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INDIAN CUSTOMS. 91
travellers and historians give as cockarouse, and there, with the chief, the
werowance, and " medicine-man" or conjuror, formed the ordinary council
of the tribe.1
This medicine-man was a person of great importance, combining in
himself the functions of physician and magician, as is generally the case
among savage tribes who look upon disease as the result of a hostile incantation, or the anger of a malignant or offended spirit. They were usually
initiated into their profession by a long period of preparation, including
protracted fasting, solitude, severe penances, and frequently the administration of narcotic drugs. This regimen produced hallucinations, in which
" medicines " or charms were revealed to them by spirits, and a hysterical or
epileptic tendency superinduced, which, under nervous excitement, readily
gave rise to paroxysms. Their modes of poiv-woiuing were various, but
usually began with drum-beating, shaking of rattles, and chanting by the
assistants, and furious dancing or gesticulation on the part of the conjuror,
until he was seized with convulsions, real or simulated, and rolled upon the
ground with face distorted and mouth foaming. Sometimes he howled forth
his oracle in this condition, and then it was understood to be a spirit that
possessed him speaking with his voice; at other times he fell prostrate and
apparently lifeless, and did not deliver his oracle until he recovered his
senses; when he announced that his soul had quitted his body and journeyed
to the world of spirits, whence it brought the desired answer. In their
medical practice they combined these conjurations with treatment of a more
orthodox sort, administering drugs, using scarification, cauterization, and
other remedies; and in both capacities they were regarded with great
veneration.
These medicine-men also took a prominent part in the religious
ceremonies, solemn feasts, and other rites. These had mostly reference to
the change of seasons and their events, the chief feast being at the maize-
harvest; while others signalized the return of certain kinds of migratory
game, the ripening of certain fruits, etc. Their festivals were celebrated
with various ceremonies of a symbolical character, with singing, dancing and
a grand banquet. Neither at these, nor in their ordinary life, did these
Indians use any beverage but water, sometimes sweetened with the sap of the
sugar-maple, until after they had learned the use of spirituous liquors from
the whites; and to these, Father White2 tells us, the Maryland Indians had at
first a great repugnance, though afterwards drunkenness became a prevalent
vice with them.
1 The Relation of Maryland (1635) says that have also cockorooses that are their captains in
"he that governs in chief is called the werotv- time of war" (p. 32). The statement in the text
ance, and is assisted by some that consult with is from Beverly, who, having known the In-
him of the common affairs, who are called dians for years, was perhaps more accurately
wisoes . . . The wisoes are chosen at the informed than the author of the Relation.
pleasure of the werowance, yet commonly they 2 Relatio Itineris in Marylandiam, p. 40.
are chosen of the same family . . . They
| Title | History of Maryland - 1 |
| Creator | Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas) |
| Publisher | J. B. Piet |
| Place of Publication | Baltimore |
| Date | 1879 |
| Language | eng |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Title | 00000116 |
| Type | Books/Pamphlets |
| Transcript | INDIAN CUSTOMS. 91 travellers and historians give as cockarouse, and there, with the chief, the werowance, and " medicine-man" or conjuror, formed the ordinary council of the tribe.1 This medicine-man was a person of great importance, combining in himself the functions of physician and magician, as is generally the case among savage tribes who look upon disease as the result of a hostile incantation, or the anger of a malignant or offended spirit. They were usually initiated into their profession by a long period of preparation, including protracted fasting, solitude, severe penances, and frequently the administration of narcotic drugs. This regimen produced hallucinations, in which " medicines " or charms were revealed to them by spirits, and a hysterical or epileptic tendency superinduced, which, under nervous excitement, readily gave rise to paroxysms. Their modes of poiv-woiuing were various, but usually began with drum-beating, shaking of rattles, and chanting by the assistants, and furious dancing or gesticulation on the part of the conjuror, until he was seized with convulsions, real or simulated, and rolled upon the ground with face distorted and mouth foaming. Sometimes he howled forth his oracle in this condition, and then it was understood to be a spirit that possessed him speaking with his voice; at other times he fell prostrate and apparently lifeless, and did not deliver his oracle until he recovered his senses; when he announced that his soul had quitted his body and journeyed to the world of spirits, whence it brought the desired answer. In their medical practice they combined these conjurations with treatment of a more orthodox sort, administering drugs, using scarification, cauterization, and other remedies; and in both capacities they were regarded with great veneration. These medicine-men also took a prominent part in the religious ceremonies, solemn feasts, and other rites. These had mostly reference to the change of seasons and their events, the chief feast being at the maize- harvest; while others signalized the return of certain kinds of migratory game, the ripening of certain fruits, etc. Their festivals were celebrated with various ceremonies of a symbolical character, with singing, dancing and a grand banquet. Neither at these, nor in their ordinary life, did these Indians use any beverage but water, sometimes sweetened with the sap of the sugar-maple, until after they had learned the use of spirituous liquors from the whites; and to these, Father White2 tells us, the Maryland Indians had at first a great repugnance, though afterwards drunkenness became a prevalent vice with them. 1 The Relation of Maryland (1635) says that have also cockorooses that are their captains in "he that governs in chief is called the werotv- time of war" (p. 32). The statement in the text ance, and is assisted by some that consult with is from Beverly, who, having known the In- him of the common affairs, who are called dians for years, was perhaps more accurately wisoes . . . The wisoes are chosen at the informed than the author of the Relation. pleasure of the werowance, yet commonly they 2 Relatio Itineris in Marylandiam, p. 40. are chosen of the same family . . . They |
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