THE GEOEGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 417 



they will sit or recline upon their horses for an hour or two, overlookino- the beauti- 

 ful games where the braves and the young aspirants are contending in manly and 

 athletic amusements ; when they are fatigued with this severe effort they wend their 

 way back again, lift off their fine white saddle of doe's-skin, which is wadded with 

 buffalo's hair, turn out their pony, take a little refreshment, smoke a pipe, fan them- 

 selves tosleep, and doze away the rest of the day.— Pages 112, 113, vol. 1, Catliu's Eiglit 



Years. 



INDIAN MEDICINE MEN. 



Mr. Oatlin, at the mouth of the Yellowstone, Upper Missouri, Fort 

 UnioQ, in June or July, 1832, painted a medicine juan (No. 158, herein). 

 He thus jiescribed him : 



I have also transferred to my canvas the "looks and very resemblance" of an 

 aged chief, who combines with his high office the envied title of mystery or raedi- 

 ciue-mau, i. e., doctor, magician, i^rophet, soothsayer, jongleur, and high priest, all 

 combined in one person, who necessarily is looked upon as " Sir Oracle" of the na- 

 tion. The name of this distinguished functionary is Wun-nes-tou, the White Buffalo 

 (Plate 15, No. 158), and on his left arm he presents his mystery drum or tambour, in 

 which are concealed the hidden and sacred mystery of his healing art. — Page 34, vol. 

 1, Catliu's Eight Years. 



Frequently throughout his " North American Indians" he refers to 

 Indian medicine men, their mysteries and practices. (The dresses of 

 this figure were destroyed by fire.) 



Describing No. 161, Plate 19, Mr. Catlin says : 



In the case of the portrait of which I spoke in the beginning of this letter, there 

 are seen two medicine-bags in the hand of Pe-toli-pee-kiss, (No. 152); the one was of 

 his own instituting, and the other was taken from his enemy whom he had slain in 

 battle. Both of these he has a right to display and boast of on such an occasion. 

 This is but the beginning or incipient stage of "medicines," however, in this strange 

 and suijerstitious country ; and, if you have patience, I will carry you a few degi-ees 

 fnrther into the mysteries of conjuration before I close this letter. Sit still then and 

 read until I relate a scene of a tragic and yet of the most grotesque character which 

 took place in this fort a few days since, and to all of which I was an eye-witness. 

 The scene I wKl relate as it transpired precisely, and call it the story of the "doctor," 

 or xhe "Blackfoot medicine-man." 



Not many weeks since a party of Knisteneaux (Crees) came here from the north for 

 the purpose of making their summer's trade with the Fur Company: and, whilst 

 here, a party of Blackfeet, their natural enemies (the same who are hero now), came 

 from the west, also to trade. These two belligerent tribes encamped on different sides 

 of the fort and had spent some weeks here in the fort and about it in apparently good 

 feeling and fellowship, unable, in fact, to act otherwise, for, according to a regula- 

 tion of the fort, their arms and weapons were all locked up by McKenzio in liis "ar- 

 senal" for the purpose of preserving the peace amongst these fighting-cocks. 



The Knisteneaux had completed their trade, aud loitered about the premises until 

 all, both Indians and white men, were getting tired of their company, wishing them 

 quietly off. When they were ready to start, with their goods packed upon their 

 l)acks, their arms were given them and they started, bidding everybody, both friends 

 and foes, a hearty farewell. They went out of the fort, aud, though the party grad- 

 ii.ally moved otf, one of them, undiscovered, loitered about the fort until lie got an 

 opportunity to poke the muzzle of his gun through between the piquets, when ho 

 fired it at one of the chiefs of the Blackfeet, who stood within a few paces talking 

 with Mr. McKenzie, aud shot him with two musket bullets through the center of his 

 body. The Blackfoot fell, and rolled about upon the ground in the agonies of death. 

 The lilackfect who were in the fort seized their weapons and ran in a mass out of the 

 6744 21 



