68 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



antagonistic to the regular shamans. Instance the Jossakeed of 

 the Ojibwa, rivals of the Mide*, as the Israelite prophets were of 

 the Levites. At the time of the Judges the prophets were isolated 

 and without any common doctrine. These irregular practitioners 

 arrived at recognition individually by personal skill in an exhibi- 

 tion of supernatural power that is, they wrought miracles to 

 prove themselves genuine. 



At the time of the exodus there were, among all the Semitic 

 tribes, sorcerers who possessed mysterious secrets and enjoyed 

 some of the power of the elohim. They were paid to curse those 

 whose ruin was desired. Balaam was the most distinguished sor- 

 cerer of that time. 



One of the most frequent purposes for employing supernatural 

 agency was to bring on rain in time of drought. The practi- 

 tioner generally tried to delay his incantations as long as possi- 

 ble in hopes of a meteorologic change. Sometimes, on failure, he 

 was killed, as he was supposed to be an enemy who possessed the 

 power he professed but was unwilling to use it ; and to prevent 

 this dangerous ordeal in a dry season, he charged in advance cer- 

 tain crimes and "pollutions" against the people, on account of 

 which all his skill would be in vain. The more skillful rain-makers 

 among the Sioux and the Mandans managed not to be among the 

 beginners, but toward the last of the various contestants. The 

 rain would surely come some time, and when it came the incanta- 

 tions ceased. The shaman who held the floor at the right time 

 produced the rain. 



Frequent reference to rain-making is found in the Old Testa- 

 ment, in which the prophets were the actors. 



The mystery-men were consulted on all occasions as sources of 

 truth, not only to explain dreams, but to disclose secrets of all 

 kinds ; to predict successes in war ; to tell the causes of sickness ; 

 to bring luck in the hunt or in fishing ; to obtain stolen articles ; 

 and to produce ill luck and disease. Their processes, together 

 with thaumaturgic exhibitions, included some empiric knowledge, 

 and also tricks of sleight-of-hand and hypnotic passes. 



The Chahta had a peculiar mode of finding the cure for dis- 

 ease, by singing successively a number of songs, each one of which 

 had reference to a peculiar herb or mode of treatment. The pref- 

 erence of the patient for any song indicated the remedy. 



The Israelites believed that diseases as well as accidents with- 

 out apparent cause, and other disasters, were the immediate acts 

 of the elohim or were caused by evil spirits ; therefore they relied 

 upon prophets, magicians, or enchanters for exorcism. Hezekiah's 

 boil was cured by Isaiah. Benhadad, King of Syria, and Naaman, 

 the Syrian, applied to the prophet Elisha. All the people resorted 

 to their favorite mystery-men. 



