that frequently Indians vomit on eating the leaves, which 
is easy to believe. It was possible for me, however, to 
retain the fluid. 
After having eaten her mushrooms, without more ado 
our cwrandera launched into singing, intoning in Maza- 
tec with vigor. She kept this up for two hours, in a 
rather monotonous voice. I tape-recorded her singing 
but have yet to find someone who will give a rendering 
in Knglish or Spanish. 
The effect of the leaves came sooner than would have 
been the case with the mushrooms, was less sweeping, 
and lasted a shorter time. There was not the slightest 
doubt about the effect, but it did not go beyond the ini- 
tial effect of the mushrooms—dancing colors in elaborate, 
three-dimensional designs. Whether a larger dose would 
have produced a greater effect, I do not know. 
A day or two before the events that I have narrated, 
the curandera Maria Sebastiana Carrera had supplied us 
with many details about the use of the leaves and had 
even chanted the words of the ceremony after her usage. 
She had declined to admit us to an actual ceremony be- 
cause her neighbors (and doubtless she herself) would 
have considered the performance before outsiders a dese- 
cration and scandalous. Even as it was, when her session 
with us was drawing to a close, she burst into uncontrol- 
lable tears, fell on her knees, and begged forgiveness for 
what she had done. She had also given us valuable cos- 
mological legends that are still believed in among the 
villagers, which I hope to publish elsewhere. 
On October 9, 1962, our party was in San José Tenan- 
go. This time it consisted of Dr. Albert Hofmann, his 
wife Anita, Irmgard Weitlaner Johnson, Herlinda Mar- 
tinez Cid (who served as Mazatec interpreter), and me. 
Through the good offices of Roberto Carrera, the son of 
Aurelio Carrera of Huautla, we were introduced to Con- 
[ 83 | 
