The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1899-08-02
INDIANS AS MAGlCIANS.
Some Stories Of the Remarkable
CIeverncsx OF the Arickarecs.

Some Stories Of the Remarkable
CIevernexx OF the Arickarccs.
"The greatest magicians have ever
seen," said Dr. Washington Mathews
of the army, "the most expert in leger-
demain, were the Arickaree Indians,
who in my time-in 1S65-lived at
Fort Berthold, in what is now North
Dakota. In the autumn of that year,
when the harvest was done and before
they went out upon their winter hunt,
weeks and months were spent in cere-
monies of all kinds, picturesque and
symbolic dances, the celebrations and
anniversaries of secret societies, etc.,
among not only the men, but the wom-
en- and the little children.
"Events of this kind occurred every
day and every night. They had in the
center of their village great medicine
lodge, probably 80 feet in diameter
circular in form In it they had per-
formances every night, and we idle
white men, who had nothing else to do,
visited these performances more regu-
larly than we would visit the theaters
in city. 1t was place of resort with
us every night. Part of the lodge was
fenced off for the audience and the rest
reserved for the performers. In addi-
tion to songs SID dances they had ex-
hibitions of legerdemain. I cannot
think of all their tricks, for years have
rolled by since then. Making little
wooden images smoke pipes, putting a
stuffed bird on the end of stick and
making it chirp, were among the most
amusing. The last trick was probably.
performed by the use Of reed in the
mouth of one of the magicians.
'The fire dance was one of their most
interesting performances. They would
build tremendous fire, dance around
it, and at a certain point the men
would break out and rush into the roar
ing flames, dance in them and throw
the embers madly into the air. It was
then time for us to rush ont ourselves,
because we might be struck by some Of
the flying brands. Apparently they
went into the fire barefooted and bare
legged. They wore nothing but breech-
clouts.
"Night after night they had some
thing new Another trick was appa-
rently to run knife through a mans
arm and let the blood rush out. They
would entertain us for hours with songs
and dances. No admission fee was
charged, but we frequently made them
presents. .
"What is the greatest trick you have
ever seen among the Navajoes?'
'.The growth of the corn is very
pretty trick. It takes place at night by
the uncertain light of the fire, which
confuses the eye of the spectator. A.
party Of Indians come in and dance,
bearing nothing apparently about them:
They form ring, singing and dancing.
The ring opens, and there you see grow
ing out of the bare ground of the corral
small plant. They sing awhile, and
the ring closes again. When it opens
second time, the yucca baccata plant is
noticed. In Indian rites everything
goes by fours. 1t is their sacred num-
ber, as three and seven are sacred num-
bers with u.s. There are four acts in the
rite. The second is the plant in bud.
The third is the plant in flower. The
ring closes again, and when it opens
there is the fruit, with great beans six
inches long hanging to it. The expla-
nation is that they bring into the inclo-
sure with them the various parts Of the
plant, which they deftly place in proper
position while the ring is closed during
the incantations.
'They use their blankets to cover the
work. For rude people like them. with
poor instruments. in the days when
they had flint knives, it must have
been great task to prepare for this
trick. Our wax workers and tOymakers
would not find it difficult. The Indians
in the audience believe the dancers to
be gifted with supernatural power. The
performance is partly religious worship
and partly amusement. 1t is partly
with view of making abundant fruit
and partly for entertainment. Chi
cago Re"o-1