The Indians pressed out the milky juices and used the extract obtained in the manufacture of their jewelry, most of their precious stones being made into necklaces, earrings, collars, wrist and upper arm bracelets, all mounted in this milk-juice preparation of the Asclepias syriaca.
This kind of jewelry was worn by Indians of a higher civilization as talismans, just as civilized people of today wear similar ornamental articles with more or less superstitious belief. We need only point to the so-called “charms” worn by many to bring luck, ward off disaster or sickness—in fact, for more reasons of a superstitious nature than the Indian ever thought of.
A great deal in the way of royalties are due the Indian, in return for the use of his art-craft, yet a few jewelry items have been overlooked by Mr. Jeweler—items which, peradventure, may bring him great wealth if properly ballyhooed.
Let us take, for instance, the case of the witch-doctor among the Indians with his special ornamental necklace—the symbol of his profession—a necklace denoting supernatural powers, a crystal quartz for a nose-piece. The necklace is made of eagle-, bear- and lion-claws, the poison fangs of rattlesnakes, etc.
It must be understood, however, that the necklace mentioned will not endow the wearer of it with any power whatsoever, unless those various claws are extracted from the living animals which, no doubt, makes the manufacture of such a necklace somewhat hazardous and dangerous.
As far as is known, no patent has been granted yet on the process of getting these necklace ornaments in compliance with the rules of “Charm-Craft.” So here is a fine chance for some enterprising, courageous jeweler to strive for renown and riches.
But, Mr. Jeweler, there must be no copying, no pilfering of any sort. The rules must be obeyed in strict honesty. The patent will then be found waiting.
Hunting with poisoned arrows.
KALMIA LATIFOLIA
(Ind. Po-ha-not)
American California Mountain Laurel. It may be of interest to sportsmen that this plant, growing in the high mountain ranges, is as greatly relished by the deer as Hosackia glabra. Deer in large numbers look for this shrubby tree and this is the key to the white man’s puzzle why Indians are such successful hunters. It is simply that the Indian lived the life God intended him to, and, through close association with animals in the wilderness, he became proficient in observing their habits, imitating their calls and thus bringing them within shooting distance of his bow and arrow. Here the Kalmia played an important part. The hunter not only used it as a body deodorizer, but also made use of the top part of a deer skull with the skin and antlers left on, never exposing more than these, when lying in ambush.