O^BRECHTs] THE SWIMMER MANUSCRIPT 63 



The claim to aboriginality of the other instance, however, rests on a 

 sound and solid basis: In some Dalo''ni diseases (see p. 63) the sufferer 

 goes to the river and there vomits. The formula recited on this 

 occasion sends the illness, along with the vomit, floating down the 

 river, to "the settlements where (other) people live," and transfers the 

 ailment to them (see p. 23). 



This practice is so reminiscent of other Cherokee incantation cere- 

 monies that there is no doubt about its being indigenous. 



Vomiting into the river is also very common with merely the object 

 in mind to get rid of the disease, without the intention being explicitly 

 present of transferring it to the people living in other settlements along 

 the river. Whether this intention ever implicitly belonged to this 

 practice it is not now possible to ascertain. 



A method that is again very frequently met with in various countries 

 and among different tribes is one based on the belief that the ailment 

 can be banished, the pain diminished, by symbolic means, as by 

 gradually diminishing the number of ingredients in a decoction, by 

 calling the disease by a series of names or objects of diminishing size, 

 etc. (Compare German "abzahlen.") 



This practice is found in the Cherokee custom of curing certain 

 ailments by drinking medicine all day long the first day, until noon 

 the second day, until about 10 a. in. the third day, and until breakfast 

 the^fourth day. 



Scratching, sucking, and burying the disease are methods that are 

 being discussed with reference to the " chirurgical " methods of 

 curing. (See p. 68.) 



If none of the multifarious methods described above brings any 

 relief to the patient, and if it is deemed that no chances for his re- 

 covery exist, a last effort is made: The patient, called, let us say. 

 Climbing Bear, is abandoned to the disease, but a new name is 

 bestowed upon the sufferer; henceforth, he will be called, let us say. 

 Cutting Ax; and, while the disease spirit may temporarily be deluded 

 and gloat over his success in bringing Climbing Bear to his doom, a 

 new series of treatments is inaugurated by the concerted action of the 

 medicine man and the patient's relatives to save Cutting Ax. A 

 man who owes his name, Alick, to sach a procedure is now living on 

 the reservation, not far from Big Cove. (See the description of the 

 event by W., p. 67.) 



A mode of curing is to be mentioned finally which may not effect 

 a cure by its sole power, yet is found associated so often with other 

 curing methods that it should not be passed over in silence; I mean 

 the circumambulation, so prominent in primitive rites in general, and 

 in American Indian ceremonialism particularly. 



In many cases, before administering the medicine, the medicine 

 man circumambulates the patient. The rite is, moreover, practiced 



7548°— 32— 6 



