314 THE MONTAGNAIS INDIANS AND THEIR FOLK-LORE 



" When one of them enters the place of worship prepared for his 

 reception, with a rattle in his hand and a stick across in his mouth, 

 the most silent awe reigns around him, and the most sanguine ex- 

 pectations are formed by the beholders of the success of the ma- 

 gician's skill in petitioning the god of animals and in scaring the 

 devil. He is no sooner seated in his ' temple ' than the country re- 

 sounds with the noise of his rattles and singing, which latter is 

 composed of a repetition of ' Ya-tat-shis shiku-unie kui, Ya-tat- 

 sJiis shiku-unie kui, Ki ka-ka-ui shi ski ka vna ni, ki ka-ka-ui she 

 ka ma ni.' (Great Master of animals among the clouds, bless us, 

 and let us continue to make as good a hunt as usual.) After he 

 has worked himself into convulsions by his contortions and howl- 

 ings till rivulets of perspiration trickle from his naked body, he 

 cries, in a sort of ecstasy : ' He comes, he comes ; I see him, I see 

 him ; he is dressed very fine.' Then the spell is over, the charm 

 complete, and the good doctor, after recovering his exhausted 

 spirits, relates to the anxious bystanders his conversation with 

 Ka-wab-api-sMt, what success may be expected in the chase, and 

 how he has concluded a treaty of peace with their common enemy, 

 the devil." 



It is claimed that no matter how firmly an Indian 

 conjurer is tied up before entering his juggling-booth, 

 he will in a few minutes completely free himself of 

 his bonds. He compels his wife's fidelity by profess- 

 ing to be able to see at all times whatever she may be 

 doing. 



The squaws are compelled to be the drudges of their 

 husbands, and are usually only permitted to eat after 

 them. The daintiest pieces of the game they kill are 

 only eaten by the men. According to the latter, it 

 would injure their future hunting prospects to give 

 any of these titbits to a woman. Yet in cases of act- 

 ual want, an Indian, to do him justice, will leave his 

 last piece of food for his squaw. And when utter des- 

 titution in the woods is followed by starvation, as not 



