84 
toner's address. 
lived for many years among these Indians, and of 
whom they were very fond. Out of sympathy for 
one who was suffering, he prescribed medicine. 
The patient not recovering, the friends of the Indian 
shot Mr. Black. This gentleman had published some 
valuable accounts of the geography and products 
of this region, and was a great loss to the early traders 
and settlers in Oregon. General Alvord, of the 
United States Army, observed this barbarous conduct 
among the Indians of Oregon."^ Father Charlevoix, 
p. 1 88, says: *^ The Indian sorcerer is safe nowhere, 
and condemned to the punishment of prisoners of war. 
Those who are least culpable are knocked on the 
head before they are burned." The physician is 
usually paid his fee or receives a present as scon as 
he enters the cabin. In some cases stipulation is 
made for payment in advance (this, however, is not the 
general custom), and occasionally fees are returned 
should the patient die. The Indian physician receives 
almost any article proffered, as arms, skins, robes, 
moccasin ornaments, or food, a dog, a horse, etc. 
It is a notable fact, and particularly in the East, 
that the physician among early races, whose origin is 
referable to Semitic stock, is frequently the head of 
the family or tribe. Indeed all rank and tribal author- 
ity in races having this descent seem to be patterned 
after the patriarchal form, where the head of the family 
General Alvord has given an interesting account of this cruel 
practice among the Oregon Indians in a paper vi^hich he read, January 
20, 1877, before the Literary Society in Washington, and v^hich I 
trust will soon be published. He contributed similar facts to Mr. 
Schoolcraft, which are published in the fifth volume of his work, p. 652. 
Mr. Schoolcraft, on p. 271, refers to this practice among various tribes. 
