32 ' THE LIFE 01‘

minerals used in our medicine. I will here describe the Me-tae-we-gah-mig or Grand Medicine Lodge. It was a wigwam 150 feet long and 15 feet wide. The clan of medicine men and women alone were allowed to be inside, at each sitting, with their medicine badge, on each side of the Wigwam. Then there were four old men who took the lead in singing, and beating the drum, as they stood near the centre. Before them were a com- pany who were to take degrees. There were four grades inthe institution; and, as I have thought, somewhat simi- lar to the Masonic institution.

After the. singing commenced, the whole company arose and danced, as they moved from one end of the Wigwam to the other. As they go round, one-half of them cast their heads down upon their bosoms, as if af- fected by the medicine, which was kept in small skins, and which they pretended to thrust at each other ; this was done to deceive the ignorant. These forms were continued several days. The party to be made medi-

cine men and women, looked on in the mean time, to‘

see what they would have to do themselves. Then they are taken to another place with our medicine men, and are taught the science of medicine. After receiving instructions, another day was allotted to give them in- struction on morality. They were advised on various subjects. All were to keep silence, and endeavor to retain what they were taught. I will here give some of the sayings of our medicine men :

“If you are a good hunter, warrior, and a medicine man, when you die, you will have no difficulty in getting to the far west in the spirit land.”