The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1899-09-29
INDIAN MAGICIANS.
The Arickarees of North Dakota Do
Some very Clever SIeisht of
Hand Work.

"The greatest magicians l have ever
SEEM said DR.. Washington Mathews,
of the army, 1.-The most expert in leger-
demain, were the Arickaree Indians,
who in my time-in 1S65-lived in 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 ceremonies of all
kinds, the celebrations and anniver
saries of secret societies, etc., among
not only the men, but the women 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 90 feet in diameter, cir
cular in form. In it they had perform
ances every night, and we idle white
men, who had nothing else to do, visit
ed these performances more regularly
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-
ton to songs and dances, they had ex-
hibitions of legerdemain. 1 cannot
think of all their tricks, for years have
rolled by since then. Making little
wooden images smoke pipes, putting
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 a 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 roaring
flames, dance in them, and throw the
embers madly into the air. 1t was then
time for us to rush out ourselves, be-
cause we might be struck by some of
the flying brands. Apparently they
went into the fire barefooted and bare
legged. The wore nothing but breech
clouts.
might after night they had some
thing new. Another trick was appar-
emily to run knife through mans
arm and let the blood rush out. They
would entertain us for hours with songs
and dances. No admission was charged,
but we frequently made them pres
ents.''
what is the greatest trick you have
ever seen among the Navajos?"
'The growth of the corn is very
pretty trick. 1t 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 a ring, singing and
dancing. The ring opens, and there you
see growing out of the bare ground of
the corral small plant. r.aey sing
awhile, and the ring closes again.
When it opens second time the yucca
baccata plant is noticed. In Indian
rites everything goes by tours. 1t is
their sacred number, as three and seven
are sacred numbers with us. There are
four acts in the rite. The second is the
plant in bud. The third is the plant in
the flower. The ring closes again, and
when it opens there is the fruit, with
great beans six inches long hanging to
it. The explanation is that they bring
into the Enclosure with them the various
parts of the plant, which they deity
place in proper position while the ring
is closed during the incantations. They
use their blankets to cover the work"
Chicago Record.