304 PAPERS RELATING TO ANTHROPOLOGY. 



wuter where the Indians intended to fish. At other places they were 

 suspended at })oints in the mountains favorable for hunting. 



This will account for the asphaltum and string on the implements, 

 which, Professor Putnam says, "show the method by which they were 

 fastened to fishing nets or lines." 



The IS^apa Indians also stated that they were sometimes laid upon 

 ledges of rocks on high i)eaks, with the belief that, owing to their ])ecul- 

 iar form and some occult power which they possessed, they traveled in 

 the night through the water to drive the fish up the creeks to favorite 

 fishing places, or through the air to drive the land game up towards 

 certain peaks and favorite hunting grounds. 



The peculiar pear-shaped form was given them to enable them to 

 cleave through the air and water. He also stated they were used in 

 time of war, as they were supposed to travel about at night for the pur- 

 pose of worrying the enemies of their tribe. 



In a recent interview with one Eafael Solaris, the last male represent- 

 ative of the Tsa-niala tribe, who occupied a village called Tsok-to-no 

 Ha-moo, near the Santa Ynez Mission, Santa Barbara County, I ob- 

 tained direct information which substantiates my views as to the uses of 

 these imideinents. Pafael at first disclaimed any knowledge of the use 

 of the so-called plummets; but when shown a perforated one he recog- 

 nized it and said it was worn suspended from the neck for defense, and 

 to make the wearer impervious to arrows, and that in time of war any 

 one biting this implement was rendered invisible to his enemies, and 

 enabled to travel with safety. 



The medicine men, after fasting one month and abstaining from the 

 use of fatty substances, after drinking several cups of the decoction of a 

 herb which they called Tol-wach-ie, were in proper condition to make 

 use of the charm stones. This herb is common in our mountains, and 

 has a profusion of white flowers and spiny seed-pods. The whole 

 plant — root, leaf, and flower — is poisonous, j)roducing an abnormal condi- 

 tion in the person using it. 



In a still more recent interview with the host of the Tchii-mah In- 

 dians I obtained the words and translation of a song which refers to 

 this subject. 



The meter and music are Schu-may (or Ohuma) ; the words are in the 

 Mishkhon-aka, or language of the Ventura Indians. It is called ^ti- 

 toicen cush. 



SOXG. 



Kii-yu-wa-will le 



I am going to tell 



Le-le ni-mu-stu me sip-posh 



Uneasy nij- heart 



Su-mus il. Ka-teush-wen 



Charm stone I have not. 



Lali-o-li-o 1 wen-new 



I am sad. 



