96 



SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 68 



proper use of medicines. Thus the efficient use of herbs was an 

 important province of the Mideiv'mnn, or Grand Medicine Society, 

 and the secrets of these herbs were transmitted from one generation 



Fig. 97. — Boat in rice-field. Photograph by Miss Densmore. 



Fig. 98. — Parching wild rice. Photograph by Miss Densmore. 



to another. Miss Densmore's former study of the Midcwizvin con- 

 tributed to the present research, as persons who recorded Midc songs 

 more than ten years ago were wilHng to impart information con- 

 cerning the herbs used in Mide remedies. 



