SWANTON] THE PISHOFA CEREMONY 259 
Between the door and the fires, by the direction of the doctor, certain 
objects were placed, supposed to be of great assistance in combating 
the disease. These were usually wands of prescribed number, size, 
pattern, and disposition, and there were infinite varieties, depending 
on the system of the doctor who had been employed and the nature 
of the sickness. At times the wands appear to have been halfway 
between the door and the fire, but more often they were about the 
fire—or about the fires in case there were two. The wands were 
usually painted, sometimes all over, sometimes only at the upper 
ends, and ribbons were frequently attached to the tops. One in- 
formant mentioned two wands painted red at the tips, one having 
a red ribbon tied to it at the upper end and one a black ribbon. 
Another saw three wands in use, a longer pole close to the fire, capped 
with eagle feathers, and in the line marked out by this pole, the 
fire, and the door, two shorter wands. ‘At the top of the one nearest 
the long pole was tied a blue ribbon and a feather; at the top of the 
other a blue ribbon and a red ribbon. In certain sicknesses they 
put up four poles, about 4 feet in length, painted in different colors, 
and ornamented with variously colored ribbons. Again they might 
erect a single tall pole in the very center of the open space. Instead 
of ribbons, the wings of owls were at times fastened to the poles, 
and the species of trees from which the wands were taken also varied. 
The single tall pole, as employed on one occasion at least, was willow. 
The shorter wands might be of willow, cedar, persimmon, or cther 
wood. At times a human figure about 6 inches long, carved out of 
wood and with the face painted red and black, was substituted for 
the poles. Four men, called tishu, were appointed guardians of the 
yard, to see that no human being, themselves excepted, or any animal 
passed between the fire and the house door. 
The patient was seated just inside the door facing out and the 
doctor took his station immediately behind him. The medicine, 
consisting of various roots and barks steeped in water, was in an 
earthen bowl close at hand. The doctor blew into this through a 
reed, sang the song which went with that particular remedy, and then 
drew some of the medicine into his mouth and blew it upon the 
patient. This was repeated four times, and afterwards, Speck states, 
the dregs were heaped upon the sufferer’s head. Speck also says 
that one of the doctor’s helpers stood near the medicine armed with 
a small bow and arrows which latter he discharged into the medicine 
at intervals, whenever he suspected that unfavorable spirits were near 
who might detract from its power.’? He also says that an emetic 
was administered before giving the medicine proper.* In treating 
the “hot sickness” the doctor accompanied his song with a gourd 
rattle. 
n Op. cit., p. 55. » Tbid. 18 Thid, 
