Evening star., 1898-03-31
Properties of the Peyote Used by In.
dians in Religious Rites.
PROFESSOR MOONEH'S INVESTIGATION
The Eminent EthnoIogist Extends
His Journey to Old Mexico.
GOV. SHEPHERDS HEALTH

Prof. Mooney Of the bureau of ethno!ogy
has lately returned from a trip through the
southwestern portion of this country and a
portion of Mexico. The trip was one Of the
ethnologists regular working trips. A study
was made Of number of Indian tribes,
with a special view of investigating their
use of the plant, belonging to the cactus
family. known as "peyote," sometimes
designated as mescal, in connection with
their religious ceremonials. As the result
OF his researches, Prof. Mooney found that
,, the peyote is used by the different Indian
tribes. as far south as the City of Mexico,
though number of them use 1t in q diff
ferent manner.
Prof. Mooney left Washington in Septem-
ber accompanied by his wife. He went to
New Mexico. where he pursued his investi-
cations among the tribes of Haicarilla In
dians.- The professor found that they did
not have the peyote. Next the Pueblos. on
the Rfo Grande, were visited. They knew
OF the existence Of the plant, but make no
use OF 1t. 1t was found that the plant was
brought into requisition by the Mescalero
tribe OF Indians. in southeastern New Mex
iCo. After visiting some of the tribes on
the border of Texas and Mexico, the pro-
Iessor and his wife paid a visit to the
family of Governor Shepherd in old Mexico
,n ,ne professor making side trips to follow up
among the Sierra Madre mountains.
PerllOus Mountain Journey.
The trip from the railroad atsChihuahua
TO Batopilas. where the mines are. and
where the Shepherds reside, is about
three hundred miles, through probably one
of the moss difficult regions of mountain
country to traverse IN America Some idea
of the difficulties to be encountered can
be understood when it is stated that the
trip takes nine days, including one day
which 1t is necessary to spend in arranging
the mule train. Three days of the trip are
speEt in a wheeled vehicle, and the other
five on the backs of mules. Horses cam
not be used, Prof. Mooney says. as they
are not sufficiently surefooted. At one
point descent CT COCO feet is made i'm
two hours time.
Along the route are placed adobe huts
or shelters. in which the travellers spent
the night. wrapped in blankets. The mule
train is called the 'conductor.' The trip
Was made without hurt by the professor
and his wife, he going ahead often to study
the charactsristics of the Indians. =
Frifaitive Indiians fn the Chase.
The Tarus Msris, he states, are much
like the Pueblo Indians, tut are much more
primitive. They wear simply breech-clouts
and hunt with bows and arrows. A party
of them was seen chasing deer, the chase
being conducted by posting number of
them in ambush, thus forming RELAYS and
wearing out the animal by this means.
Some of the other tribes were also visited.
It was found by the professor that the re-
l1gious use of the peyote was general by
these people. Their method of using it
differs in many respects from tina. of tribes
in New Mexico and further north. Some
of them use only what is known as the
button of the plant, while others make
requisition of the whole plant. In most of
the cases the ceremonfals last a day and
night, in others continuing long as four
days. In addition to Investigating the mat
ter Of the 'peyote," Prof. Mooney talked
with many of the tribesmen, and gained
information from them on many ethnoiog-
ical subjects.
Gov. Shepherd in Fine Health.
While but few women have penetrated
into the wilds visited by the professor and
his wife, the latter stood the trip excellent
ly well. The visit of the Shepherds was
made at the time the false reports were