﻿202 
  

  

  THE 
  MIDE 
  WIWTN 
  OF 
  THE 
  O.TIRWA. 
  

  

  edge 
  is 
  believed 
  to 
  have 
  been 
  lost 
  through 
  the 
  reticence 
  and 
  obstinacy 
  

   of 
  former 
  chief 
  priests, 
  the 
  so-called 
  higher 
  secrets 
  are 
  now 
  imparted 
  

   at 
  tlic 
  first 
  and 
  second 
  degree 
  preparatory 
  instructions. 
  The 
  third 
  

   and 
  fourth 
  degrees 
  are 
  very 
  rarely 
  conferred, 
  chiefly 
  because 
  the 
  

   necessary 
  presents 
  and 
  fees 
  arc 
  beyond 
  the 
  reach 
  of 
  those 
  who 
  so 
  

   desire 
  advancement, 
  and 
  partly 
  also 
  because 
  the 
  missionaries, 
  and 
  in 
  

   many 
  instances 
  the 
  Indian 
  agents, 
  have 
  done 
  their 
  utmost 
  in 
  sup- 
  

   press 
  the 
  ceremonies, 
  because 
  they 
  were 
  a 
  direct 
  opposition 
  and 
  hin- 
  

   drance 
  to 
  progress 
  in 
  Christianizing 
  influences. 
  

  

  When 
  the 
  preparatory 
  instruction 
  has 
  come 
  to 
  an 
  end 
  and 
  the 
  day 
  

   of 
  the 
  ceremony 
  of 
  initiation 
  is 
  at 
  hand, 
  the 
  preceptor 
  sings 
  to 
  his 
  

   pupil 
  a 
  song, 
  expatiating 
  upon 
  his 
  own 
  efforts 
  and 
  the 
  high 
  virtue 
  

   of 
  the 
  knowledge 
  imparted. 
  The 
  pipe 
  is 
  brought 
  forward 
  and 
  an 
  

   offering 
  of 
  tobacco 
  smoke 
  made 
  by 
  both 
  preceptor 
  and 
  pupil, 
  after 
  

   which 
  the 
  former 
  sings 
  a 
  song 
  (PI. 
  x, 
  A.), 
  the 
  time 
  of 
  its 
  utterance 
  

   being 
  tediously 
  prolonged. 
  The 
  mnemonic 
  characters 
  were 
  drawn 
  

   by 
  Sikas'sige, 
  and 
  are 
  a 
  copy 
  of 
  an 
  old 
  birch-bark 
  scroll 
  which 
  has 
  

   for 
  many 
  years 
  been 
  in 
  his 
  possession, 
  and 
  which 
  was 
  made 
  in 
  imi- 
  

   tation 
  of 
  one 
  in 
  the 
  possession 
  of 
  his 
  father, 
  Baie'dzlk, 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  

   leading 
  Mide' 
  at 
  Mille 
  Lacs, 
  Minnesota. 
  

  

  Wi'-ka-no 
  -shi-a 
  n 
  -6. 
  

  

  My 
  arm 
  is 
  almost 
  pulled 
  out 
  from 
  digging 
  medicine. 
  It 
  is 
  full 
  of 
  medicine. 
  

   [The 
  short 
  sigzag 
  lines 
  signifying 
  magic 
  influence, 
  erroneously 
  

   designated 
  " 
  medicine."] 
  

  

  We-wi'-ka-ni'-an. 
  

  

  Almost 
  crying 
  because 
  the 
  medicine 
  is 
  lost. 
  

  

  [The 
  lines 
  extending 
  downward 
  from 
  the 
  eye 
  signifies 
  weeping; 
  

   the 
  circle 
  beneath 
  the 
  figure 
  is 
  the 
  place 
  where 
  the 
  " 
  medicine" 
  is 
  

   supposed 
  to 
  exist. 
  The 
  idea 
  of 
  " 
  lost" 
  signifies 
  that 
  some 
  informa- 
  

   tion 
  has 
  been 
  forgotton 
  through 
  death 
  of 
  those 
  who 
  possessed 
  it.J 
  

  

  Me-shi'-ak-klnk 
  rni-sui'-a-kink. 
  

  

  Yes, 
  there 
  is 
  much 
  medicine 
  you 
  may 
  cry 
  for. 
  

  

  [Refers 
  to 
  that 
  which 
  is 
  yet 
  to 
  be 
  learned 
  of.] 
  

  

  Pe-i' 
  -e-ml-ko-ya'-na-kink 
  ' 
  . 
  

   J* 
  °^\ 
  Yes, 
  I 
  see 
  there 
  is 
  plenty 
  of 
  it. 
  

  

  •>f 
  r-1 
  y/j 
  [The 
  Mide' 
  has 
  knowledge 
  of 
  more 
  than 
  he 
  has 
  imparted, 
  but 
  

   M 
  reserves 
  that 
  knowledge 
  for 
  a 
  future 
  time. 
  The 
  lines 
  of 
  "sight" 
  

  

  run 
  to 
  various 
  medicines 
  which 
  he 
  perceives 
  or 
  knows 
  of.] 
  

  

  Rest. 
  

  

  