256 PICTURE-WRITING OF THE AMERICAN INDIANS. 
father, who was sitting in the distant right-hand corner of the wig/iwam, and 
addressed to him the following words: 
Nos Ka-wi/-na ni/-shi-na/-bi wis/-si a-ya/wi-an’ man/-i-do nin-gi/-sis. 
My father is not an Indian not you are a spirit son. 
Be-mai’-a-mi/-nik ni/-dzhi man/-i-do mi/-a-zhi/-gwa_ tshi-gi/-a-we-an’. 
Insomuch my fellow spirit now as you are. 
Nos a-zhi’-gwa  a-se’-ma_ tshi-a/-to-yek’. A’-mi-kun/-dem mi-e/-ta 
My father now tobacco you shall put. He speaks of only 
a-wi-dink’ dzhi-gosh’/-kwi-tot’ wen’-dzhi-bi-ma/-di-zid/-o-ma/ a-ga/-wi 
once to be able to do it why he shall live here now 
bi-ma/-di-zid/-mi-o-ma/; ni/-dzhi man’-i-do mi’-a-zhi/-gwa tshi-gi/-we-an’. 
that he searcely lives; my fellow spirit now I shall go home. 
5 The little bear boy (7) was the one who did this. 
S He then remained among the Indians (s) and 
8 taught them the mysteries of the Grand Medicine 
Sp (t), and after he had finished he told his adopted 
K x father that as his mission had been fulfilled, that 
8 he was to return to his kindred spirits, the Indians 
aS would have no need to fear sickness, as they now 
4 possessed the Grand Medicine which would assist 
them to live. He also said that his spirit could 
a 
Nei bring a body to life but once, and he would now 
arg return to the sun from which they would feel his 
influence. 
This is called Kwi’-wi-séns’ wed-di’-shi-tshi’ 
ge’-wi-nip’/—‘‘ Little boy, his work.” 
From subsequent information it was learned 
that the line (w) denotes the earth, and that, 
being considered as one step in the course of initia- 
tion into the Midé/wiwin, three others must be 
taken before a candidate can be admitted. These 
steps, or rests, as they are denominated, are typi- 
fied by four distinct gifts of goods, which must 
be remitted to the Midé’ priests before the cere- 
mony can take place. 
The characters s and ¢ are repetitions of the 
figures alluded to in the tradition (q and 7) to 
signify that the candidate must personate the 
Makwa’ Man‘ido—bear spirit—when entering the 
Midé’wiwin (t); tis the Mide’ Man‘ido, as Ki’tshi 
Man/id6d is termed by the Midé’ priests. The 
device of horns, attached to the head, is a com- 
mon symbol of superior power, found in con- 
nection with the figures of human and divine 
forms in many Mide’ songs and other mnemonic 
EES TB tOn fags Os HIN eee records; v represents the earth’s surface, similar 
to that designated as w. w, «, y, and 2 represent the four degrees of the grand 
medicine. 
SECTION 6. 
TREATIES. 
Pia. 174 is copy of a birchbark record which was made to com- 
memorate a treaty of peace between the Ojibwa and Assinaboin In- 
dians. The drawing on bark was made by an Ojibwa chief at White 
Earth, Minnesota. 
