The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-04
MAGIC OF BLACKFEET.
WONDERFUL FEATS or JUGGLERS
1MONG iHE INDfIAs.
A Medicine Mans Dance in "a Red Hot X ct
tls-A Lodge shaken and a Bound Nan
Released BY an Unknown Agency.

"In the days long previous to the adj
| vent of the white men into the Northwest
| territories Of Canada and into the West
crn territories OF the United States" says
| Captain &. T.. Denny. who went out 20
the Northwest with the mounted police In
| been Indian agent ana has held other OF
| fees under the Canadian Government.
| the Indians used to practice their medi-
| cine ceremonies, and many OF their
medicine men were adopts in the use OF
roots and herbs. and were looked upon
| as having intercourse with spirits and
| accordingly greatly feared by the tribes
among whom they practced their rites.
On my arrival in the Northwest terri
tories with the Mort rycst mounted pc
lice i'm 1874 | was curious to ind out how
far these medicine men carried their
arts. and also what these arts consisted
Of. | heard from Indians many tales ot
wonders done by them, but 1t was a long
time before | got chance 10 be present
at one of these ceremonies. The indians
were reluctant 10 allow white man 10
view any of their medicine ceremonies.
As | got better acquainted wlth-the seF -
eral tribes, particularly the BlackIeet' a
had MANY chances TO find out the truth
regarding what had heard Of them and
/ was truly astonished az what / saw at
different times. Many Of the medicine
fests done by their medicine men be-
fore me did not allow Of any jusgiefy' the
LldU hfilL NAhEls Will ANt fNA'lAA't W
a cloth around his lOlns. and 1 sitting
within a few feet of him.
All Indians believed in their tamlllir
spirit. which assumed all kinds OF shapes,
sometimes that OF an owl, bulidlo, a
beaver. Il fox. or any other animal This
spirit r. was that gave them the power
TO perform the wonders done by them'
and was firmly believed I'm by them all.
on one occasion ] visited a lodge where
"a medicine smoke was in progress. There
We're about dozen Indians IN the lodge.
After the smoke was over large copper
kettle. about two feet Il, cp and the same
or "a little more Boz diameter, was placed
empty on the roaring fire ina the middle OF
the lodge The medicine man. who was
stripped with the exception OF cl0tn
around his lOins was all this time sing
ing IL medicine song in low voice.
"The pot after IL short while became
rcd-hot. and pole being passed through
the handle IL was lifted In this state or
the fire and placed on the ground so close
10 me that the heat was almost unbedra-
bile. ON the pole being Withdrawn the
medicine man sprans 10 his feet and,
still singing his song, stepped with botn
naked feet into the red-hot kettle ana
danced Tor az least three minutes in IL,
still singing TO the accompaniment pr the
Indian drums ! was so close, as j nave
before said, that the heat OF the Kettle
was almost uubearable. ana / closely
Indian dance for some minutes with ms
bare feet bon Dr.. On stepping out he sccn-
cd none the worse. but how ne performed
the act was and ls stlIl "a mystery 20 iuc.
ION another occasion ! was sittlhs in
au Indian tent alone with one OF the med
iclnc men OF the Biackfcet Indians. IL
was at night and all was quiet ln ihe
camp. The night was calm, with a pr bnl
moon shining. ON a sudden the lndlah
commenced tO sing. and presently inc
lodge. which was a large one, commenced
20 tremble. and the trembling Increased
10 such degree that 10 rocked Violent
ly. oven lifting of the ground urst on one
side and then on the other. IS IL dozen
pair of hands Were heavng IL on the
outside. This lasted for about two min
utes when ! ran out expecting 10 mo
some Indians on the outside VINO han
played me a trick. but. 20 my dstOnlsh-
ment. not a soul was IN sight, ana what
still more bewildered me was 20 ind on
examination that the lodge was hrmly
pcgged down 10 the ground. IL being lnl-
possible for any number OF men 10 have
moved and replaced the pegs On so snort
a time ] did not enter the lodge again
that night as The matter looked, 10 say
the least. uncanny.
Il have seen the loOsening of a man.
when strongly bound with ropes, as done
hy some OF our own luggiers, Dut win
different variations. In one case, in the
ceutre OF a large lodge a smaller one was
pitched. the small lodge being just large
enough 10 hold one man sitting down. All
over the ground covered by THIS sntA
tent and about six inches on even less
apart. dozens or wooden PEGS were driven
into the ground. They We're each about
six inches high and an sharply pointed.
4 small bell was also bound TO one OF thf
poles az the top OF the lodge. me mell-
cine man was tightly bound with raWh
ropes and was then carried by Two IN
dilns 10 ~. door of the small tent. wlicn
was all this while wide open, and was
thrown. all doubled mp. into i've centre
Of it and of course ON 10 the sndi5-
pointed pegs. The blanket was quickly
drawn over the door. and for about I'VE
minutes no sound was 20 Dee heard inside
the tent when. of sudden. the little
bell at the top of the tent commenced To
ring. as 10 seemed without human agency.
The blanket was thrown back and the
medicine man stepped out freed from the
ropes and without scratch. look
into the tent and found the ropes wing
among the pegs. not one OF WIN n seemtu
tc Rave been moved.
81 viii give you one instance That came
under my own observation. among many
curious things performed 10y indian medl-
cine men, ] had long heard OF BACK
feet Indian who it was claimed, had
living rittlesnakc in his stomach, when
DEE could cause 10 appear when ~ wish
ed ont OF his mouth. Tie was considered
by the Blacklect rs very strong medl-
cine 10 was a long time before ! had
"a chance TO see him. but one morning ne
turned mp an my Office with party OF
Bilckfeet. ] being Indian agent at the
thine. ON my promising him some tea
and tobacco. he agreed 10 produce the
snake. which he said lived i'm his stom-
ach After rubbing the pit Of his stom-
ach with his hand for few minutes ne
opened his mouth. and was startled con-
siderably by seeing the nat .edu anu
about tNO inches Of the neck OF good
sized rattle-snake appear. ! was SO close
that ] saw there was 10 deception IN IT,
The fOrkod tongue shot back ana iorln
rapidly. and of IFS livelness there could
De no doubt. After allowing me "A short
view the Indian placed his hand before
his mouth. and strOking his throat Win
the other hand. he again opened his
mouth and there was no snake visible.
As a general thing the Blackfeet In
dams are afraid of snakes and cannot be
induced 10 touch or handle them, but one
notable exception ! know of Is that OF
"a Blood Indian named Calf Shirt, VINO
is still living. This man carries about
with him next the skin generally TWO and
sometimes three full-siZed rattleSnakeS.
This is during the summer. while IN win
ter ] have seen the snakes in hole IN
the floor of his house In "a partly torpid
state lie Will 80 down 20 spot on the
Belly River IN the spring and capture
tho number OF snakes he requires. This
place is near old Fort WhOOpup. and
ibounds with rattlesnakes. He has In
formed me that ne boils the root of some
plant and washes his body with the wa
Ter. and that the snakes Will then allow
him 10 catch and handle them He has
often been bitten. but says that by drink
ng a tea made from some herb and plac-
me- some of the masticated root over the
bite he suffers no bad effects The tanss
,f tho snake he carries are not extracted
and he will bet horse with any one who
doubts that this is 50. ana allow ono OF
Inc snakes TO bate a dog. when the truth