346 ANIMISM AND FOLK-LORE OF GUIANA INDIANS [eth. ann. 30 



who cause disease of such a nature as to baffle the ordinary home 

 treatment and household remedies of the average Indian, though I 

 know of one instance in which a woman in labor was brought by her 

 husband to seek remedial measures from one of this fraternity. The 

 home treatment just referred to might consist in the use of ordmary 

 herbs, vapor baths, and in other measures known to the average 

 Indian. But occasionally, as with the Dak'mis, to obtain such an 

 herbal remedy, the piai's assistance may have to be invoked (Sect. 

 168B). As a matter of fact, all disease which does not respond 

 readily to treatment is ascribed to various Spirits acting directly or 

 uidii'ectly, by means of thorns, pointed bones, etc., maliciously 

 uiserted mto the body of the patient. When once invoked, the medi- 

 cine-man is able to learn the cause of the trouble, and how to combat 

 its effects. 



307. Disease or death is not a "natural" phenomenon, so to speak, 

 but is usually due to one of two agencies. It may be the work 

 of some Spirit, perpetrated either judicially or of mere malice, as 

 some affirm, or through the importunity of a votary. An evil 

 Spirit, one who causes an evil, might send an animal to bite or sting 

 a person, or cause a tree to fall upon him, his ax to cut him, water to 

 drown him, or some other calamity (Da, 289). Now, except thi-ough 

 the agency of the piai, the influence of this Spirit causing the evil can 

 not usually be counteracted. Berman alone for the Mainland makes 

 the statement, which I must regard as confirmed by the practice 

 of a similar custom on the Islands, that "when sickness assails them, 

 they Paymen, Sect. 89] present a propitiation to the Evil Spirit, con- 

 sisting of a piece of the flesh of any quadruped. If recovery follows, 

 they suppose the Evil Spirit to have regarded and accepted the offer- 

 ing," but if no recovery, the conjurer is called in, etc. (Be, 51-54). The 

 piais are undoubtedly believed to have the power of influencing the 

 Spirits not only in removing the causes of the disease wliich they (the 

 Spirits) have inflicted, but also in sending sickness elsewhere (Sect. 319) . 

 In the spring of 1907 the Ojanas (Cayenne) suffered from an epidemic 

 of bronchitis, or "galloping consumption," from which many died; 

 this was ascribed to the piais (Go, 14). It is possible, however, that 

 the medicine-men, independently of Spirits, and certain old people, 

 can inflict sickness on folks at a distance; for instance, the Apalai 

 Indians of the upper Parou, Cayenne, when they can not subdue 

 their sicknesses revenge themselves by sending an evil charm to a 

 woman (Sect. 319) of the neighboring tribe (Cr, 299). It is not at 

 all uncommon for one tribe to put the blame of some real or unagined 

 iU on the shoulders of another. For example, the Wapisianas con- 

 sider the Makusis the most dangerous poisoners and Kanaimas — 

 every illness is ascribed by them to the wickedness of the Makusis 

 (ScR, II, 387). Similarly, on the Tiquie River (Rio Negi-o) theMakus 



