The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1903-11-18
MAGIC BY THE INDIANS.
AMERICAN REDSKINS EQUAL TO
WIZARDS OF THE ORIENT.

Tricks Through the Intervention OF
Tribal Divinities.
Redskin magic has been a subject
of special investigation recently by
the Bureau of Ethnology at Washing
ton, which finds that among the
American Indians there are wizards
who can perform feats quite as won
derful as any of those attributed to
the fakirs of the Orient. In fact. there
are certain tribes, such as the Chippe-
way, which have developed the art of
sorcery, as one might say, to a high
point; and Catholic missionaries and
other reliable witnesses testify to hav-
ing seen century plants two or three
feet high produced within a few min
utes on bare western prairies-where
previously nothing grew-simply, as 1t
seemed, by few incantations and a
small amount of hocus-pocus.
This feat, which bears curious
likeness to the famous mango tree
trick of India, seems beyond explana-
tion, the century plants grown in the
spontaneous manner described being
of considerable size and apparently a
dozen years old. But 1t Is perhaps
surpassed by a marvel which was re-
counted to one of the government in
vestlgators by q Jesuit priest, who said
that while he was sojourning among
the Arapahoes and Cheyennes, west of
wizards fetch grass up out of the
ground where there had not been a
sprlg of vegetation. II was done in q
few minutes, and there was quite q
patch of 1t, green and growing. With
his own eyes he saw it sprout and
grow.
The wizards among the Indians are
priests. Indeed, the primitive priest
all over tie world Is, and has always
been, magician and juggler. Jug
Cling tricks are the most important
part of his stock in trade, vividly i'm
pressing the untutored beholders with
belief in the supernatural powers of
the performer. The position of Off
cial rainmaker is invariably held by
sacerdotal magician of note, who
claims to be able to control the wealth
er. He embodies in his own person
all the functions of a weather bureau,
the only drawback being that he usu-
ally loses his life sooner or later in
consequence of making a few unsuc-
cessful predictions.
Among the Chippeways there Ia a
class of wizards known as "dreamers,"
who are supposed to be able to handle
with impunity red hot stones and burn
ing brands, or to bathe their hands
without discontinue in boiling water.
A magician of this type is dealer in
fire." and at night he may sometimes
be seen flying rapidly along in the
shape of ball of fire or a pair of fiery
sparks, like the eyes of some mon
strous beast. The late DR.. w. j. Hoff-
man of the bureau Of ethnology knew
one of the jugglers who could take
ripe red cherries from his mouth at
any season of the year. He had a mag
ic bag which would move on the
ground as ii it were alive, but DR..
Hoffman more than half suspected
that the sack contained a live rat or
some other small animal.
One of the investigators on a GER
tain occasion saw a Menomini wizard
produce live snakes, as it appeared.
from ;.l empty bag The bag was of
red flannel, about 20 inches wide by
80 inches in depth, and the mystery
man" held 1t between his fingers by
the two upper corners, SO as to spread
1t out. Then he rolled it between his
fingers like a ball, to show that there
was nothing inside. Again he took 1t
by the upper corners, and, holding 1t
up, danced slowly. Presently two
snake heads began to emerge from the
top OF the sack. gradually becoming
more and more exposed to view until
the bodies of the serpents protruded
half foot or so. From time to time
the snakes withdrew themselves slto
the bag, coming out again. and again
retreating. When they had finally dis
appeared the performer, rolled the
sack up tightly and put it into his boz
som. 1t seemed quite wonderful, but
the trick was simple one, the two
snake heads (stuffed) being attached
to a tape, the ends of which were fas-
tened to the upper corners of the bag.
When the wizard pulled the tape taut,
it caused the heads TO lift themselves
above the ends Of the bag. passing
through couple of loops.
The Indian wizards pretend that they
can perform their tricks only through
the intervention of the tribal divini-
ties; and this is where the juggling ana
religion come together. Information
Us to future events is commonly OBJ
tanned by special consultation with the
divinities in the so-called magic
lodge" which is cylindrical structure
of birch bark, with q framework of
small poles, just big enough to contain
and give concealment to man stand
ing erect. As soon as the wizard has
entered, the lodge begins swaying vio-
lently, and there Is a great rafting OF
bells and deers' hoofs which are fas-
tened to the tops OF the poles. Three
voices are then heard in consultation
a loud one Qor the Great Spirit, a
faint one (for the small spirit, and