Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-09-06
INDIANS AS MAGICIANS,
WONDERFUL TRICKS IN LEGERDEi
MAIN PERFORMED BY RED MEN.

Navaioes - Months Spent in Picthr-
esqne Symbolic Ceremonies and feats'
"The greatest inagiciaus I have
ever SEEM" said DE-. Washington
Matthews Of the United States army,
s'the most expert in legerdemain, 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 har-
vest was done and before they went
out upon their winter hunt, weeks
and months were spent in ceremonies
of all kinds, picturesque and symbolic
dances, the celebrations and annlver-
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 III
the centre Of their village d great
medicine lodge, probably ninety feet
in diameter, circular in form. In 1t
they had performances every hight'
and we idle white men, who had hoth-
ing else to do, visited these perform
ances more regularly than we would
visit the theatres in city. 1t was a
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 addition to songs
and dances they had exhibitions of
legerdemain. I cannot think of all
their tricks, for years have rolled by
since then. Making little wooden
images smoke pipes, putting stuffed
bird Oh the end of stick and making
it chirp, were AMONG the most anus
ing. The last trick was probably per-
formed 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 certain point the
men would break out and rush into
the roaring flames, dance in them and
throw the embers madly into the air.
It was then time for us to rush out
ourselves, because we might be struck
by some of the flying brands. APP
parently they went into the fire bare
footed and barelegged. They wore
nothing but breechclouts.
''Night after night they had some
thing new. Another trick was ap-
parently to run q knife through o
mans arm and let the blood rush out.
They would entertain rs for hours
with songs and dances. No admis-
sion was charged, but we frequently
made them presents. )"
''What is the greatest trick you have
ever seen amoug the Navajoes?"
''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 specta-
tor. A party of Indians come in and
dance, bearing nothing appar-
emily about them. They form
ring, singing and dancing. The ring
opens and there you see growing out
of the bare ground Of the corral a
small plant. They sing awhile and
the ring closes again. When it opens
a second time the yucca baccata plant
is noticed In Indian rites every
thing goes by fours. 1t is their sa-
cred 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 flower. The ring closes again aud
when it opens there is the fruit, with
great beans six inches long hanging
to2it. The explanation is that they
bring-into the inclosure with. them the
various parts of the plant, which they
deity place in proper position while
the ring,is closed during the incanta-
.tions. 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 pre-
pare for this trick. Our wax workers
and toy makers would not find it diff
cult. The Indians in the audience
believe the dancers to be gifted with
supernatural power. The perform
ance is partly religious worship and
partly amusement. 1t is partly with
u view of making abundant fruit and
partly for entertainment. The ele=
ments of amusement and religion go
hand in hand everywhere. The spec
tacular and the devotional are almost
inseparabe. The only place where
they disappear is at quaker meet
ing.
"The fire dance, perhaps the most
interesting ceremony of the Nava-
,ioes," said DR.. Mathews, is held in a
great corral, 200 or 800 feet III dame
tor. In the centre great fire is
built, around which the dancers per-
form. On the sides and all around
the inclosure smaller fires are lighted
for the comfort of the spectators, and
about them the onlookers gather.
| The dance is always held in winter,
on cold, frosty nights, with stars
twinkling brightly overhead = the
eyes of wolves, as Longfellow says.
Inside this fre-lighted circle great
| showers OF sparks lall all over INC cur
raj.
"The first thing is burning the down
off the wand. An immense fire, as
big as this room, is burning i'll the
centre, causing a great shower of en-
bers and sparks to fly in the air.
Ashes fall on the spectators like snow.
It becomes too warm for. comfort and
you have to protect your face. When
the fire is at its height sound like
the notes of crane is heard, and
finally twelve men enter the circle.
They are stark naked and are painted
in white-men of fine physical appear
ance. not fat, but live, lean athletes,
looking like statues. They move
slowly around close to the fre-a fire
that you could not approach with your
clothes on. They go through all sorts