IROQUOIS MYTHS AND LEGENDS 



157 



of compounding the medicine died with him, he in some way having 

 failed to instruct a successor. The members thus doubly guard 

 their medicine and are loath to use it except in cases of extreme 

 necessity for when it is exhausted not only will they be unable tc 

 secure more but by a legend when the medicine is gone the 

 Senecas will forever lose their identity as Indians. 



Method of administering the Ni-ga-ni-ga-ah 



A person who wishes to have the " little water " medicine given 

 to him for the cure of a wound, broken bone or specific disease 

 must purge himself and for three days abstain from the use of salt 

 or grease. His food must be the flesh of white birds or animals 

 and only the white portions. The system of the patient is then 

 ready to receive the medicine. The medicine man comes to his 

 lodge and an assistant searches the house for anything that might 

 destroy the " life " of the medicine such as household animals, 

 vermin, decayed meat, blood, soiled garments, women in a periodic 

 condition, etc. These things removed from the house, the patient 

 is screened off and the guard patrols the premises warning away 

 all infected or intoxicated persons. An attendant who has previ- 

 ously been dispatched to a clear running stream enters with a bowl 

 of water that has been dipped from the crest of the ripples, as they 

 " sang their way down the water road." Not to antagonize the 

 forces in the water, it was dipped the way the current ran, down 

 stream, and not upward against it. 



Everything now being in readiness the medicine man takes a 

 basket of tobacco and as he repeats the ancient formula he casts 

 pinches of the tobacco into the flames that the sacred smoke may 

 lift his words to the Maker of All. The water is then poured out 

 in a cup and the medicine packet opened. With a miniature ladle 

 that holds as much of the powder as can be held on the tip of the 

 blade of a small penknife, the medicine man dips three times 

 from the medicine and drops the powder on the surface of the 

 water in three spots, the points of a triangle. If the medicine 

 floats the omen is good, if it clouds the water the results are con- 

 sidered doubtful and if it sinks speedy death is predicted as a 

 certainty and the remaining medicine is thrown away. In the 

 case of severe cuts or contusions and broken bones the medicated 

 water is sprinkled upon the affected part and an amount is taken 

 internally. A medicine song is then chanted by the " doctor " 

 who accompanies himself with a gourd rattle. After the ceremony 

 of healing, the people of the house partake of a feast of fruit, and 



