boas] TSIMSHIAN SOCIETY 561 



the person who is regarded as competent to deal with diseases; for it is believed, that, 

 during the period of unconsciousness, supernatural power and skill were vouchsafed 

 them; and also, by their recovering, it is concluded that they have successfully 

 resisted the effects of bad medicine, or the evil workings of some malevolent being. 

 Still I do not mean to say that all their doctors arise from these circumstances, but 

 mostly so. I believe that any shrewd or eccentric man may, by fasting, successfully 

 prognosticating, or otherwise acting so as to excite the superstitious reverence of the 

 people in his favor, secure a footing in this lucrative profession. 



Next, as to the means employed by the doctors to recover patients. Fur pains in 

 the body they employ a bag of hot ashes, after first placing a damp cloth on the skin. 

 If the patient is afflicted with a pain in the head, they strike him on the place with 

 small branches of the spruce tree. For wounds they have a salve, but they seldom 

 use it except in bad cases; the most ordinary method is simply to place a quantity of 

 gum over the lips of the wound to keep them closed. For most of the diseases which 

 afflict them, they have some herb or decoction which they give as a counteractant. 



But the chief thing relied upon and resorted to, in case of failure of other means, 

 is incantation. The instrument used is a rattle, generally in the shape of a bird or a 

 frog, in the body of which a few small stones are placed. 1 This is whirled about the 

 patient while a song is sung. Occasionally the doctor applies his ear, or his mouth, 

 to the place where the pain or disorder chiefly rests. It is also very common, at this 

 stage, to make incisions where the pain is felt, or to apply fire to the place by means of 

 burning tinder made of dried wild flax. If relief follows these measures, the doctor 

 asserts that he has extracted the foul substance that has done the mischief; which 

 substance is supposed by them to be the bad or poisonous medicine some evil-disposed 

 one had silently inserted into the invalid's body. At such an announcement made by 

 the doctor, the patient, and the patient's friends, overjoyed at his success, liberally 

 present him with such property as they have got. If, however, a relapse ensues, and 

 the invalid dies, the doctor returns every particle of the property he has received. 

 When no relief follows the first trial, a more furious attack is made another time. If 

 still without effect, there is but little hope of the patient's recovery. 



Another curious matter connected with these operations is that when the doctor 

 has got pretty warm in his work, he boldly asserts that, he can see the soul of the patient, 

 if it is present. For this he shuts his eyes for some time, and then pronounces his 

 sentence. Either the soul is in its usual place, which is a good sign; or it is out of its 

 proper place, and seems wanting to take its flight, which makes the patient's case 

 doubtful; or else it has flown away, in which case there is no hope for the invalid's 

 recovery. The bold deceiver does not even hesitate to tell the people that the soul 

 is like a fly in shape, with a long curved proboscis. 



This people ascribe nearly all their bodily afflictions, and most deaths, to the secret 

 working of malevolent persons. This being the case, when any person dies — if 

 of any importance amongst them — and especially if suddenly, the friends of the de- 

 ceased fix upon some one as the cause, either a slave, or a stranger just arrived in the 

 camp, or, more probably still, a person with whom the deceased has lately quarreled. 

 Whoever the victim is, however, whether man or woman, nothing short of his or her 

 life will satisfy the bereaved persons. They believe in two ways an evil-disposed 

 person may effect his purpose. One is by placing some bad medicine in the meat or 

 drink of his victim, or, if sick, by persuading the individual to drink a poisonous 

 draught. The other way is by magic, and this is by far the most common method 

 they suppose. In this case they say that the deadly substance is transmitted from 

 the hand of the destroyer to the body of his victim, without the latter having any 

 perception of the event. . . . 



1 I have seen these rat ties maileof tin' bills of tin- horned pullm, three or four dozen be ing strung together.— 

 Mayne. 



50633°— 31 eth— 10 30 



