(1) _Foretell the coming of tempests and storms._--p. 308.
The Indian jugglers--I am not now speaking of those who pretend to
cure disease--are sometimes successful in their legerdemain, to a
degree, which almost makes a convert of the sceptic. The following
story is related by the interesting Carver.
"One day, whilst we were all expressing our wishes for this desirable
event, (the arrival of the traders with provisions) and looking from
an eminence in hopes of seeing them come over the lake, the chief
priest, belonging to the band of the Killistinoes, told us, that he
would endeavour to obtain a conference with the Great Spirit, and know
from him when the traders would arrive. I paid little attention to
this declaration, supposing that it would be productive of some
juggling trick, just sufficiently covered to deceive the ignorant
Indians. But the king of that tribe telling me that this was chiefly
undertaken by the priests, to alleviate my anxiety, and, at the same
time, to convince me how much interest he had with the Great Spirit, I
thought it necessary to restrain my animadversions on his design.
"The following evening was fixed upon for this spiritual conference.
When every thing had been properly prepared, the king came to me and
led me to a capacious tent, the covering of which was drawn up, so as
to render what was transacting within visible to those who stood
without. We found the tent surrounded by a great number of the
Indians, but we readily gained admission, and seated ourselves on
skins laid on the ground for that purpose. In the centre, I observed
that there was a place of an oblong shape, which was composed of
stakes stuck in the ground, with intervals between, so as to form a
kind of chest or coffin, large enough to contain the body of a man.
These were of a middle size, and placed at such a distance from each
other, that whatever lay within them was readily to be discerned. The
tent was perfectly illuminated by a great number of torches, made of
splinters cut from the pine or birch tree, which the Indians held in
their hands.
"In a few minutes the priest entered; when an amazing large elk's-skin
being spread on the ground, just at my feet, he laid himself down upon
it, after having stripped himself of every garment, except that which
he wore close about his middle. Being now prostrate on his back, he
first laid hold of one side of the skin, and folded it over him, and
then the other, leaving only his head uncovered. This was no sooner
done, than two of the young men who stood by took about forty yards of
strong cord, made also of an elk's hide, and rolled it tight round his
body, so that he was completely swathed within the skins. Being thus
bound up like an Egyptain Mummy, one took him by the heels and the
other by the head, and lifted him over the pales into the enclosure. I
could also now discern him as plain as I had hitherto done, and I
took care not to turn my eyes a moment from the object before me, that
I might the more readily detect the artifice; for such, I doubted not,
but that it would turn out to be.
"The priest had not lain in this situation more than a few seconds,
when he began to mutter. This he continued to do for some time, and
then by degrees grew louder and louder, till at length he spoke
articulately; however, what he uttered was in such a mixed jargon of
the Chippewas, Ottawas, and Killistinoe languages, that I could
understand but very little of it. Having continued in this tone for a
considerable while, he at last exerted his voice to its utmost pitch,
sometimes raving and sometimes praying, till he had worked himself
into such an agitation, that he foamed at his mouth.
"After having remained nearly three quarters of an hour in the place,
and continued his vociferation with unabated vigour, he seemed to be
quite exhausted, and remained speechless. But in an instant he sprang
upon his feet, notwithstanding, at the time he was put in, it appeared
impossible for him to move either his legs or arms; and, shaking off
his covering as quick as if the bands with which it had been bound
were burned asunder, he began to address those who stood around, in a
firm and audible voice. 'My brothers,' said he, 'the Great Spirit has
deigned to hold a talk with his servant, at my earnest request. He has
not, indeed, told me when the persons we expect will be here; but
to-morrow, soon after the sun has reached his highest point in the
heavens, a canoe will arrive, and the people in that will inform us
when the traders will come.'
"Having said this, he stepped out of the enclosure, and, after he had
put on his robes, dismissed the assembly.
"I own I was greatly astonished at what I had seen; but as I observed
that every eye in the company was fixed on me with a view to discover
my sentiments, I carefully concealed every emotion.
"The nest day the sun shone bright, and long before noon all the
Indians were gathered together on the eminence that overlooked the
lake. The old king came to me and asked me whether I had so much
confidence in what the priest had foretold, as to join his people on
the hill, and wait for the completion of it? I told him I was at a
loss what opinion to form of the prediction, but that I would readily
attend him. On this we walked together to the place where the others
were assembled. Every eye was again fixed by turns on me and on the
lake; when, just as the sun had reached his zenith, agreeable to what
the priest had foretold, a canoe came round a point of land about a
league distant. The Indians no sooner beheld it, than they set up a
universal shout, and by their looks seemed to triumph in the interest
their priest thus evidently had with the Great Spirit."
It is related by a Madame de Marson, that she was one day very uneasy
about her husband, who commanded at that time a post in Acadia; he was
still absent, though the time be had fixed for his return was already
past. An Indian woman, seeing Madame de Marson uneasy, asked her the
reason of it, and, having learned it, told her, after musing some time
on it, not to vex herself, that her husband would return such a day at
such an hour, naming both, with a grey hat on his head. As she
perceived the lady gave no credit to her prediction, she returned to
her at the day and hour she had assigned, and asked her whether she
would not come to see her husband arrive, and pressed her so strongly
to follow her, that at last she led her to the bank of the river.
They had scarcely arrived there, when Mons. de Marson appeared in a
canoe, with a grey hat on his head, and being told what had passed,
assured them that he was utterly at a loss to conceive which way the
Indian woman could know the day and hour of his arrival.
Another well attested story of successful jugglery is related in a
History of Virginia, the second edition of which appeared in 1722.
"Some years ago," says the author, "there happened a very dry time,
towards the heads of the rivers, and especially on the upper parts of
James River, where Colonel Byrd had several quarters of negroes. This
gentleman has been for a long time extremely respected and feared by
all the Indians round about, who, without knowing the name of any
governor, have ever been kept in order by him. During this drought, an
Indian, well known to one of the Colonel's overseers, came to him, and
asked if his tobacco was not like to be spoiled. The overseer
answered, yes, if they had not rain very suddenly. The Indian, who
pretended great kindness for his master, told the overseer, if he
would promise to give him two bottles of rum, he would bring him rain
enough. The overseer did not believe anything of the matter, not
seeing at that time the least appearance of rain, nor so much as a
cloud in the sky; however, he promised to give him the rum when his
master came thither, if he would be as good as his word; upon this the
Indian went immediately a _pauwawing_, as they call it; and in about
half an hour there came up a black cloud into the sky, that showered
down rain enough upon this gentleman's corn and tobacco, but none at
all upon any of the neighbours, except a few drops of the skirts of
the shower."
With a belief that these tales of Indian _diablerie_ will not be
uninteresting to the reader, I will relate one more. It is copied from
Long's Expedition to the Source of St. Peter's River. "About twenty
years ago, a large party of Indians, collected near Lake Travers, were
quite destitute of tobacco; not knowing how to procure any, they
applied to Tatankanaje (Standing Buffalo), a prophet of some
distinction, and the uncle of the present chief of the Kahras. This
man usually carried about him a little stone idol, carved into a human
shape; this he called his little man, and to it he always applied when
consulted in the way of his profession. Tatankanaje, being requested
to advise the best means of obtaining tobacco, made answer to them,
that if they would go to a certain place which he pointed out to them,
they would find his idol, and, by examining it, they would observe in
its hand a piece of tobacco. They did as he bade them, and found in
the little fellow's hand a piece about four inches long; this was
brought to the camp, and was thought to redound much to the credit
both of the prophet and the idol; but Tatankanaje then observed that
he would consult the little man, and ascertain where he had found the
tobacco, and how he came by it. This he did by putting interrogatories
to him, to which he pretended that audible answers were returned,
though of the many present not one heard them beside himself. The
purport of these answers, however, as he subsequently informed them,
was, that at a spot on the St. Peter, near to Redwood River, there was
a boat loaded with goods; that her commander, a French trader, having
been murdered by the Sioux, the crew had been alarmed, and had run
away, leaving the boat unguarded, together with her cargo, consisting
principally of tobacco; that the little man had seen her, and finding
a piece of tobacco on a keg, had brought it up. The prophet having
invited them to seek for it, they repaired to the spot, found the
boat, took the tobacco, and returned the rest of the goods to the
first French traders that passed up the river. This event happened, as
we were informed, in the presence of Renville and Freniers, two French
traders of reputation, both considered as intelligent and enlightened
men; they were the fathers of the two half-breed traders, with whom we
were acquainted. The story is given with all the particulars that
might be wished for; the name of the owner of the boat was Benjamin La
Goterie, a name well known in that country. The story has been current
ever since. The traders, who appear to credit it, state that it was
impossible for the prophet to have visited the spot and returned
without his absence being known, as the distance exceeds one hundred
miles; from whom he received his intelligence they never knew. As to
the Dahcotahs themselves, they never considered it possible that it
might be a knavery of the prophet's, but attributed it altogether to
his mystic lore.
"On another occasion, Tatankanaje acquired great reputation in
consequence of a prediction that he would lead a war party; that, on
the day which he appointed, and at a particular spot which he
described, he would fall in with a camp of fifteen Assiniboin lodges;
that he would attack and defeat them, kill a certain number of the
enemy, and make a stated amount of prisoners: he predicted, in like
manner, the loss of lives which would attend this victory. The event
justified, as it is said, the prediction; not only as to the general
results, but even as to the circumstances of time, place, number of
killed and wounded on both sides, and amount of prisoners taken from
the enemy. Of course, so valuable a prophet was constantly resorted to
for the recovery of stolen property, or of goods that were lost, for a
knowledge of the fate of persons that were travelling, for the cure of
diseases, and for all such other important points, upon which the
credulity both of civilized and savage man induces them to lend a
willing ear to the impositions of knaves. Of his talent in recovering
property, we regret that we can only mention a circumstance in which
the object at stake was very trifling. Some one had ventured to steal
away the prophet's bridle; it was concealed in a lodge that formed one
in a camp of one hundred lodges. The prophet took a mirror in his
hand, and walked round the village, until, as he said, he saw the lost
bridle reflected in his mirror: he entered the adjoining lodge, and
recovered his property.
"Not only do they prophesy, but they perform tricks of legerdemain,
all which they ascribe to the success of their incantations. We are
indebted to Mr. Charles Hess, a French trader, with whom Mr. Say had
several conferences at Fort St. Anthony, for the account of a trick
performed by an Assiniboin. The magician asserted, in Mr. Hess's
presence, as well as in that of many Indians, that he could cause
water to flow into an empty keg, though he might at that time be upon
a dry prairie, and at a distance from any spring or stream. Mr. Hess
having told him that he did not believe him, but that, if he
succeeded, he would give him a keg of whiskey, the Indian offered to
repeat the trick. He exhibited to them his keg, which they examined,
and all judged to be empty. The bung was removed, the cask turned
over, and no liquid issued from it. The Indian then commenced his
incantations, raising his keg towards the heavens, dancing and
performing many unmeaning gestures; after which he presented it to the
Indian chief that was present, bidding him to drink of the water which
it contained; the latter drank of it, found it very good, and passed
it to his neighbour; the cask was circulated, to the great
satisfaction of all the Indians, who drank of its contents, and even
Mr. Hess was convinced that the keg really held pure water."
(2) _Tattooed Warrior._--p. 316.
This expression may be hardly used of the tribes to which the tale
relates. Tattooing, in the sense in which it is commonly spoken of,
was never, as far as I have learnt, in use among the Indians,
occupying the tract of country which is now called New England.
Among those tribes with whom the practice is in use, the process of
tattooing is performed by persons who make it a business of profit.
Their instrument consists of three or four needles, tied to a
truncated and flattened end of a stick, in such an arrangement, that
the points may form a straight line; the figure desired is traced upon
the skin, and some dissolved gunpowder, or pulverised charcoal, is
pricked in with the instrument, agreeably to the figure. It is said
not to be painful, but it is sometimes accompanied by inflammation and
fever, and has been known to terminate fatally.
(3) _Disgraced Woman._--p. 319.
Not to have borne children is one of the deepest and most indelible
disgraces that can be endured by an Indian wife. She becomes a
standing theme of ridicule to those of her own sex who are blest with
children. The pride and honour of parents among them depend upon the
number of their family. Another reason why barrenness is disgraceful,
is, that it is considered to be brought on by incontinence or wilful
abortions.