CHAPTER TIT. 



THE IZZE-KLOTH OR MEDICINE CORD OF THE APACHE. 



There is probably no more mysterious or interesting portion of the 

 religious or &quot; medicinal &quot; equipment of the Apache Indian, whether he 

 be medicine-man or simply a member of the laity, than the &quot;^zze^ 

 kloth&quot; or medicine cord, illustrations of which accompany this text. 

 Lessy perhaps, is known concerning it than any other article upon 

 which he relies in his distress. 



1 regret very much to say that 1 am unable to afford the slightest 

 clew to the meaning of any of the parts or appendages of the cords 

 which I have seen or which I have procured. Some excuse for this is to 

 be found in the fact that the Apache look upon these cords as so sacred 

 that strangers are not allowed to see them, much less handle them or 

 talk about them. 1 made particular effort to cultivate the most 

 friendly and, when possible, intimate relations with such of the Apache 

 and other medicine-men as seemed to offer the best chance for obtain 

 ing information in regard to this and other matters, but I am compelled 

 to say with no success at all. 



FIG. 435. Single-strand medicine cord (Zufii). 



I did advance so far in my schemes that Na-a-cha, a prominent medi 

 cine-man of the Tonto Apache, promised to let me have his cord, but as 

 an eruption of hostility on the part of the tribe called me away from the 

 San Carlos Agency, the opportunity was lost. Ramon, one of the prin- 

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