248 BELIEVE IN FAMILIAR SPIRITS. 



originally any form of worship. They have, how- 

 ever, still a belief in familiar spirits in Chinook, 

 " Tamanowash," whom they address when in dif- 

 ficulty. They consider that supernatural aid, or 

 1 Tamanowash,' may be obtained for five objects, 

 namely, the cure or infliction of disease, skill in 

 hunting, and in gambling, courage, and invul- 

 nerability; lastly, success in the acquisition of 

 property. 



' A youth desirous of obtaining " Tamanowash " 

 must adhere to strict cleanliness of person, and 

 must abstain from sexual intercourse, as indispen- 

 sible preliminaries; he must also leave the parental 

 lodge of an evening and sleep by the shore of 

 some distant and lonely lake, or in some other 

 secluded place, night after night, until during 

 sleep the Tamanowash communicates with him. 

 By this way of acting, on returning to the lodge 

 in the morning the parents know whether or not 

 the son has been successful in his night's quest. 

 Either the ambition of the sire, the son, or of 

 both, will prompt to perseverance in trial. It is 

 an Indian belief that when an Indian dies, or is 

 killed, his TamanoAvash passes to his son. 



' Some say they have a grizzly bear as Tamano- 

 wash, others a woodpecker, the invulnerables an 

 oak, and so on ad infinitum. 



