itious, and is used to a great extent by one branch of the Apaches,
who bake it with horse-flesh; this tribe is called by the frontiersmen,
_mezcaleros_ on this account.

Without the aid of this plant, there are seasons when the Lipans,
Apaches, and Camanches would perish from starvation. Too much cannot be
said in praise of the wild aloe; it is one of the many striking
instances in which an all-wise Providence has furnished man with a
medicine and food combined. The laboratory of nature is full of similar
plants whose uses are as yet imperfectly known, and have perhaps never
been applied to the relief of the suffering.

During my sojourn among the Indians I became familiar with the names and
uses of many of these roots and plants, which I believe were never
before known to civilized man.

Several months had elapsed, the corn was planted and had nearly ripened.
As I became hardened by exposure and toil, my lot seemed somewhat
softened; I say seemed mitigated; the work was none the less arduous,
only my capacity to bear toil had been strengthened.

One day, Eeh-nis-kin (the crystal stone), intimated that I was to be
branded; this intelligence filled me with terror. I had never seen any
one marked in this manner, and I presumed the process was a painful one.
After having finished the morning's work I had retired into the lodge,
in order to complete some garments I was making, for Eehniskin's little
boy, when a messenger arrived, announcing that the medicine man wished
to see me, and bade me follow him. Arriving at the lodge in the center
of the village, I joined a throng of captives, who like myself had been
summoned to appear and receive the mark of bondage. Presently the crowd
gave way, and the "hush-sh" that was echoed from mouth to mouth, warned
us of the approach of Pa-nis-ka-soo-pa (the two crows), the high priest
and great medicine of the nation. We were required to form a ring,
leaving a space of some thirty feet in diameter. Silence reigned
supreme; nothing was heard save the light tinkling of the rattles upon
his dress, as he cautiously and slowly moved through the avenue left for
him. He neared us with a slow and tilting step, his body and head
entirely covered with the skin of a yellow bear, the head of which
served as a mask to his own, which was inside of it; the huge bear's
claws were dangling on his wrists and ankles. In one hand he shook a
frightful rattle, with the other he brandished his medicine spe