372 



ACCOUNT OF THE INDIANS. 



of charcoal, on bark, that an entire stranger, by 

 its assistance, would be able to direct his course 

 to a particular place, several hundred miles dis- 

 tant, without varying a league from his object. — 

 The Natives are never at a loss in regard to the dif- 

 ferent points of the compass, particularly in a woody 

 country, as they well know, that on the north side 

 of the trees, more moss is found, than on the oth- 

 er sides. 



The priest among the Indians, is also a physi- 

 cian and a conjurer or magician. — When he acts 

 as priest, he presides at feasts and funerals. — In 

 the capacity of physician, when sent for, he visits 

 the sick and wounded, and prescribes medicines 

 for their healing, and directs in their application, 

 in doing which he goes through with many cere- 

 monies, with great gravity. If the patient is very 

 ill, he attends him at least every morning, and 

 sings and shakes his che-che-quy, for an hour or 

 two, over his head, making an unpleasant noise, 

 which, it would seem, must do injury to the sick 

 person. These Indian physicians do at times, 

 however, perform distinguished cures. Their 

 medicines consist of the bark of particular trees, 

 of roots and of herbs, used at some times in their 

 simple state, and at others in a compounded form. 

 For wounds and sores, they use, chiefly, decoctions 

 of roots. The doctor is always well paid for his 



