MooNKvl I'f.ANT LORK 425 



with tlic other, the oincii l.H'iiiy tukcii I'roiii tlic positioTi of the pi(>ces 

 when the liantl is removed. It is said also tiuit poi.soners mi.x it 

 secretly -witii tiie food of tiieir intended victim, when, if he eats, hesoon 

 becomes drowsy, and, unless kept in motion until the etiect wears ofl', 

 fails asleep, never to wake again. Suicides are said to eat it to pro- 

 cure death. Before starting' on a journey a small piece of the root is 

 sometimes chewed and blown upon the body to prevent sickness, but 

 the femed}' is almost as bad as the disease, for the snakes are said to 

 resent the offensive smell by biting the one who carri(>s it. Tn spite 

 of its poisonous qualities, a decoction of the root is much used for 

 steaming patients in the sweat bath, the idea seeming to be that the 

 smell drives away the disease spirits. 



The poison oak or poison ivy {Blmx ni<licajn<), so abiuidant in the 

 damp eastern forests, is feared as nui<h by Indians as by whites. 

 When obliged to approach it or work in its vicinity, the Cherokee 

 strives to conciliate it by addressing it as "M}' friend" {hi'ginalii). 

 If poisoned by it, he rubs upon the affected part the beaten flesh of a 

 crawfish. 



One variety of brier {!Siitilui') is called di'nu'sl-i. ■"the breeder," from 

 a belief that a thorn of it, if allowed to remain in the flesh, will breed 

 others in a day or two. 



Ginseng, which is sold in large quantities to the local traders, as 

 well as used in the native medical practice, is called dfali-guli', "the 

 mountain climber." but is addressed by the priests as Yunwi Usdi', 

 "Little Man," or Yunwi Usdi'ga Ada'wehi'yu, "Little Man, Most 

 Powerful Magician," the Cherokee sacred term, like the Chinese name, 

 having its origin from the frequent resemblance of the root in shape 

 to the body of a man. The beliefs and ceremonies in connection with 

 its gathering and preparation are very numerous. The doctor speaks 

 constantly of it as of a sentient being, and it is believed to be able 

 to make itself invisilile to those unworthy to gather it. In hunting 

 it, the first three plants found are passed by. The fourth is taken, 

 after a preliminary prayer, in which the doctor addresses it as the 

 "Great Ada'wehi," and humbly asks permission to take a small piece 

 of its flesh. On digging it from the ground, he drops into the hole 

 a bead and covers it over, leaving it there, by way of payment to the 

 plant npirit. After that he takes them as they come without further 

 ceremony. 



The catgut or devil's shoestring {Tephro&ici) is called (iiMai'yi, "they 

 are tough." in allusion to its stringy roots, from which Cherokee 

 women prepare a decoction with which to wash their haii- in order to 

 impart to it the strength and toughness of the plant, while a prepara- 

 tion of the leaves is used by ballplayers to wash themselves in order to 

 toughen tiieir limbs. To enable them to spring ((uickly to their 

 feet if thrown to tlie ground, the players bathe tlieii' limbs also with 



