THE CODE OF HANDSOME LAKE 55 



of mind 1 among the chiefs and head-men and among the people. 

 Nevermore will your race be united.' " 

 So they said and he said. Eniaiehuk. 



section 64 



" ' Now another message. 



" Now the messengers commanded him to give attention and he 

 did. Then he saw a great assembly and the assembly was singing: 



' The whole earth is here assembled, 

 The whole world may come to us. 

 We are ready.' 



" Then said the messengers, ' What did you see when you gave 

 attention ? ' 



" He answered, ' I saw a great gathering of beings and the 

 gathering was singing and the words of the song were : 



' The whole earth is here assembled, 

 The whole world may come to us. 

 We are ready.' 



" Then said the messengers, ' It is very true. The beings that 

 you saw resemble human creatures. It is true that they are sing- 

 ing. Now the assembly is a gathered host of medicines for healing. 

 Now let this be your ceremony when you wish to employ the 

 medicine in a plant : First offer tobacco. Then tell the plant in 

 gentle words what you desire of it and pluck it from the roots. 

 It is said in the upper world that it is not right to take a plant for 

 medicine without first talking to it. Let not one ever be taken 

 without first speaking.' " 2 



So they said and he said. Eniaiehuk. 



1 This seemingly obscure section is cleared of its mystery when the 

 preacher explains that the divisions of mind refer to the Gaiwios'tuk or 

 Christian and Ohgwe'o n weka' or Indian parties. " Dewadia'ke' gani'gof, 

 broken in twain, the unity of purpose," is Chief Cornplanter's term. 



2 The ceremony of gathering herbs. When a Seneca wishes to gather 

 medicinal herbs, he goes into the woods where they grow and builds a small 

 fire. When there is a quantity of glowing embers he stands before it and as 

 he speaks at intervals casts a pinch of tobacco on the coals. He speaks to 

 the spirits of the medicines telling them that he desires their healing virtues 

 to cure his people of their afflictions. 



" You have said that you are ready to heal the earth," chants the gatherer 

 of herbs, " so now I claim you for my medicine. Give me of your healing 

 virtues to purge and cleanse and cure. I will not destroy you but plant your 

 seed that you may come again and yield fourfold more. Spirits of the herbs, 

 I do not take your lives without purpose but to make you the agent of heal- 



