The introductions given to me by Mr. Parkman to the distinguished archæologists, Mr. Lewis Morgan and Professor Daniel Wilson, were also most useful.
In the prison at Omaha I saw three Pawnees named Blue-Hawk, Yellow-Son and Tall-Wolf, who had endeavoured to commit suicide in order to avoid being hanged. One of them, I think it was Blue-Hawk (Sha-to-ko), had managed to conceal a long piece of hard wood, one end of which he had rubbed down to a sharp point. He was employed in pushing this through his body, between the ribs, when he was observed by the warder and prevented from completing his purpose. Another prisoner had removed a brick from the floor and was trying to fracture his skull with it. All of them had torn away portions of their skin and cut themselves in many places with small fragments of glass which they had obtained secretly. The warder told me that he had taken every precaution to stop these desperate attempts of the Indians to destroy themselves. They seemed to be able to bear these self inflicted wounds without showing signs of distress.
The supernatural powers attributed to the “medicine men” are not worthy of attention, except so far as they illustrate the credulity of Indians, and show the influence of certain methods of imposture upon them. Their tricks are usually of a kind which are perfectly within the capacity of an ordinary juggler.
Their pretension of possessing the power of making rain is however a subject of a different nature.
This particular act is chiefly remarkable because there is no form of imposture which can be so readily detected. Nevertheless the Indian tribes throughout the western parts of North America usually have “Rain-makers,” in whose powers they appear to have confidence.
I met in California a young Englishman who had been living for several months with various tribes near the coast, between British Columbia and New Mexico.
He told me that he had been present upon an occasion when a successful attempt at rain-making occurred. The event took place upon a promontory in the southern part of California.
The tribe wanted rain, and their rain-maker declared that he could obtain what was desired. He proceeded to make upon an adjoining hill, a large bonfire which was kept well supplied with fuel and gave out dense volumes of smoke. The fire was kept burning for over twenty-four hours, and then the efforts of the rain-maker were rewarded by a good and sufficient fall of rain. Here, as elsewhere, the Indians employed fire and smoke as agents for producing rain.