Old Mackinaw | Page 6

of Natural Magic, or of Magnetism, or
Spiritualism. The difference however between these Indian professors
of magic and those of modern date is, that while the latter travel round
the country exhibiting their wonderful performances to gaping crowds,
at a shilling a head, the former generally shrink from notoriety, and,
instead of being anxious to display their marvelous feats, have only
been constrained, after urgent entreaty and in particular cases, to
exhibit their powers. The Indian magicians have shown more
conclusively their power as clairvoyants and spiritualists, than all the
rapping, table-tipping mediums of the present day.
Numerous interesting and beautiful Indian legends show their belief in
a spiritual world--of a shadowy land beyond the great river. Whether
this was obtained by revelations from their spiritual mediums, or
derived from a higher source of inspiration, we know not; but most
certain it is, that in no belief is the Indian more firmly grounded than
that of a spirit-world.
The Indian Chees-a-kees or spiritualists had a different and far more
satisfactory mode of communicating with departed spirits than ever
modern spiritualists have attained to, or perhaps ever will. Forming, as
they did, a connecting link or channel of communication between this
world and the world of spirits, they did not affect to speak what the
spirit had communicated; or, perhaps, to state it more fully, their organs
of speech were not employed by the spirits to communicate revelations
from the spirit world; but the spirits themselves spoke, and the
responses to inquiries were perfectly audible to them and to all present.
In this case all possibility of collusion was out of the question, and the
inquirer could tell by the tones of the voice as as well as the manner of
the communication, whether the response was genuine or not.

Chusco, a noted old Indian who died on Bound Island several years ago,
was a spiritualist. He was converted through the labors of Protestant
Missionaries, led for many years an exemplary Christian life, and was a
communicant in the Presbyterian Church on the Island up to the time of
his death. Mr. Schoolcraft in his "Personal Memoirs," in which he gives
most interesting reminiscences, running through a period of thirty years
among numerous Indian tribes of the northwest, and who has kindly
consented to allow us to make what extracts we may desire from his
many interesting works, says that "Chusco was the Ottawa spiritualist,
and up to his death he believed that he had, while in his heathen state,
communication with spirits". Whenever it was deemed proper to obtain
this communication, a pyramidal lodge was constructed of poles, eight
in number, four inches in diameter, and from twelve to sixteen feet in
height. These poles were set firmly in the ground to the depth of two
feet, the earth being beaten around them. The poles being securely
imbedded, were then wound tightly with three rows of withes. The
lodge was then covered with ap-puck-wois, securely lashed on. The
structure was so stoutly and compactly built, that four strong Indians
could scarcely move it by their mightiest efforts. The lodge being ready,
the spiritualist was taken and covered all over, with the exception of his
head, with a canoe sail which was lashed with bois-blanc cords and
knotted. This being done, his feet and hands were secured in a like firm
manner, causing him to resemble a bundle more than anything else. He
would then request the bystanders to place him in the lodge. In a few
minutes after entering, the lodge would commence swaying to and fro,
with a tremulous motion, accompanied with the sound of a drum and
rattle. The spiritualist then commenced chanting in a low, melancholy
tone, gradually raising his voice, while the lodge, as if keeping time
with his chant, vibrated to and fro with greater violence, and seemed at
times as if the force would tear it to pieces.
In the midst of this shaking and singing, the sail and the cords, with
which the spiritualist was bound, would be seen to fly out of the top of
the lodge with great violence. A silence would then ensue for a short
time, the lodge still continuing its tremulous vibrations. Soon a rustling
sound would be heard at the top of the lodge indicating the presence of
the spirit. The person or persons at whose instance the medium of the

spiritualist was invoked, would then propose the question or questions
they had to ask of the departed.
An Indian spiritualist, residing at Little Traverse Bay, was once
requested to enter a lodge for the purpose of affording a neighboring
Indian an opportunity to converse with a departed spirit about his child
who was then very sick. The sound of a voice, unfamiliar to the persons
assembled, was heard