he Blackfeet, every Indian has his medicine or mystery bag,
which he regards with reverence, and will not part with for any price.
He looks upon it as a kind of charm, or guardian spirit, that is to
keep him from evil. He takes it with him to battle, and when he dies
it is his companion.

_Austin._ But what is it? Is there any thing in the bag? What is it
that makes medicine?

_Hunter._ Every thing that is mysterious or wonderful to an Indian, he
regards as medicine. I do not mean such medicine as we get from an
apothecary; but he regards it as something awful, and connected with
spirits. This is a strong superstition, which has laid hold of the red
man throughout the whole of his race.

_Brian._ But is there any thing in the medicine bag?

_Hunter._ The medicine bag is usually the skin of some animal, such as
the beaver, otter, polecat, or weazel; or of some bird, as the eagle,
the magpie, or hawk; or of some reptile, as the snake or the toad.
This skin is stuffed with any thing the owner chooses to put into it,
such as dry grass, or leaves; and it is carefully sewed up into some
curious form, and ornamented in a curious manner. Some medicine bags
are very large, and form a conspicuous part of an Indian's
appendages; while others are very small, and altogether hidden.

_Basil._ Why, it is very foolish in the red men to carry such things
about with them.

_Hunter._ It certainly is so; but their fathers and their tribes have
done so for many generations, and it would be a disgrace to them, in
their own estimation, if they neglected to do the same. A young
Indian, before he has his medicine bag, goes perhaps alone on the
prairie, or wanders in the forest, or beside some solitary lake. Day
after day, and night after night, he fasts, and calls on the Great
Spirit to help him to medicine. When he sleeps, the first animal, or
bird, or reptile that he dreams of, is his medicine. If it be a
weazel, he catches a weazel, and it becomes his medicine for ever. If
it be a toad or snake, he kills it; and if it be a bird, he shoots it,
and stuffs its skin.

_Austin._ This is one of the most wonderful things you have told us
yet.

_Hunter._ What is called a medicine man, or a mystery man, is one who
ranks high in his tribe for some supposed knowledge. He can either
make buffaloes come, or cure disease, or bring rain, or do some other
wonderful things, or persuade his tribe that he can do them. Indeed,
among Indians, hardly a