ACCOUNT OF THE INDIANS. 



373 



services, and his profession is the most lucrative 

 of any among the Indians. — When he acts as con- 

 jurer, he shuts himself up in a small cabin, where 

 he is completely concealed from the view, and 

 where he remains silent, during ten or fifteen min- 

 utes. He then begins to sing, and to beat his 

 drum, and continues to do so, for about half an 

 hour. And then, if any one has a question to pro- 

 pose respecting futurity, he is ready to answer it, 

 which, however, he will not do, without a trifling 

 recompense. It is not uncommon for events to* 

 take place, much as these conjurers predict ; but 

 whether this is to be attributed to their natural 

 sagacity, or to accident, or to other circumstances, 

 I pretend not to determine. 



A person who is desirous of becoming a phy- 

 sician or conjurer, is publickly initiated, with much 

 mysterious ceremony. Among these ceremonies 

 are the following. The old physicians prepare 

 an entertainment for a certain number of people ; 

 and for the young candidate, they have a peculiar 

 mess, which consists of a bitch, boiled with her 

 young in her. A part of this animal, he must eat ; 

 and they suppose that it possesses the magical 

 power, of inspiring him with a knowledge of the 

 medicinal qualities of all kinds of barks, herbs 7 

 roots, &c. — A woman, who wishes to become a 

 midwife, must not only eat a part of the bitch, 



