of white doctors. This suggests that perhaps the old views are
disappearing under the scientific certainty of Western medicine. Quite the
reverse seems true, however. Every failure of white medicine strengthens
the Indians' belief that the real source of curing power is a gift from
nature. Every success is attributed to assistance the white men have
received from Indians' power. When asked the direct question: "Why aren't
there so many Indian doctors today?" my informant answered: "Well, Indians
just don't need all that power today. The white doctors know a lot of
things and can cure sickness pretty good. In the old days we didn't know
them things so we had to have them real powers." This attitude, that
nature provided whatever was necessary for Washo survival, crops up in
other contexts which I will discuss later in this paper. Far from
disappearing, the old notions seem to be maintaining a strong hold on the
minds of the Washo. As the number of active peyotists dwindle (d'Azevedo
and Merriam 1957), one gets the impression that the shamanistic forms may
again become a more important part of Washo life.

DREAMS AND DREAMERS (2566)

Mentioned almost as frequently as doctors are dreamers, whom the Washo
view as distinct from shamans. The so-called antelope shaman and rabbit
boss fall into this category rather than that of doctor.

Dreamers were gifted with a power to foretell special classes of events in
dreams. All Washo believe dreams are likely to foretell the future, and
they are alert to find meanings in any dreams they have. Certain persons,
those thought of as "dreamers," are reported to have special gifts of this
nature.

There are apparently no dreamers among the Washo today, in the sense that
the term was used in times past. That is, no one is especially singled out
as having infallible dreams foretelling certain classes of events. It may
be that the breakdown of the band structure, which was related to economic
exploitative activity, in effect, forced everyone to dream for himself. In
the past, dreamers were particularly important in setting the time and
place for activities which were carried out by large groups, such as
hunting, fishing, pine-nut gathering, and war. With the disappearance of
the last seminomadic bands in the middle 1920's, as well as with the
reduced importance of hunting and fishing as group activities, persons
having dreams which directed group actions were no longer useful. To