
erect is not followed by any reaction. On
tnat account 1t might be ideally adapted for
sprees. 1t Immediately arrests the reaction
wAlcn makes the topper so sad after a Jam
poree' At the same time it is neither a
narcotic nor an opiate. The southern prai-
RE indians, with whom the eating of the
plant IS a religion, regard 1t as a cure for
al diseases. especially for consumption. At
their sacred festivals they remain for days
in the state of ecstasy described
Each man consumes the cactus hearts
at the rate of about one an hour The
songs and ceremonies are of dreary
KIND, appropriate to the method of inspi-
ration. Experts at Johns Hopkins Uni
versity will obtain from the material fur
nished the active principle of the plant.
Thus 1t is expected that a new medicine.
valuable perhaps for many remedial pur-
poses, will be added to the pharmacopeia.
DR.. Carl Lumholtz has recently discoy-
cred that four varieties of this cactus are
known to the aborigipes in northern Mex
leo. One giant kind is regarded by the
Indians in that part of the country as
their greatest medicine, being much more
powerful than the plant employed by the
Kiowas. They can drink any amount of
corn beer, and this remedy will take away
all i'll effects. The name in use among
them for this big sort of cactus is "hi-
curri."
Indian Photographs.
The religious rites of the tribes In north
ern Mexico in connection with this cactus,
being very ancient, have cleared up the
meanings of many prehistoric picture writ
ings on rocks in Arizona. 1t is thus
known that these photographs were ritual
istic and not historical They were pray
scribed such prayers in places where the
winds might be likely to carry them
through the air to the ghost gods
The places selected for this purpose were
most commonly holes through rocks in the
mountains, the passageway for the winds
being adorned with photographs. Today
the Zunis follow a degenerate method OF
painting the prayers on the walls of their
ceremonial houses. Then they wash them
off with water and use the solution for
n q oil do
cine. The potency Of the Inscription is
supposed to be retained and to serve as q
charm.
The tribes Of northern Mexico now draw
photographs with stick and sometimes tint
them with colored earths. For example
they will operate in behalf of a sick man by
outlining figure representing him on the
ground, putting in the place Of the heart a
piece of the giant variety of cactus already
described. The latter is supposed to typify
life. The plant is also pounded by these
same people and thrown into water to
stupefy fishes.
This method Of making fishes drunk.
thus rendering their capture easy, is much
practiced in some parts Of the southern
Rocky mountains. Certain tribes in Ari-
zona employ the common yucca for the
purpose. But the Zunis never do this be-
cause they worship fishes. Everything per-
tanning to water is sacred to them, by rea =
son of the value of the fluid in that arid
region. They look with horror on a fish,
SdtSi dS d SOu-tdteT-WOTSe lnan a Canni-
bal.
Various Narcotics and stimulant..
The aborigines of this country have long
been familiar with an immense number of
narcotics and stimulants. The Hoopahs
and other Indians in California smoke wild
hemp. One or two full inhalations of it in
duce stupor. which is followed by ecstasy,
The Mojaves, Yumas and other tribes of
Colorado and Arizona chew the dried leaves
of plant resembling the eastern Unison
weed, which has a flower like a huge sweet
scented morning glory. The frenzy induced
by 1t is useful in religious dances.
More than fifty species of plants possess
ing more or less of the narcotic properties
lated, are used by the Indians of Califor-
mia and the southwest. The Zuns vary the
effects Of their tobacco by adding to it diff
ferent vegetable substances. To lessen its
strength, they utilize the middle bark Of the
pine tree. To make 1t stronger they out
with it wild carrot seed or coriander seed
To render 1t sweeter, they employ anise
seed
with the tobacco. 1t makes the latter very
sweet, so that 1t leaves a pleasant taste
IN the mouth. One may get a fair notion
Of the effect produced with this ingredient
by getting little Oil Of anise, moistening
the tip of a finger with 1t and drawing the
latter along a cigar fiom ore end to the
other. The change thus made in the flavor
of the herb nicotian is really astonishing.
In Other Countries.
Many South American tribes make an
intoxicating drink by soaking corn until 1t
is soft, then chewing 1t, and expectorating
into bowl. The liquor thus obtained is
permitted to ferment over night, when it is
ready for use. This is precisely the method
employed by the Polynesians in the pre-
paratiOn Of the so-called "kava" There
are very few savages III the world who do
not know how to get drunk, though dis
tillation is a process of modern civilized in
vention. Nevertheless, no less an author
ity than Capt Bourke, U. s. A., thinks
that the ancient Mexicans knew the still
before the Spanish conquest.
On the other hand the making Of fer
mented drinks has been understood by the
most primitive people from prehistoric
times all over the world. African natives
universally know how to prepare drunk
producing liquors from such simple mate
rails as the tops of bro ON corn, sugar cane
juice and cocoanut milk The Eskimo did
not know how to get drunk until the whaI-
ers and fur traders from Europe furnished
them with rum. When Columbus landed
no Indians were acquainted with alcoholic
beverages north of Mexico. Some tribes
refused to partake of them when tempted
to do SO by the whites because they were
afraid of what took away their senses.