They are seated in four rows—their seats being something like those of a theatre, semicircular and rising a little one above the other. These are all doctors, and it is their business to instruct the votary in the object of his mission. They have a great quantity of medicines already prepared of such as are produced in the bowels of the earth, such as minerals, stones, shells. And most, or many of these, are hung up in the house.
Here he is taught how and in what manner to prepare these, as also the songs and sacrifices appropriate to each different one or sort. When on the outside, or out of doors, he is shown all the roots, herbs, plants, and is taught the respective song (of each) or of any particular one, or number, or such only as grow in the climate he inhabits. Both the songs and the plant, [the] herb, are so indelibly imprinted on his mind (or memory), though he had never seen them before, or should not happen to meet with any of them for years afterwards, yet on his first view, he immediately recognises them and every circumstance that had been instructed him, as if he had passed a regular apprenticeship. This may seem very extraordinary, if not indeed absurd, to people unacquainted with them, but still it is no less a positive fact.
These rivers, waters, are of different colors. So also is the rapidity of each stream, some of them moving in a turbulent and awful manner, as the rapids and eddies at the foot of large falls, some moving in large majestic waves like the swells of a large deep lake agitated by the wind, and some in a beautiful smooth current, down which the canoes are scarcly perceived to move. These are the tokens or signs or emblems of the manner of our lives here below so far as regard to health and sickness. And of course the description requires no further explanation.
In some of these rivers grow herbs or plants which themselves, as well as their roots, are a rank, deadly poison, more or less. And their effects, when any demon-spirited wretch employs them as instruments of vengeance, though I have known none to carry off the object immediately, yet have a most melancholy, baneful effect. Some of [these plants are] exactly similar (in their effects) to Lunar Caustic, and oftentimes with an additional humiliating effect (but more of this hereafter). And some deprive the object of every one of his senses but that of feeling. A melancholy instance of this I saw in the Spring of 1813 and sufficient of itself to [emolliate] a heart of adamant!
Sometimes Esculapius will not instruct his votary in their use, satisfying himself with telling them they are bad medicines, or perhaps not mentioning them at all. To others again he [will explain] every circumstance relating to them, but with a most strict injunction never to employ them at his Peril:
... unless you wish to die. I teach you all these these things because I love you, and know your heart to be compassionate. But mind my words, if ever you employ them with an ill or evil view, thou shalt die! Other Indians as well as thyself, love life. It is sweet to everybody; render it therefore not a burthen or disgrace; and I hate those who thus abuse my confident affection!
They are also forbidden, sometimes as strictly, and for the same reasons, instructing others in their use. Notwithstanding this great love and cautious diffidence of Esculapius, there are other malignant powers who teach them and encourage their use. Hence those distressing objects I cannot here, for the want of paper, speak of.
[Stones and Their Virtues]
What I have mentioned of minerals, which from their description are indeed really such— minerals, yet I cannot take upon myself from my slender knowledge of their language and technical terms, to assure you that they are prepared after our manner, by chemical processes. Mercury, sulphur, saltpetre or nitre, I do not know that they have. But there being French, English, German, and, from the description, Greek and Hebrew doctors among the number, I should not suppose it preposterous in concluding that they have them all in the same way as ourselves.
But from what I can learn, it is stones, that is some particular kinds of them, that are most used, such as talc, pumice stones and various other kinds. These they are shewn how to reduce to powder, and with what water, out of which river (or colored water if you please), the water is taken to mix up these powders. With the roots and herbs it is different. They are boiled. These stones (for they are most commonly thus denominated by them) are held in very great repute by them, though many of them that have been shewn me as possessing wonderful virtues, I considered as very common and foolish or at least harmless things.