The first administrations may consist of mashki´kiwabūn´, or medicine broth, this being the prescription of the Midē´ in the capacity of mashki´kike´winĭ´nĭ, or herbalist, during which medication he resorts to incantation and exorcism, accompanying his song by liberal use of the rattle. As an illustration of the songs used at this period of the illness, the following is presented, the mnemonic characters being reproduced on [Pl. XVI, C]. The singing is monotonous and doleful, though at times it becomes animated and discordant.
Plate XVI.c. Mnemonic Song.
| In´-do-nâ-gât in-da´-kwo-nan That which I live upon has been put on this dish by the spirit. Ki´tshi Man´idō provides the speaker with the necessary food for the maintenance of life. The dish, or feast, is shown by the concentric rings, the spirit’s arm is just below it. | |
| Mo´-ki-yan tshik´-ko-min´. I bring life to the people. The speaker, as the impersonator of the sacred Otter, brings life. The Otter is just emerging from the surface of the water, as he emerged from the great salt sea before the Âni´shi-nâ´beg, after having been instructed by Mi´nabō´zho to carry life to them. | |
| Ni´-no-mūn´ mash-ki´-ki I can also take medicine from the lodge, or the earth The Midē´’s arm is reaching down to extract magic remedies from the earth. The four spots indicate the remedies, while the square figure denotes a hole in the ground. | |
| Rest. During this interval the Midē´’s thoughts dwell upon the sacred character of the work in which he is engaged. | |
| Ni´-nin-dē´ in´-dai-yo´. It is all in my heart, the life. The concentric circles indicates the mī´gis, life, within the heart, the former showing radiating lines to denote its magic power. | |
| M´bi-mo´-se-an-kĭnk´. The spirit saw me and sent me medicine from above. The figure is that of Ki´tshi Man´idō, who granted power to the speaker. | |
| Dōn´-de-na mi-tĭz´-kŭnk. It is also on the trees, that from which I take life. The tree bears “medicine” which the speaker has at his command, and is enabled to use. |
When the ordinary course of treatment fails to relieve the patient the fact is made known to the Midē´ priests and he is consequently taken to the Midē´wigân and laid upon blankets so that part of his body may rest against the sacred midē´ stone. Associate Midē´ then attend, in consultation, with the Midē´-in-chief, the other members present occupying seats around the walls of the structure.
The accompanying lecture is then addressed to the sick person, viz:
Mi-shosh´-yâ-gwa´ ga´-a-nin-nan´ gi´-de-wēn´-du-nŭn ne´-tun-ga´-da-da-we´-in man´-i-dōmī´-gis. Kit´-ti-mâ´-gĭ-si ē´-ni-dau´-â-ya-we´-yĭn o-ma´-e-nâ´-sa-ba-bĭt bī-ĭ-sha´-gaban´-dĕ-a gi-bi´-sha-ban-da´-ĕt na-pĭsh-kâ-tshi-dŏsh ke´-a-yū´-ĭn-ki-go gŏt-tâ-sō-nĕn´, mi´-a-shi´-gwa-gō-dĭn´-na-wât dzhi-ma´-di-a-kad´-dŏ-yōn bi-mâ-di-si-wĭn´.