Sketches From Oldest America 



throughout the surrounding country, his services 

 being solicited from far and near, and he soon be- 

 came quite prosperous, the rule among " Ongoot- 

 koots " being the greater the pay, the more effica- 

 cious the treatment. 



At a far more recent day it was discovered that 

 a certain Puneunau had a great admiration for his 

 neighbor's dogs, he considering them a toothsome 

 dish. The chief banished him from the tribe, with 

 the warning that if he returned, the death penalty 

 would be inflicted. In his wanderings Puneunau 

 led quite a checkered career with its accompanying 

 hardships. Several times starvation seemed to stare 

 him in the face. It was during one of these latter 

 occasions that he discovered the art of running a 

 small shm stick down his throat without injury or 

 great discomfort. 



After the death of the chief, Puneunau returned 

 to the village, claiming he could perform a marvel- 

 ous feat, and in proof of the assertion he ran the 

 stick down his throat, then went around uttering 

 gutteral sounds. The thing seemed wonderful in 

 the eyes of the villagers, gaining for him the reputa- 

 tion of being an "Ongootkoot." 



One thing troubled Puneunau, however: he was 

 51 



