THE MEDICINE-MEN OF THE APACHE.

BY

JOHN G. BOURKE, Captain, Third Cavalry, U. S. Army.

CONTENTS.

Page.

Chapter I. The medicine-men, their modes of treating disease, their superstitions, paraphernalia, etc. 451

Medicine-women 468

Remedies and modes of treatment 471

Hair and wigs 474

Mudheads 475

Scalp shirts 476

The rhombus, or bull roarer 476

The cross 479

Necklaces of human fingers 480

Necklaces of human teeth 487

The scratch stick 490

The drinking reed 493

Chapter II. Hoddentin, the pollen of the tule, the sacrificial powder of the Apache; with remarks upon sacred powders and offerings in general 499

The "kunque" of the Zuñi and others 507

Use of the pollen by the Israelites and Egyptians 517

Hoddentin a prehistoric food 518

Hoddentin the yiauhtli of the Aztecs 521

"Bledos" of ancient writers—its meaning 522

Tzoalli 523

General use of the powder among Indians 528

Analogues of hoddentin 530

The down of birds in ceremonial observances 533

Hair powder 535

Dust from churches—its use 537

Clay-eating 537

Prehistoric foods used in covenants 540

Sacred breads and cakes 541

Unleavened bread 543

The hot cross buns of Good Friday 544

Galena 548

Chapter III. The izze-kloth or medicine cord of the Apache 550

Analogues to be found among the Aztecs, Peruvians, and others 558

The magic wind-knotted cords of the Lapps and others 560

Rosaries and other mnemonic cords 561

The sacred cords of the Parsis and Brahmans 563

Use of cords and knots and girdles in parturition 570

"Medidas," "measuring cords," "wresting threads," etc. 572

Unclassified superstitions upon this subject 575

The medicine hat 580

The spirit or ghost dance headdress 585

Amulets and talismans 587

The "tzi-daltai" 587

Chalchihuitl 588

Phylacteries 591

Bibliography 596

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Page.

Plate

III. Scalp shirt of Little Big Man 476

IV. Necklace of human fingers 480

V. Apache medicine hat used in ghost or spirit dance 586

VI. Apache medicine shirt 588

VII. Apache medicine shirt 590

VIII. Apache medicine shirt 592

Fig.

429. Medicine arrow used by Apache and Pueblo women 468

430. Rhombus of the Apache 477

431. Rhombus of the Apache 478

432. The scratch stick and drinking reed 494

433. Bag containing hoddentin 500

434. Nan-ta-do-tash's medicine hat 503

435. Single-strand medicine cord (Zuñi) 550

436. Four-strand medicine cord (Apache) 551

437. Three-strand medicine cord (Apache) 552

438. Two-strand medicine cord 553

439. Four-strand medicine cord (Apache) 554

440. Apache war bonnet 581

441. Ghost dance headdress 582

442. Apache kan or gods (Drawn by Apache) 586

443. Tzi-daltai amulets (Apache) 587

444. Tzi-daltai amulet (Apache) 588

445. Tzi-daltai amulet (Apache) 589

446. Tzi-daltai amulet (Apache) 589

447. Phylacteries 592

448. Apache medicine sash 593

LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL.

Washington, D. C., February 27, 1891.

Sir: Herewith I have the honor to submit a paper upon the paraphernalia of the medicine-men of the Apache and other tribes.

Analogues have been pointed out, wherever possible, especially in the case of the hoddentin and the izze-kloth, which have never to my knowledge previously received treatment.

Accompanying the paper is a bibliography of the principal works cited.

I have the honor to be, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

John G. Bourke, Captain, Third Cavalry, U. S. Army.

Hon. J. W. Powell, Director Bureau of Ethnology.

THE MEDICINE-MEN OF THE APACHE. By John G. Bourke.