B80hs M. W. Harrington— Weather making. 
rain. At last one of the rain-makers came out of the mystery lodge and 
stood on the top of it with a spear in his hand, which he brandished 
about in a commanding and threatening manner, lifting it up as though 
he were about to hurl it at the heavens. He talked loud of the power of 
his medicine, holding up his medicine bag in one hand and his spear in 
the other; but it was of no use, and he came down in disgrace. For 
several days the same ceremony continued, until a rain-maker, with a 
head-dress of the skins of birds, ascended the top of the mystery lodge, 
with a bow in his hand and a quiver at his back. He made a long speech, 
for the sky was growing dark, and it required no great knowledge of the 
weather to foretell: rain. He shot arrows to the sunrise and sundown 
points of the heavens, and also to the north and south, in honor of the 
Great Spirit, who could send rain from all parts of the sky. A fifth 
arrow he retained until it was almost certain that rain was at hand. 
Then, sending up the shaft from his bow with all his might, to make a 
hole in the dark cloud over his head; he cried aloud for the waters to 
pour down at his bidding and to drench him to the skin. He was 
brandishing his bow in one hand and his medicine in the other, when 
the rain came down in torrents. 
Among the Blackfeet Indians, according to W. P. Clark in 
his “ Indian Sign Language” (Philadelphia, 1885, page 72): 
The medicine man has a separate lodge, which faces the east. He fasts 
and dances to the sun, blowing his whistle. He is painted in different 
colors, and he must have no water, and only after dark can he eat, and 
then only the inner bark of the cotton-wood tree. A picture of the sun 
is painted on his forehead, the moon, ursa major, etc, on his body. The 
dance continues for four days, and should this medicine man drink it is 
sure to cause rain, and if it [does not] rains no other evidence of his 
weakness is wanted or taken. He is deposed as high priest at once. 
Mr W. Noble of Indian territory says that ‘The Choctaws, 
during a severe drought, will fasten a fish to one of their num- 
ber, who then goes into the water and remains there every day 
for two weeks in order to cause it to rain.” He adds that ‘In 
wet weather, if they wish the rain to cease, they go to a sand 
bank, put sand in a pan, and dry it over a fire.” 
Among the Moqui, according to Schooleraft : 
There is acharm used for calling down rain. It consists of a small 
quantity of wild honey wrapped up in the inner fold of the husk of the 
maize. To produce the effect desired it is necessary to take a piece of 
the shuck which contained the wild honey, chew it and spit it upon the 
ground which needs the rain. * 
* “ History,’’ ete, vol. iii, p. 208. 
