New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-21
CHIPPEWA SORCERERS.
THEIR QUEER DEALINGS WITH RED-Hol
STONES, THE THUNDER-B1RD
AND DEMONS.
From The Boston Transcript.


AND DEMONS.
From The Boston Transcript.
Uncle Sam recently has been at war with peo-
pie who If their claims be not untrue have super
natural Influence on their side ee Of
savagery. and as an offset TO the superior
power Of Government rifles and smose s dHbns
which ordinary human beings may well tremDle az
he e m dqsW the are souls ss out Of the bodies Of
enemies and TO do a variety Of other things that
soldiers in blue uniforms sent against them
BY the use Of certain plants the Chippewa
punity red hot stones and burning brands and 1t is
said that without eyneng the slightest hdTt dsGom Or
in boiling maple syr@p ,b @ IDEAS nd
lions of men, and by calling from any human
being his other shadow he deprives the victim OF
or IN some S OF Ire which e is the
powerful of the spirits. and through MN WIN YIN
Thunder bird. When engaged in this kind Of bust
ness he occupies lodge which consists OF ious
wrapped birch bark or canvas in such way as to
form upright cylinder. When the sorcerer has
begins to sway Violently from side to side; loud
humping noises heard within denoiing o, the
are distinctly audible TO those without
THE MAGIC BAG.
One of the most astonishing feats performed by
the sorcerers. from the point OF view OF tne un-
magic bag. OF course-to move upon the ground
as II It were alive. This Performance vas wit
OF the United States Bureau OF Ethnology, who
oRea i En ne n0S hs IN S sack
magician has the power OF CLEANSING himself dass INTO 10
wreak vengeance upon unbelievers ana upon
persons for whose destruction he has been iib-
accom1pishment OF such n murder he resumes his
human form, thus escaping Identification and de-
OF this sort are committed only by bad sorcerers;
for in this business there are benevolent and
ala iGpf cir ffgf
in the sorcery OF Europe.
The Chippewa sorcerers are able to transform
themselves not only into bears, but also into
wolves. foxes. owls, bats and snakes. Some OF
a ne Sey % sf Similar II
happens that such witch, while In the shape OF
cumstances she will run behind a tree or hill,
so os to be lost sight Of for time by her pur-
hold old woman walking quietly along or dig
ging up roots and looking extremely innocent.
which proceeds out Of their mouths every time
they bark
The magic sack already referred to is made Of
the skin OF a mink to the OF which downy
white feathers are fastened as an ornament In
to the sorcerer such colors for painting the
face, peculiar red powder prepared for for. hunters
NAL objects. One Of these last is described by
Witch had grown 'SS Of
numerary, limb of smaller size This fetch was
a medium whereby the Thunder God might be
invoked and his anger appeased This deity is
the eagle. or frequently by some other kind Of
hawk; hence IT was natural that the supersti-
maIity on one OF the terrestrial representatives. of
the mighty spirit.
A MAGICAL COMPOUND.
For the aid Of hunters special compound is
the leaves and roots OF several plants ground TO
R S~ the @s qpR W S Of hS "nDS put
small pinch Of on the re- trail Of an afima to
templates q
gtcian, giving him present Of tobacco before an;
promising to him certain portions OF the animal
which he may KIN. The magician. 4 satisfied with
spirit and draws with sharp pointed bone upon
small piece S of bs oq bdn Of the
is indicated IL the dTawng by puneture qpHn
rubbed this color being very efcacious toward eff
feeting the death OF the creature.
sorcerer to make himself familiar with the hunting
grounds of his neighborhood ascertaining the best
haunts at different seasons He keeps himself In
formed on the subject also by inquiries of return
ing hunters and thus becomes possessed OF a large
amount OF valuable information respecting the
natural history Of the surrounding eountry; BY
certainty, direct hunter TO the best localities
dSr sf9 BY y h@ O n such
would go long way In the business OF the sorcerer
who makes a specially Of advice In matters OF
'p'''' CHIPPEWA MEDICINE
As among other Indians It is believed by the
which have obtained Judgement in the body of the
patient. Medicines are useful merely. because of
the magic influence they possess which Is effective
in expelling the evil spirit. 1t is observable that
the Chippewa sorcerers employ a number OF plants
therap eutically which well recognized as valu-
able in the civilized rharmacopeia but 1t Is be
leved that their acquaintance with most OF these
is the result of ong-continued intercourse with
the Roman Catholic priests. Special value for
health and personal safety is supposed TO attach to
certain trees, etc. which are employed IN the
making Of houses. utensils and weapons because
of the magical properties presumed to nhere In
them. 80,
The Chippewa sorcerers seem TO have a consider
able knowledge Of posons. by means OF which
they are able to inflct death or various other
physical punishments upon persons whom they
dislike One OF their connections Is made OF parts
of several plants together with rattlesnake blood
The serpent to be used for this purpose Is crushed
and its blood is collected. dried and powdered.
Other snakes are sometimes employed as substi-
tutes The compound referred 10 Is said to cause
paralysis OF one side of the face. and the truth OF
this assertion seems 10 be proved by six cases OF
the kind which came to the knowledge Of DR.. Hon
man In five OF these instances the distortion dis
appeared after weeks months. but In one case
It continued for several years With no signs OF re.
covery. II Is not apparent that anything but
strychnine could bring about such effects