70 MYTHS OF THE IROQUOIS. 



came across a beautiful snake. Taking a great fancy to it, he caught it 

 and cared for it, feeding it on birds, &c., and made a bark bowl in which 

 he kept it. He put fibers, down, and small feathers into the water with 

 the snake, and soon found that these things had become living beings. 

 From this fact he naturally conjectured that the snake was endowed 

 with supernatural powers. He then continued his experiments, and dis- 

 covered that whatever he put into this water became alive ; so he went 

 to another swamp and got other snakes, which he put into the bowl. 

 While experimenting he saw other Indians putting things on their eyes 

 to see sharp, so he rubbed some of this snake- water on his eyes, and 

 climbing a tree he found that he could see things even if they were 

 hidden. 



Finding that this snake liquid was powerful enough to improve his 

 sight, he concluded that the more snakes he put into the waters the 

 more i30werful would be the liquid. He therefore hung a large number 

 of snakes so that their oil dropped into the water, increasing its power 

 and making more lively its strange inhabitants. 



He then learned that by simply putting one of his fingers into the 

 liquid and pointing it at any person that person would immediately be- 

 come bewitched. 



After placing some roots (which were not poisonous) into the snake 

 liquid, he put some of the mixture into his mouth and found that it pro- 

 duced a peculiar sensation. By blowing it from his mouth it would give 

 a great light; by placing some in his eyes he could see in the dark and 

 could go through all kinds of impassable places ; he could become like 

 a snake; he could even become invisible, and could travel faster than 

 any other mortal. An arrow dipxied into this liquid and shot at any 

 living being, even if it did not hit its object, would nevertheless kill it. 

 A feather dipped into this snake water and then pointed at any wished- 

 for game, would immediately start for the desired thing and would al- 

 ways kill it, and when the game was dissected the feather was always 

 found in it. Having discovered the great power of this snake extract, 

 he took into consideration the finding of counteracting agents. To ac- 

 comiJlish this end, he diligently searched for roots and herbs having the 

 required qualities, and finally he was rewarded by obtaining antidotes 

 which would work upon objects which he had bewitched or wounded. 



ORIGIN OP THE SENECA MEDICINE 



Nearly two hundred years ago a man went into the woods on a hunt- 

 ing expedition. He was quite alone. He camped out in a field and was 

 wakened in the night by the sound of singing and a noise like the beat- 

 ing of a drum. He could not sleep any more, so he rose and went in 

 the direction of the sound. To his surprise the place had all the ap- 



