No. 2. Charm Stones. 27 



spiny seed-pods. The whole plant — root, leaf and 

 flower— is poisonous, producing an abnormal condition 

 in the person using it. 



In a still more recent interview with the last of the 

 Tchu-mah Indians I obtained the words and transla- 

 tion of a song which refers to this subject. 



The meter and music are Schu-may (or Chuma); the 

 words are in the Mish-khon-a-kah, or lanofuaee of the 

 Ventura Indians. It is called Su-to-wen-cush, 



SONG. 



Ka-yu-wa-will-Ie 

 I am going to tell, 

 Le-le-ni-mu-stu me-sip-posh 

 Uneasy (is) my heart, 

 Su-mus-il. Ka-teush-wen 

 Charm stones I have not. 

 L£-li-o-li-o lwen-new 

 I am sad. 



In relation to Figs. 32 and 33, Juan de Jesus, a Ven- 

 tura Indian, stated that the implements which these 

 figures represent were idols. Feathers were tied on 

 each end, the idol placed in a basket or similar recep- 

 tacle in the house of the medicine man, when the peo- 

 ple who were desirous of obtaining favors from the 

 spirit or power attributed to the idol, threw in seeds 

 and other offerings to the receptacle until the idol was 

 covered up. It is needless to say the offerings were 

 appropriated by the medicine man. 



Justo, a Santa Barbara Indian, stated that the Charm 

 Stones were sometimes arranged or scattered in var- 

 ious places; those without perforations were covered 

 up, while the perforated stones were placed on the 

 surface of the ground, and during the dance, upon the 

 approach of the individuals who had been made hob- 

 by the ceremonies before mentioned, the perforated 

 Charm Stones would elevate themselves on one end, 

 to be grasped by the fortunate individuals, who there- 

 by obtained their desire in relation to having a good 

 year. These stones were suspended upon the person 

 of the medicine man only during the sacred dances, 

 except in the case of a warrior, who would hang them 

 upon his person to render him arrow-proof. In this 

 connection I learned that the peculiar stone implement 



