300 PAPERS EELATING TO ANTHROPOLOGY. 



a flattisli roiiml, beach-worn pebble of quartzite, mnvorked, and staiued 

 black witli iron. It was, as I was told, a peculiar power in rain iuakin<r, 

 and as an evidence of its power, tlie Indian held it for a few moments 

 tightly grasped* in bis bands, when moisture was visible on it, caused 

 by contact with the moist hand. " 



The moisture was pointed to as visible evidence of its rain- making- 

 power. 



The nse of the medicine stones among the San Buenaventura In- 

 dians was as follows : 



The twelve sorcery stones were arranged in a circle close together; 

 in the center was arranged the Tu-cait ; Ghia, the generic name for 

 seed-meal, together with down from the breast of the white goose, was 

 then spread over the stones, and then red ochre spread over the whole. 

 Around this a dance was held, while three old men sang, keeping time 

 with rattles. 



This or similar ceremonies were observed for curing the sick, bring- 

 ing rain, putting out fires in the mountains, calling fish up the streams, 

 and when war was to be made. 



Several other stones of various shapes were shown to me, some in 

 their natural condition ; one a piece of iron-pyrites, another resembling 

 a natural concretion. 



Those of the third class were fashioned with care and were about 4 

 inches long, somewhat tapering in shape and encircled with several 

 rings; to all of these mysterious properties were assigned, and it is 

 probable that many other kinds were formerly in nse. As nearly as 

 could be gathered, the pear-shaped "sinker" variety was considered 

 the most efficient in sorcery. 



Why the sorcery stones were givQii their peculiar shape it is not easy 

 to understand, and the solution of this problem must be left to the final 

 consideration of those more ingenious in such speculations than the 

 writer. 



J. P. McLean, in the Mound Builders on page 103, figures an imple- 

 ment of hematite which he classes under the head " pendants," and re- 

 marks : " It may have been used as a plummet or net sinker." 



In the year 1885 Mrs. Packard, a visitor to Santa Barbara, discovered 

 an interosting relic in the old Indian burial-ground at Bos Pueblos, 

 about 18 miles west from Santa Barbara, near the coast. This relic, one 

 of the so called " plummets," is made of specular iron ore. (See Pig. 20.) 

 This, so far as my observation goes, is the first of the kind found on this 

 coast; it resembles a specimen of the same material found near Quincy, 

 111., figured on page 232 of Abbott's Primitive Industry. 



I know of no ore of this character liaving been found in this part of 

 the country, and it is my opinion that the greater portion of the charm 

 Hones found on or near the coast were manufactured by tribes living in 

 the interior, and were articles of barter obtained from tribes who excelled 

 in making the finest and most potent charms. 



