Miscellaneous Papers. 147 



THE MEDICINE FRATERNITY OF THE APACHES. 



Among the Apaches the medicine fraternity is composed of both 

 men and women. These doctors claim to be endowed with super- 

 natural powers — special powers from the gods. Some even claim 

 to be gods themselves. They often not only claim to have power 

 over "sick," but to be able to raise the dead. These shamans pre- 

 side at all medicine performances, and lead the singing in all such 

 performances. They command the people to move near the river 

 or away from it, as their fancy decides. Before the coming of the 

 white man, it is said, they put to death all who disobeyed their 

 orders or doubted their being endowed with superhuman powers. 

 Below are some of the sayings and doings of medicine men that are 

 out of the ordinary. 



Chief Brigham Young used to tell the Indians, and also the 

 white people of the agency, that he was God, and he created all 

 things, and that he was all powerful. Also, if he wished to kill a 

 man or an animal all he needed to do was to just put his hand out 

 and touch it and it would drop dead. 



An old chief, whose name I do not now recall, also used to tell 

 the Indians the same kind of a story, and they all believed it. This 

 Indian lived at what is now known as Canyon, south of Fort Apache. 

 Once|he got into trouble and was fined several days' work. He de- 

 clared to the officers that he was God and would not work. He was 

 locked up till he was willing to work and did work. He worked as 

 a prisoner some two or three weeks, and at no time did he try to 

 kill the officers by his supernatural power. But the Indians said: 

 "White man different; doctor can no kill white man." 



It is evident to a close student of Indian performances that 

 fakery, hypnotism and superstition are the instruments used by 

 medicine men to keep their people under their control. 



VISIT OF CHIEFS OF BOIS FORT INDIANS TO WASHINGTON. 



As has been indicated in other articles published in the Trans- 

 actions by the present author, Indians are always of the opinion 

 that some part of some old treaty has not been fulfilled. The Bois 

 Fort Chippewas are no exception to the rule. Throughout all last 

 winter the Indians here councilled day after day about what they 

 said the government owed them. Finally, February 12, they agreed 

 on their wants and their demands and had them put in written form 

 as here given in the next succeeding sheets. With copies of the 

 council proceedings in their pockets, Interpreter Frank H. Pequette 

 and four chiefs started to Washington on March 1, 1910. It had 



