Part 4

Accordingly, my identification of the “wizard stone” broke up an expensive Smithsonian expedition which was to be made by a group of geologists, with all its branches well-represented, in search of magnetic iron. Now, this is a mineral which has some commercial value in the electrical field, the steel industries and in the manufacture of scientific instruments, although some charlatans, like some of my Indian brothers, claim the mineral possesses supernatural powers and the so-called lodestone is sold today to a good many people as a talisman.

This lodestone is nothing more than common magnetic iron, yellow in color due to the large amount of sulphur in the mineral. The silver-gray magnetic ore which was the Indian’s “wizard stone” derives its color from the arsenic it contains. Furthermore, many other spurious contrivances are being sold, not to Indians but to white people of even very superior intelligence and P. T. Barnum fell far short in his estimate of the number of people just waiting to fall into the snare of deception, with his famous remark that “a sucker is born every minute.” Every second would be nearer the truth.

By personal investigation which I made I found that some of these deluded victims, men and women both, carry upon their persons lodestones for “luck,” whereas others think that by wearing them concealed close to the flesh it gives them a strong magnetic personality and thereby they command the attention they desire from others.

This is not likely to happen. You can magnetize your body, to be sure, but not this way. The right way is the way of the Indians of wisdom, nature’s way. If you are getting sluggish, low in vitality and vigor, it simply means that the battery-cells of your body are low and need recharging. Civilization has to some extent deprived us of this great body builder and has isolated us until the flesh of our feet does not make contact with the vast electrical currents of Mother Nature. To receive any benefits from this natural resource you must not wear shoes in the spring or early summer months, and, weather permitting, go to some lonely place where you are sure there won’t be any interference by the authorities, remove your clothing and then lie flat on the ground with your muscles well relaxed.

While doing this, dismiss from your mind everything which would cause you worry. Slowly but surely you will find yourself to be a different man if this is repeated yearly. Thus you will have learned to “magnetize” your soul and preserve yourself for the many years before you, as most Indians do.

How to be free from daily annoying trivialities, which only serve to undermine one’s health, weaken one’s body and render one an easy prey to disease and misery, the Indian understood thoroughly. Instead, he cultivated poise, and reached such perfection that he became the envy of the white race in that respect.

Antivenin for rattlesnake and tarantula bites.

DATURA METELOIDES. (_Ind. Qui-qui-sa-waal_)

American Jimson Weed. This plant is an inhabitant of the California coastal region and is not particular as to the nature of the soil or its fertility, but thrives anywhere. This tuberous, bushy plant is highly narcotic and when the leaves are properly cured they can be used either in the form of tea or smoked, but withal, very sparingly, since an overdose may very likely cause one to be committed to an insane asylum, as it is a rank poison and its effect may even land one in an undertaker’s mortuary. Therefore, my advice is to leave it alone.

My Indian brothers, being unable to give correct information to hard-shelled scientists and writers through a poor knowledge of the English language, were made objects of criticism, and science deliberately declined to acknowledge the medicinal value of this cousin to Datura stramonium which in modern medical practice is of great value at the present time.

Considering, however, the value and uses of _Datura meteloides_, I assert that this decision was very irregular and out of all proportion as to what it was intended. We know that everything can be abused, yet some of our Indian brothers who wished to live in ignorance and superstition had a perfect right to do so. In truth, it wasn’t so with all Indians and there were really some great minds amongst them.

When, for instance, the Chinaman wishes to see the beautiful lotus and cherry blossoms of his native land, he does so through the smoke of the opium-pipe.

Then, how about our boasted white civilization which is supposed to be superior to all? Some, of course, like to see Yankee Doodle marching down the street, others draw the hypodermic from its case to stimulate the vision of desire—or sniff cocaine through the nostrils for the same purpose.

How much, I ask, has present-day civilization to offer the Indian? Kind readers and hard-shelled scientists, I pray you, let us be rational and let us go deeper into the field of investigation. And I advise you for your own good to do so even if _Datura meteloides_ has failed to make its appearance in the pharmacopoeia with its commercial mark [*Rx] prefixed with the “M.D.” As I have said once before, there is very little in the drugstores today for which the Indian cannot find a substitute in the great field of nature. The plants I am writing about in this book represent just one-fourth of the medicinal botany of our Indians of the Pacific Southwest.

In support of my assertion, I only ask that you visit the Historical Southwest Museum in Los Angeles, Calif., and see with your own eyes what a medicine case consisted of for the general practice of medicine in the early days, in those days when most people of the white race thought themselves further advanced in medicine than the Indians. Such was not the case by far, and for a comparison and evidence of my assertion I submit a résumé of the contents used by the first white doctor to practice medicine in the State of California. His name I omit. His soul is at rest!

His medicine case contained a few vials: (1) Oil of Cloves, (2) Spirits of Ammonia, (3) Spirits of Peppermint, (4) Wintergreen, (5) Jamaica Ginger, (6) Castor Oil, (7) Quinine.

And that was all he had to serve as a comparison with what the Indians used, and in this I prefer that you, kind reader, be the judge. I am not exaggerating but speak only in the light of truth. A great deal of misinterpretation of Indian life has been written by white authors who gathered their information from Indians who knew a great deal but were unable to give comprehensive data to the white writer. Others were there who could have done so, but their lips were sealed where the white man was concerned. This accounts for the mistakes which have been made and whereby _Datura meteloides_ has failed to gain recognition for its meritorious medicinal value. It is worth knowing that the plant is antivenin and will effect cures of rattlesnake and tarantula bites. What improvement has the hard-shelled scientist made to counteract the deadly poison of the tarantula? None, of course!

Not so long ago a man in New Orleans, La., gave up his life for want of a serum that would counteract the poison of a tarantula which had bitten him. Three doctors, equipped with all the white man’s knowledge of medicine and chemistry, strove desperately hard to save the man’s life but finally gave up in despair and frankly admitted that to date no serum had been discovered to conquer the poison of the tarantula!

Yet there is one and it behooves the medical profession to get acquainted with _Datura meteloides_.

A practical and effective demonstration was given in the presence of a group of mission friars at San Gabriel, California, in the year 1828. The friars, having heard that _toulache_ was used by the Indians to cure rattlesnake bites, lost no time in watching attentively the procedure followed by the Indian in charge—Genio Guana-pia-pa was the medicine man. The patient was seated before them well-covered with a blanket, with only an opening remaining around the neck in order to permit _Datura meteloides_ to be poured over his body. All this, of course, was very simple. But what of the process used to extract the poison, when, and what compounds? Yes, there is just one other which belongs in the formula, a formula which has cost me thirty-two years of waiting to finally wrest it from my uncle, Chief Pablo of Pe-we-pe and Guana-pia-pa who gave me access to the ancient historical records of the Indians of California, records which many historians, archaeologists, and practically all men of science would welcome.

The white man has missed the true and better half of the Indian history of the Pacific Southwest. This I shall describe in another book after the translation has been made.

The rattlesnake and tarantula formula I will donate to the good of mankind, free under patent rights under my control to avoid medical exploitation, speculation, and selfish rights of monopoly. I am not in search of mere money. Honor and character are of far more value to me. My happiness comes to me from the good I can do to others, and this to me is almost an obligation to clear and right every wrong done to my people; not with a deadly weapon, but with pen and ink, the Lord willing!

We Indians have not yet learned some of the ways and customs of our white brothers, and, therefore, I could not say that what cannot be done today can be done ten years from now. Our religion and philosophy teach us that the heart is the pendulum of life, each stroke representing timely death which may befall us with one of these strokes any moment, and so don’t forget _Datura meteloides_.

Once an incident occurred when _Datura meteloides_ was being prepared at a place where the spying eyes of the friars couldn’t observe it. Enough plundering had been done already, and the Indians had no desire to divulge their secret. They would only show them what they could do. One of the friars, full of doubt and curiosity, asked one of the Indians who, the day before, had assisted a patient bitten by a rattlesnake to go with him into one of the fields north of the Mission, pretending he wanted information as to certain plants growing there. When there, the friar drew near to a _Datura meteloides_, and at once began questioning the Indian about the plant, whereupon the Indian refused to give information. The friar, seeing he couldn’t make him yield, began kicking at the plant, uttering at the same time Latin words, which of course were wholly unintelligible to the Indian. The friar did that only to make the Indian show resentment, thinking he had cursed a plant which, to the Indian, was sacred.

However, the friar’s scheme didn’t work; the Indian stood by in silence, until at last the saintly friar lost control of his temper, damned the Indian and his herbs and finally told him that if he’d dig up one of the roots he would chew it, nay, even swallow it, just to show him it was worthless.

The Indian took him at his word, dug up a root and handed it to him. Our friar was game and began chewing it. Accidentally he swallowed some of the bitter juice and in 15 minutes went through terrible convulsions, till death came.

Weather observation, travel and fishing aids, aqueous plants.

ECHINOCACTUS and SEMPERVIVUM (_Ind. Co-pash_)

American Water-Barrel Cactus. An inhabitant of the arid Pacific southwestern deserts. Like all Indians in their boyhood days I was also warned of the great perils threatening human beings in the desert, and in order to meet any emergency which might arise, we received much instruction for the time to come when this was absolutely necessary for our safety. The schooling given us consisted chiefly of weather observation, how to detect the approach of severe desert storms from the very beginning of sunset through part of the night by watching the action of the stars, the night atmosphere and the various changes of the air currents.

All this had to be mastered to such a degree of perfection that I doubt very much if any Bureau of Meteorology could do better. Most of the changes indicated heat waves, electric rainstorms, terrific wind, sand storms, etc. The only instrument the Indian had was his index finger which he made use of by holding it in his mouth for a few seconds, then pulling it out quickly and thrusting it upright toward the sky, his eyes fixed on the North Star. The side of the finger which cooled quickest indicated the direction of the wind.

Now came our water compasses, very primitive in form, but instructive and true to sense of direction as direct leaders to water holes.

Of course the Indians venturing across the arid desert were always careful to take with them the _Sempervivum_—House Leek—and, as an extra measure of precaution, another plant which grows abundantly in the semi-arid regions. These very same things were taught some of the old white pioneers who were friendly and had shown kindness to the Indians, while others perished from lack of knowledge of how to make use of these plants—the _Echinocactus_ and the _Sempervivum_, which furnish thirst-quenching juices.

The thorns of the _Echinocactus_ were used by the Indians as fishhooks for deep-water fishing so that the modern fishhook is by no means the white man’s invention.

Both the _Echinocactus_ and _Sempervivum_ were also used for the prevention of swelling of the salivary glands as a result of the tongue being dry and inactive.

General medication.

TRICHOSTEMA LANATUM (_Ind. Zu-bal_)

American Wild Rosemary. This shrub, when in full bloom in the months of May to July, emits a sweet, balsamic fragrance, and is of great medicinal value for many ailments.

The Indians who made use of this plant a great deal had no difficulty in tracing it through its scent to its place of growth, where the flowering stocks were carefully gathered so that the root and crown system suffered no injury. Extra precaution was taken for the next annual blooming season, for most of the plants were of a delicate nature. As far back as I can remember, in the late ’90s, the _Trichostema lanatum_ grew in abundance along the near coastal ranges, but gradually this very valuable plant became a victim of extermination through brush fires at the hands of careless hunters and the clearing of land by farmers. The Indians, perceiving how rapidly these plants were vanishing, gathered the seeds and carried them further inland, into rough mountain country where they were resown, and there they remained in their last botanical refuge with hundreds of others which are of great medicinal value also.

Furthermore, from such localities Indian hunters would gather the seeds and carry them still further into the mountains for safety and for purposes of propagation. Today it is solely due to the Indian’s foresight that _Trichostema lanatum_ is found plentifully in the Pe-we-pe mountains, better known today as the San Gorgania mountains. It is also found in Riverside County and the San Jacinto mountains, on southward over high mountaintops in lower California, Mexico, and northward to San Rafael but rarely beyond that point.

Ptomaine poisoning.

ERIOGONUM UMBELLATUM (_Ind. Hula-cal_)

An inhabitant of the arid California desert, it is a massive, white-flowering shrub remarkable for the long duration of its blooming period which lasts from early June till late September. During this time the desert may be seen covered with a vast mass of white blossoms comparable in its color effect to the winter snowfields in northern latitudes.

To have the opportunity to see the manifold flowering wonders of this great desert, in their sudden magical changes, one must visit it during the period from early February till late in the fall.

The time to see cactus in bloom is in February and March. The latter month ends the flowering season for this particular plant. Again the desert becomes flowerless and gloomy for at least two months and then good Mother Nature with her magic wand once more transforms the desolate desert into a brilliant garden of flowers and shrubs. There are the Yucca Whipplei and the yucca palm, the Joshua palm and the desert lilac, the desert poinsettias, marguerites, desert and scrub pines. All a riot of color, but the _Eriogonum_ survives them all into September. What a wonderful array of color greets the eye! As far as it can see it is fairly stunned by these glowing tints and hues, from rich ultramarine to pale yellow—red, lavender, purple, pink, light blue, to the purest cream white. This blooming season ends in July, but alone the _Eriogonum_ keeps on blooming till September.

Then there is one short rest period for about one month as if in preparation for a carpet of golden blooms.

Shrubs, bushes, and small trees which have been practically dormant for ten months of the year burst out in golden vestments to greet the approaching winter, and bid a last farewell to Indian Summer.

Such is the aspect of the desert, at that time of the year. And, strangest of all, of all the hundreds of species of trees, bushes, and shrubs, all different from each other, not one bears anything but yellow blossoms.

Let us turn back to where we began, to the especial value of the plant to hunters and vacationists who make their yearly visits to certain mountain and desert regions favored by them. It will certainly do no harm to acquaint yourself with the medicinal value of the _Eriogonum_ since you have to depend for your sustenance mostly on canned foods.

Occasions arise when users of such foods are made very ill, even suffer death, through so-called ptomaine poisoning. To obtain the service of a doctor is well-nigh an impossibility and ptomaine poisoning is a fast-working, exceedingly dangerous poison, where delay is fatal.

The plant _Eriogonum_ grows nowadays in the coastal regions as well as in the desert where it originally came from, and the first thing to do when attacked by ptomaine poison is to make a strong infusion from the blossoms of the _Eriogonum_, or, if these are not available, use the roots, and take, or give to the poison victim, two brimful cups with a pinch of salt added to each cup.

This remedy counteracts the poison and gives safe and complete relief.

Jewelry and talismans.

ASCLEPIAS SYRIACA (_Ind. Samat-hap-pac_)

American Milk Weed. White botanists claim this plant to be edible, but to my knowledge there is no botanical record extant which bears out the assertion as to its ever having been used as a food.

The Indians pressed out the milky juices and used the extract obtained in the manufacture of their jewelry, most of their precious stones being made into necklaces, earrings, collars, wrist and upper arm bracelets, all mounted in this milk-juice preparation of the _Asclepias syriaca_.

This kind of jewelry was worn by Indians of a higher civilization as talismans, just as civilized people of today wear similar ornamental articles with more or less superstitious belief. We need only point to the so-called “charms” worn by many to bring luck, ward off disaster or sickness—in fact, for more reasons of a superstitious nature than the Indian ever thought of.

A great deal in the way of royalties are due the Indian, in return for the use of his art-craft, yet a few jewelry items have been overlooked by Mr. Jeweler—items which, peradventure, may bring him great wealth if properly ballyhooed.

Let us take, for instance, the case of the witch-doctor among the Indians with his special ornamental necklace—the symbol of his profession—a necklace denoting supernatural powers, a crystal quartz for a nose-piece. The necklace is made of eagle-, bear- and lion-claws, the poison fangs of rattlesnakes, etc.

It must be understood, however, that the necklace mentioned will not endow the wearer of it with any power whatsoever, unless those various claws are extracted from the living animals which, no doubt, makes the manufacture of such a necklace somewhat hazardous and dangerous.

As far as is known, no patent has been granted yet on the process of getting these necklace ornaments in compliance with the rules of “Charm-Craft.” So here is a fine chance for some enterprising, courageous jeweler to strive for renown and riches.

But, Mr. Jeweler, there must be no copying, no pilfering of any sort. The rules must be obeyed in strict honesty. The patent will then be found waiting.

Hunting with poisoned arrows.

KALMIA LATIFOLIA (_Ind. Po-ha-not_)

American California Mountain Laurel. It may be of interest to sportsmen that this plant, growing in the high mountain ranges, is as greatly relished by the deer as _Hosackia glabra_. Deer in large numbers look for this shrubby tree and this is the key to the white man’s puzzle why Indians are such successful hunters. It is simply that the Indian lived the life God intended him to, and, through close association with animals in the wilderness, he became proficient in observing their habits, imitating their calls and thus bringing them within shooting distance of his bow and arrow. Here the _Kalmia_ played an important part. The hunter not only used it as a body deodorizer, but also made use of the top part of a deer skull with the skin and antlers left on, never exposing more than these, when lying in ambush.

The _Kalmia_ had other virtues, besides, in that it furnished one of the ingredients to compound a poison in which to dip arrowheads. A deer hit with an arrow had a slim chance of getting away wounded. If it happened, it was only for a short distance and then it would drop paralyzed from the effect of the poisoned arrow. The meat was edible and harmless and none was left over.

The grizzly bear was one of the most ferocious members of the bear family in the Pacific Southwest. Although quite common and plentiful, this powerful animal was killed with as much ease as the housewife of today kills a chicken.

When hunting this bear the Indians would select one which had the best coat of hair. Two Indians would work together, beginning with yelling, singing, and dancing around him to such effect that he became very angry and charged one of the hunters. With speed and precision the other one would run up to the bear from behind and shoot his arrow straight into the bear’s kidneys, thus in most cases rendering the bear quite helpless; and try as hard as he might to turn on his enemy, his efforts proved futile. Paralyzed in the hind legs due to the arrow being imbedded in the kidneys handicapped him so that he had to vent his rage in a sitting position. The other Indian in front of him, thereupon would shoot an arrow straight into his ear, ending it all in a few seconds. The skin, when cured and tanned, was used for the interior lining of tepees, bed covers, and ground mattresses. However, the time came when bear hunting was abolished by executive orders of our Indian chieftains, and this was caused by the following:

At one time these Indian chiefs, while traversing their territory, were attracted by gunfire. Driven by suspicion and curiosity, they decided to investigate and went to where the shooting was taking place. Great, indeed, was their surprise when they came upon two white hunters battling with a grizzly and it seemed that the bullets of the old-time muzzle-loading gun didn’t prove up to expectations. There was very little time to reload, so one of the hunters threw his gun away and fled with the other partner in close pursuit, the wounded bear right on their heels and in full command of the situation.