The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-23
CHIPPEWAYS USE MAGIC.
UNCLE SANS ENEzfIEs Ar LFEcK
LAX FOLL0W sORcERr.

Hih F,ody ways Of Making Warriors
InvulnerabIo-A Secret Society nc the
IlotsSun OF IT, woraen A. Mes..Ierp,
The ChIppoway Indians OF Leech lake. whom
Uncle sam has been fighting. nro sorcerers.
They profess to have means OF lighting at
which ordinary human beings may well trem-
BILE. Their mnRlcIans say they are able TO
render men invulnerable. to draw the eouis out
OF the bodies OF their enomies, and to do other
things that may excite dread In the minds OF
the soldiers In blue uniforms sent against
them. 1t Is impossible Ia surinise how much
OF the trouble experienced by the troops In
the neiahborhood OF Bear Lake has been
attributable to the influence OF these
sorcerers. Early explorers, such rs Hennepin.
after whom the famous canal Ia named. were
greatly astonished by the exhibitions given by
the Chippeway medicine men," and Father
Marquette became convinced that their mani
festations" were OF q supernatural order.
After witnessing one or two OF them he went
so far as to leave the place. declaring that they
were the work OF the evil one, and not ut for
him to see.
The Chippeway sorcercrs have always been
strong opponents OF tho introduction OF Chris
tianity. To these Indians. indeed, their own
ritual is even moro Impressive than tho Chris
tian religion is to the average civilized man.
ING muRtClunB COuBLlJuVB u btCEObb UClOLy, LUc
object Of which Is to give TO certain am
bilious persons sufdoient influence through
their acknowledged power OF necromancy and
exorcism to enable them to lead an easy life
at the expense Of the credulous. Members OF
the society are believed to possess the power OF
communing with various supernatural beings.
and their business Is to sell to applicants their
influence with these spirits. Hcnnepin says:
These impostors cause themselves to DO
reverenced as prophets who foretell %futurity.
They boast Of being able to make It wet or
dry. to cause a calm or q storm. to render land
fruitful or barren. and to make hunters for
tunate or unfortunate"
By the use OF certain plants the Chippeway
sorcerer is enabled to take un and handle with
impuuity red-hot stones and burning brands.
and It is said that, without showing the slight
est discomfort. he will battle his hands in boil
Through supernatural means he is acquainted
With the ideas and intentions Of men.
and by calling from any human being
his or her shadow he deprives the
victim OF reason. or in some cases Of
life. He holds special communication with tho
Turtle. which is the most powerful Of the
spirits, and through that spirit with numerous
other malevolent beings. especially the Thun-
derbird. When engaged in this kind Of BUSH
ness he occupies a lodge which consists Of four
poles planted in the ground. around which is
wrapped birch bark or canvas in such a way
as to form an upright cylinder. When the sor-
cerer has seated himself inside of thiss truc-
ture the latter begins to sway violently from
side to side; loud humping noises are heard
within. denoting the arrival OF spirits, and
laughter and numerous voices are distinctly
audible to those without.
One OF the most astonishing featS performed
by the .sorcerers, from the point OF view OF tho
uninitiated. consists in causing an empty sack
ground as TIC we're alive. This. performance
vas TofS witne nsfSa mnited f stnts once Rera by u h.. Y; !.
mouse or some, other small mammal was con-
fined in the sack. The magician has the power
likes, using that disguise to wreak vengeance
upon unbelieyers and upon persons for whose
osSseFso''GIR mm me- has Pe Upon nG the sccd Pahd ~
ment Of such a murder, he resumes his human
form. thus escaping Identification and detec:
this sort are committed only by bad sorcer-
ers: for in this business there are benevolent
the case in the sorcery OF Europe. -.
The ,Chippeway sorcerers are able to trans
form themselves not only into bears; but also
Some of the members OF the, secret society are
women. and they possess similar powers It
the shape OF a bear. is chased by, hunters, and
under such circumstances she will run behind
u tree OF q NIL 80 ub TO ne lOSt SlRnL OF LOT n Jln9
BY her ,pursuers., Then. instead Of seeing a
bear, they behold an old woman walking
quietly alonE or digging up roots and looking
known by the flame, Of fire which comes from
their mouths every time they. bark;
Of the skin Of q mink. to. the nose OF which
downy white feathers are fastened as an orna-
ment; In this bag are carried the sacred OBJ
lects belonging to. the sorcerer, such as colors
employed Tor huqters' charms, small eflgies.
of these last Is described by DIR. Hoffman as
the leg Of aEoshawk. out of which had grown,
s%a q fgsn sis Of nfTTRSff s i Z tsieERe TSs sonsISs lI%S Of Of
whereby the Thunder-god might be invoked
ssnted in the Ghippeway picture-wrfittRe' By
the eagle. or frequently by some kind of hawk.
prepared by the Chippeway sorcerer. made up
of the leaves and roots OF several plants ground
to powder A small q%uantlty Of this compound
sGm animal 70 % eomP PsPf Il to e, / Sa &C. 'P %h S5alt the Ss
he first visits the magician, giving him a pres
ent OF tobacco before announcing, the purpose
Of bis call, and afterward promising to him
The magician. II satisfied with the terms.
makes an Offering to the appropriate spirit.
small piece Of, birch bark an outline OF the
animal desired by the applicant. The heart OF
puncture. upon which a small Quantity Of Yer.
million Is carefully rubbed. this color being very
efiicacious toward efiecting the death OF the
creature.
II Is a part Of the business Of the Chippeway
sorce.rer to make himself familiar with the
hunting grounds o., his neighborhood. ascer-
tanning the best feedlng areas Of various gam
animals and their haunts at different seasons.
He keeps himself informed on the subject also
by inquiries of returning hunters, and thus
becomes possessed OF a large amount OF valu-
able information respecting the natural history
OF the surrounding country, by which means he
can. with a. t~olerable amount of certainty,
direct a hunter TO the best places for such
varieties Q fgame as may be particularly desired
by him. 1t Is obvious, that such. knowledge
would go O. long way In tho business OF the
sorcerer who makes a specially Of advice In
matters Of sport.
It does not appear that women among the
Chippeways are quite on the same plane with
men as aorcerers. no matter what degree OF in
itiatlon into the secret society they may have
female sex with tho masculine has not been
accepted among Indians even In matters where
magic is concerned. though 1t has been admit
ted everywhere else In the, world that women
arc most. terrible when they tackle
magic. Their power In this regard has
always been, greatly dreaded, as is evil