The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-02-21
MAGIC OF THE BLACKFEET.
WONDERFUL FEATS OF JUGGLERs
AMONG THE INDIANS.


Ratties.nkes or Medicine Men.
"In the days long previous TO the advent Of
the white men into the Northwest territories Of
Canada and into the Western territories OF the
United States" says Cant. G. +. Denny. who
went out to tho Northwest with the mounted
police in the early seventies and since then has
been indian agent and has held other Offices
under the Canadian Government. "the Indians
used to practise their medicine 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
practised their rites. On my arrival In the
Northwest territories with the Northwest
mounted police In 1874 I was curious 10 lind QUE
how far these medicine men carried their
arts, and also what these arts con-
sisted of. heard from Indians many tales
of wonders done by them. but 1t was n long time
before l got n chance to be present at one OF
these ceremonies. The Indians were reluctant
to allow white man to view any of their medi-
cine ceremonies. As 1 got better acquainted
with the several tribes, particularly the Black
feet, had many chances to find out the truth
regarding what had heard OF them. and was
truly astonished at what saw at different
times. Many Of the medicine feats done by
their medicine men before me did not allow OF
any jugglery. the man being naked, with ths
exception Of a cloth around his lolns, and sit
ting within few feet of him.
AN Indians believed in their familiar spirit,
which assumed all kinds OF shapes. sometimes
that OF an owl. buffalo. a beaver, q fox. or any
other animal. This spirit II was that gave them
the power to perform the wonders done by them,
and was firmly believed in by them oil. on one
occasion 1 visited n lodge where n medicine
smoke was in progress. There were about q
dozen Indians in tho lodge. After the smoke
was over a large copper kettle, about two feet
deep and the same a little more In diameter.
was placed empty on the roaring fire In the mid
die OF the lodge. The medicine man. who was
stripped. with the exception of n cloth around
his loins, was all this timo singing medicine
song In low voice.
THE pot after \ short while became red hot,
and pole being passed through the handle u
lifted ia this state off the fire aud placed on
the ground close TO me that tho heat was
almost unbearabc. On the pole being with-
drawn the medicine man sprang to his fecS
and. still singing his song. stepped with botk
naked feet into the red-hot kettle and
danced for mt least three minutes In
Il. still singing TO the accom- panitnent of
the Indian drums. was so close. as / have be-
fore said, that the heat of the kettle was almost
un oearablc. aud closely watched the PERFORM
ance and saw this Indian dance for some min
utes with his bare feet in It, On stepping out
he seemed none the worse; but how he per-
formed the act was and is still mystery 70 mo.
ION another occasion l was sitting in an
Indian tent alone with one OF the medicine men
OF the Blackfeet Indians. II was at night and
oil was quiet in the camp. The night was calm,
with bright moon shining. On q sudden the
Indian commenced to sing. and presently tho
lodge, which was large one. commenced to
trcmbie, aud the trembling increased To such ~
degree that II rocked violently. even lifting Off
the ground nfet on one side nhd then on tho
other, as u dozen pair 81 hand. were heaying
two minutes, when l ran out expecting
to Ind some Indians on the outside who had
played me trick. but to my establishment, not
u soul WAS In sight. and what still more bewil-
dcrcd me was to mud on examination that the
lodge was rrinly pegged down to the ground. IL
being Impossible FOR any number OF mon TO
have moved and replaced the pegs Ia 30 short a
as the matter looked, to say The least. ancanny.
ra, Sry1 s ssea the 9ossnlns Of man when
our own jSSrisr but %iS dereD, W sar sSS
In one case. In the centre Of large lodge q
w .sodsS to boa o s%A aS odss Ss
down. All over the ground covered by this
SINAI! tent and about SIX inches or even lees
high ANA all sharply pointed. a small bell was
tho lodge. The medicine man was tightly
, hound o.r With nrawSde 5opcs and was
OF the small tent. which was all this
while wide open. and was thrown, all doubled
u "
sharp pointed pegs. The blanket was quickly
drawn over the door, and for about FIVE minutes
no sound was to be heard inside the tent, when,
OF a sudden tho little bell at the top OF the tent
commenced To- ring. as II seemed without hui
tho medicine man stepped out freed from the
ropes and without scratch. look ed into tho
irm Smd Of the S the
81 will give you one instance that came under
,yyDs s2 aam9nG %Spy curious
had long heard OF n Blackfeet Indian who. IL
was claimed, had living rattlesnake IN bis
! wished, out OF his mouth. Hc'wa. considered by
the Blackfeet rs very strong medicine. II was .
long time bofore hsda chance To see him, but
one morning ne turned mp AT my office with a
party OF Blackfect, l being Indian agent At tho
time. On my promising him some tea and
t,baceo, he agreed to produce the snake. which
he said lived IN his stomach; After rubbing tho
! pit OF his stomach with his hand for n few min
utes ho opened his mouth. and | was startled
considerably ny seeing the Hat head and about
the OF 10 close that
there was no deception in IT, The forked
sse soad Ss no soSb Aa9 OF
! lowing me a short view the Ind an placed his
hand before his mouth. and stroking his throat
! with the other hand. no again opened his mouth,
and there was no snake visible.
| Asa general thing tn. Blackfcet Indians arc
! afraid OF snakes aud cannot he Induced to touch
know OF, is that Of = blood Indian named Calf
ABOUT with him next the X in Generally two and
sometimes three full'sized rnttesnakes; This
10 uu'in s NV sumheI' Nn'e ~ "inseF nHo
/ house in n partly torpid state. lie will go down
| 10 q spot on the belly River in tho spring and
/ capture the number of snakes he requires. This
place is near old Fort Whnopup, and Abounds
! with rnttesnakes, lie has informed me that no
boils the root OF some plant and washes his body
| with the water, and that the snakes will then
7 allow him To catch and handle them. He has
| often been bitten. but says that by drinking q
tea made from some herb and placing some of
the masticatel root over tho bite he suffers
bad effects. The tangs OF the snakes he carries
are not extracted, and he will bet a horse with
! any one WHO doubts that this Is so, and allow
/ ono OF the snakes to bite n dog, when the truth
ia soon seen by the death OF the al al In shors
time. This have seen on several occasions.
| -" have given these few instances OF. to say
tho least, curious things done by Indian medf-
cine men, aud do not pretend to give any ex-
! PLANTATION of them: hut know that some of
| them are fully as wonderful and also unAccount-
! able rs ANYTHING ever done by the jugglsrs in
| India doubt II among the Blackfeet to-day.
with the exception OF Calf Shirt, the Blood, that
tribe being "A branch of tho Blackfeet, anything
/ OF the Kind have mentioned ia to be met With.