156 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



arrows and knives and not one of the Iroquois was killed in their 

 battle with the enemy. When they returned home the chief or- 

 ganized the lodges of the medicine and the medicine people of the 

 Ye-dos and Ni-ga-ni-ga-ah were called the Ho-noh-tci-noh-gah. The 

 medicine was called the Ni-ga-ni-ga-ah (little waters) because its 

 dose was so small. 



So started the Ho-noh-tci-noh-gah. 1 The legend here ends. 



Neh Ni-ga-ni-ga-ah 



The charm medicine is known as the Ni-ga-ni-ga-ah and each 

 member possesses a certain amount of it. The secret of compound- 

 ing the Ni-ga-ni-ga-ah rested with only one man in a tribe who, 

 according to the teachings of the society, would be apprised of 

 approaching death and given time to transmit the knowledge to 

 a successor whom he should choose. According to the traditions 

 of the Ho-noh-tci-noh-gah the secret holder always foreknew the 

 hour of his death and frequently referred to it in lodge meetings. 



It is not my purpose to violate' any confidence reposed in me 

 by the Ho-noh-tci-noh-gah who have honored me by a seat in their 

 circle and I will betray nothing when I say that the " little water 

 medicine " is composed of the brains of various mammals, birds, 

 fish, and other animals and the pollen and roots of various plants, 

 trees and vegetables. These ingredients are compounded and pul- 

 verized with certain other substances and constitute the base of 

 the Ni-ga-ni-ga-ah. 



That this medicine actually possesses chemical properties that 

 react on human tissue was proven by Dr J. H. Salisbury, an eminent 

 physician and a former State chemist, who analyzed and experi- 

 mented with a small quantity that he had secured from a member 

 of the society. 



The medicine itself is of a yellowish hue and when opened in the 

 dark appears luminous, probably from the organic phosphorous 

 that it contains. The utmost caution is employed by the members 

 of the Ho-noh-tci-noh-gah to preserve the medicine from exposure 

 to the air in unsafe places and from contaminating influences. 

 It is contained in a small skin bag and wrapped in many coverings 

 of cloth and skin and finally inclosed in a bark, wood or tin case 

 to keep it free from moisture, disease and dirt. 



Among the Senecas of modern times, John Patterson was the 

 last of the holders of the secret and the secret of the precise method 



1 Beauchamp in American Folk Lore Journal, volume 14. page 158 says the Onondagas 

 call the society, The Ka-noo'-tah. This refers to the name of the song which is Ga-no'-da in 

 Seneca, and not to the society. 



