NATIVE TRIBES. 123

receptacle after the wandering soul was caught. The same instrument was used
in cases of disease, being placed over the seat of pain which was sucked out into
the tube.

Incantations and charms, beating drums, swinging rattles, swaying the body
to and fro, were favourite forms of exorcising sickness. Internal remedies were
rarely used, unless in the forms of purges or emetics; it was a shaman’s personal
duty to drive out the disease. ‘The Chilcotin method of treatment was for the
shaman to sing his own song, often accompanied by dancing; then, after applying
his hands to the patient’s body, to open them suddenly and to blow the sickness
sharply from his widespread palms. ‘The Tsetsaut shaman painted his face and
hands red before approaching his patient, when he used an eagle tail to fan away
the trouble; after this he blew water over the sick person’s body and then dipped
out the disease.

SPECIAL FUNCTIONS OF WOMEN SHAMANS.

One of these duties was the appeasement of hostile spirits by speaking to
them in a sacred language, which was also employed to endow men, their
weapons, or their implements, with special powers. A woman shaman always
accompanied a male shaman when he attended the sick, and only a woman shaman
was permitted to attend childbirth.

It was a woman shaman who had the courage to investigate the unknown in
the shape of H.M.S. “ Resolution’ and her consort the “ Victory,” when they
anchored in Nootka Sound on that eventful March 28th, 1778. Much uneasi-
ness was felt by the natives at the appearance of these strange forms of water-
craft, mistaken at first for islands suddenly risen from the sea. ‘Then the speed
of the vessels could be attributed only to some supernatural power: “‘ Such rapid
movement must be the work of ‘ Haietlik,’ the Lightning Snake,’ was the con-
clusion reached. Others thought that the supreme being, “‘ Quawteath,” was at
work, or maybe it was a salmon charged with magic. Finally this brave woman,
possessed of special power over salmon, set forth in a canoe manned by three
young stalwarts. She hailed the unknown: “ Hello, you Spring Salmon; Hello,
you Dog Salmon; Hello, Coho Salmon.” Only after reassurance on the friendly
attitude of these unfamiliar arrivals did Chief Maquinna venture on board the
“ Resolution ”’ and establish amicable relations with Captain Cook.

SCOPE OF THEIR ACTIVITIES.

Messengers were sent long distances to fetch shamans whose skill had spread
abroad. As they received payment for their services they often acquired con-
siderable wealth; on the other hand, if they failed to give relief in whatever form
demanded, they were required to return all fees received on account.

Legends tell of the tricks they practised upon their victims. For instance,
one shaman pretended that the people who consulted him could only escape a
threatening danger by taking instant flight, his object being so to hurry their
departure that he could appropriate all their provisions. In other cases a shaman
would bewitch some treasured possession to secure it for himself, under pretext
of releasing its owner from harm which the bewitched article might bring upon
him. By many means a shaman could punish those who questioned his powers;
on the other hand, he could give valuable help to those whose faith was unshaken
in his magical abilities and would protect them from or even kill their enemies
for them.

Shamans were not to be lightly offended, seeing that they caused disease as
well as cured it, and could easily bewitch the disgruntled through charms working