248 PICTURE-WRITING OF THE AMERICAN INDIANS. 
This is a medicine man disguised in the skin of a bear. The small par- 
allelogram under the bear signifies fire, and the shamans, by some com- 
position of gunpowder, or other means, contrive to give the appearance 
of fire to the mouth and eyes of the bear skin, in which they go about 
the village late at night, bent on deeds of mischief, oftentimes of blood. 
We learn how mischievous are these superstitious when we are in- 
formed that they are the principal men of the Metai, who thus wander 
about the villages in the disguise of a bear, to wreak their hatred on a 
sleeping rival or their malice on an unsuspecting adversary. But the 
customs of the Indians require of anyone who may see a medicine man 
on one of these excursions to take his life immediately, and whoever 
does so is accounted guiltless. 
h. Lam able to call water from above, from beneath, and from around. 
Here the medicine man boasts of his power over the elements, and 
his ability to do injury or benefit. The segment of a circle with dots 
in it represents water and the two short lines touching the head of the 
figure indicate that he can draw it to him. 
i. L cause to look like the dead, a man I did. 
I cause to look like the dead, a woman I did. 
I cause to look like the dead, a child I did. 
The lines drawn across the face of this figure indicate poverty, dis- 
tress, and sickness; the person is supposed to have suffered from the 
displeasure of the medicine man. Such is the religion of the Indians. 
Its boast is to put into the hands of the devout supernatural means 
by which he may wreak vengeance on his enemies whether weak or 
powerful, whether they be found among the foes of his tribe or the 
people of his own village. This Metai, so much valued and revered by 
them, seems to be only the instrument in the hands of the crafty for 
keeping in subjection the weak and the credulous, which may readily 
be supposed to be the greater part of the people. 
k. 1 am such, I am such, my friends; any animal, any animal, my 
‘friends, I hit him right, my friends. 
This boast of certain success in hunting is another method by which 
he hopes to elevate himself in the estimation of his hearers. Having 
told them he has the power to put them all to death, he goes on to speak 
of his infallible suecess in hunting, which will always enable him to be 
a valuable friend to such as are careful to secure his good will. 
The following chart for the ‘Song for beaver hunting and the Metai,” 
is taken from the same author, loc. cit., and reproduced in Fig. 166, 
with interpretations as follows: 
a. I sit down in the lodge of the Metai, the lodge of the Spirit. 
This figure is intended to represent the area of the Metai-we-gaun, or 
inedicine lodge, which is called also the lodge of the Man/ido, and two 
men have taken their seats in it. The matter of the song seems to be 
merely introductory. 
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