Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-06-21

jugs and drink it in great quantities
even before it is old.
The effect Is more like that of NOR
phine than whisky. There is that per-
and the fancy Is free. A luxurious
glow m to the face. the eyes sparkle
and dance. and. stimulated by the drug.
the Indians hea strange singing of
old native songs. They break into
song when the spirit moves them. First
one. then another. will recall the lines
OF an old song. and h others join in
the singing.
Effect Of tho Potion.
Then the drug tingles in every sep
arate nerve like the finest OF wine. A
numbness sets in. beginning at the
finger tips. which turn blue under the
nails. The Indian. full of the liquor
and under it's influence. Is really about
half dead. The hands are lifeless and
the circulation is low. From the best
Information which can be obtained the
heart runs as low as 81 pulsations
per minute.
Finally by heroic work and after a
hard struggle the heart revives. the
%nulnbncss passes away. n the Indian
staggers home.
Because of the introduction of the
mcscal to the Winnebago reservation
the Indians are divided int two fac
tons. Those who use the tea made
from the mescal claim membership in
the strange society, which they assert
is really a religious organization, and
that the tea is only used to bring
about a conscious state OF mind.
when the communicate is nearer the
happy hunting grounds and can see
and converse with friends. who have
long rested beneath the little wooden
houses which are scattered over h
great reservation. and which the In
6ino0 call rvnVaS II ia further hOnQd
that If the Indian is in special favor
with deity that IA Jesus" will draw
the cloud which hides his face and
allow the poor Indian to see 1t.
Sec Imaginary God.
1t was q strange tale which was
| conveyed to the Winnebago Indians
| with the mescal flower. a tale which
stories OF the incarnation OF deity.
which exists among the people OF In
dia, China and Thibet.
A certain god. the tale goes. blessed
| the mescal and promised that whoever
made tea of the mescal bud and drank
OF 1t should be rewarded with the sight
OF the great divinity. who sails some-
where in the clouds In II wizard ship
covered with snake skins.
This divinity. according to the lead
I ers OF the society on the W~innebago
reservation, anne n time and lived
among the tribes Of the south. During
his residence on earth he instructed
the natives In the use of metals. dis
covered quicksilver and was a great
benefactor to the Indian nations. I'm
der him the earth teemed with fruits
and aowcrs without the pains of Gull
ture. An ear Of Indian corn was as
much as a single man could carry:
the fu >. as they grew to cover the
bodies Of animals. look OF their own
accord the rich dyes Of the Indian art
The air was filled with intoxicating
perfumes and the sweet melody OF
birds.
Msseaiitss Held in Contempt.
This was the Jesus" whom the Win.
ncbaEO Indians, after a long vigil and
under the strange influence of the
steeped mescal buds. hope to see and
feel near them. and perhaps to speak
to, while departed friends are supposed
to come back from the hunting ground
beyond and tell them Of the beauties
Of another world where sQuaws. dogs
and bucks are admitted on equa,
ground and free from trouble Will
white men.
1t. Is the claim Of the other factor
! cs .SS Winneba9o tribe. which has NJ