246 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull, ei 



were using at the time of giving the information; one (Uscd-as- 

 a-Shield) gave an account of "conjuring" from the standpoint of 

 the patient; another (Old Buffalo) narrated his fasting prayer for 

 a sick relative; and additional information was received from other 

 informants. 



When a man skillful in the use of the sacred stones was called to 

 attend a sick person he was expected to give a demonstration of his 

 supernatural power. Many were invited to witness this exhibition, 

 and it is said that harm would come to those who did not "believe 

 in the sacred stones." The sick person filled a pipe, which he gave 

 to the medicine-man. After smoking it the man was tightly bound 

 with thongs, even his fingers and toes being interlaced with sinews 

 like those of which bowstrings are made, after which he was firmly 

 tied in a hide. The tent was dark, and the medicine-man sang songs 

 addressed to the sacred stones; he sang also his own dream songs. 

 Strange sounds were heard in the darkness, and objects were felt to 

 be flying through the air. Voices of animals were speaking. One 

 said, "My grandchild, you are very sick, but I will cure you. " Fre- 

 quently a buffalo came, and those who did not beUeve in the sacred 

 stones were kicked by the buffalo or struck by a flying stone or bundle 

 of clothing. At last the medicine-man called, "Hasten, make a 

 light!" Dry grass, which was ready, was placed on the fite. In its 

 light the man was seen wedged between the poles near the top of the 

 tipi, with all the restraining cords cast from him.^ 



Brave Buffalo said that in treating a person by means of the sacred 

 stones he rolled a stone on the person's body "to locate the ailment," 

 and that if the sick person wished to hold the stone in his mouth he 

 was allowed to do so, as this produced an internal effect. 



In many instances of treating the sick by "conjuring" no medi- 

 cines were given, the conjuror claiming that he removed the disease 

 from the person's body by sucldng it out. A performance of this 

 kind was described to the writer by Mre. James McLaughlin, who 

 witnessed it on the Devils Lake Reservation, in North Dakota. Mrs. 

 McLaughlin said, concerning this Santee demonstration: 



I saw a conjuror named Sip'to (Beads) give a performance in an attempt to cure a 

 boy who was suffering from hemorrhages of the kings. Sip'to was an old man. He 

 wore nothing but his breechcloth, his whole body was painted red, his face also was 

 painted red, and his hair was short and loose. The boy lay in a tipi. If a conjuring 

 performance were held in a log house it was necessary to take up a portion of the floor, 

 as the conjuring must be done on bare ground. I have seen a house in which a large 

 portion of the floor had been cut away for this purpose. 



When I entered the tipi the conjuror was in the place of honor, opposite the door. 

 This place was clean of turf, and the bare ground had been made very smooth. The 

 boy lay with his head near the conjuror. In the middle of the lodge was a fire with 

 many red coals. A young girl brought water and placed it beside the conjuror. When 



1 Similar demonstrations were made by the medicine-men of otlier tribes. A description of the custom 

 among the Chippewa is given in Bulletin 45, pp. 123-25. (Of. also p. 218 of this work.) 



