56 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



charms of drumming and singing were 

 plentifully applied, and once they had re- 

 course to conjuring over a sick person. I 

 was informed, however, that the Northern 

 Indians do not make this expedient for the 

 cure of a patient so often as the Crees ; but 

 when they do, the conjuror is most assi- 

 duous, and suffers great personal fatigue. 

 Particular persons only are trained in the 

 mysteries of the art of conjuring, to procure 

 the recovery of the sick, or to disclose 

 future events. 



On extraordinary occasions the man re- 

 mains in his narrow conjuring tent, for 

 days, without eating, before he can deter- 

 mine the matter to his satisfaction. When 

 he is consulted about the sick, the patient 

 is shut up with him ; but on other occa- 

 sions he is alone, and the poor creature 

 often works his mind up to a pitch of illu- 

 sion that can scarcely be imagined by one 

 who has not witnessed it. His deluded 

 companions seat themselves round his tent, 

 and await his communication with earnest 

 anxiety, yet during the progress of his 



