when
asleep he watches and works just as if his body were awake. Though
real illness is the exception with him, the Tarahumare believes that
an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, and for this
reason he keeps his doctor busy curing him, not only to make his body
strong to resist illness, but chiefly to ward off sorcery, the main
source of trouble in the Indian's life. The demand for shamans is
therefore great, but the supply is quite equal to it. For instance,
in the little village of Nararachic and the neighbouring ranches,
where there are about 180 households, twenty-five shamans are living,
each of whom takes care of about twenty souls, though only about ten
of them enjoy great reputation in the community.

Before a man is allowed to consider himself a shaman, he is examined
by a "board" of recognised members of the profession, who pass upon
his fitness to enter their ranks.

These priest-doctors have their specialties. Some sing only at
rutuburi or yumari dances, others only at hikuli-feasts. A few of
them do not sing at all, but are merely healers, although far the
greater number also sing at the feasts. Those who make a specialty
of the hikuli cult are considered the greatest healers. They all
conscientiously fast and pray, complying with the demands of the
gods, which impose restrictions and abstinence, and they are therefore
called "righteous men" (owiruami). They are the wise men of the tribe;
and as rain-makers, healers, and keepers of the heritage of tribal
wisdom and traditions, their influence is powerful.

Their services are never rendered gratuitously; in fact, what with
the payments they receive from singing at feasts and curing the
sick, they generally manage to live better than the rest of the
people. Whenever a shaman is hungry, he goes to the house of some of
his well-to-do clients and cures the family, receiving all the food he
wants in payment for his efforts, for what would become of the people
if the shaman should die? The Devil would surely take them away at
once. Therefore the best parts of the meat from the animal killed
for the feast is given to the shamans, and they generally get all
the tesvino they can hold. In winter time, when numerous feasts are
being held, the shamans are nearly all the time under the influence
of their native stimulants. Yet this does not seem to harm them, nor
does it in the estimation of the people detract from the efficacy of
their singing; the