MEDICINE DREAMS. 
89 
cannot but consider it as a curse. Surely no 
stronger fetter of delusion was ever imposed by 
the great enemy of souls, to keep the heart of 
man in eternal bondage ! 
Superstition has taken the place of medical or 
surgical operations; and the purpose of the de- 
signing is better answered by this, than by the 
application of any remedy that could be devised. 
When a person is afflicted with a pain in the back 
or loins, he lies down, and employs another to jump 
and tread upon him, to remove the pain. A wound 
is always bruised with a stone, to excite bleeding; 
and afterwards held over the smoke of a fire. 
Boils are pressed long before ripe, and the pa- 
tient put to long and excruciating torture. There 
is only one application which I know them to 
make use of — the leaf or root of the flax (Phor- 
mium tenm\ beat to a pulp, heated, and applied 
hot; or the root of the Rengarenga (Arthro- 
podium cirratum'), scraped and applied in the same 
way, to bring forward any abscesses or tumours, 
where matter is forming. In all internal dis- 
orders, inflammation, consumption, &c., the patient 
lies down, sends for a priest, despairs, and dies. 
Dreams are much regarded by the people of 
this country, and have an amazing influence over 
their conduct. When any great work is about to 
be undertaken, an old man, or an old woman, is 
sure to dream concerning the matter, and to in- 
terpret it in such a way as to answer the purpose 
of their friends, or to fulfil their own wishes. A 
