Details of a Conjurer’s Practice

In the Klamath Lake Dialect. Obtained from Minnie Froben, by A. S. Gatschet.

Máḵlaks shuákiuk kíuksash ḵá-i gû´l’hi húnkĕlam ládshashtat,

Indians in calling the conjurer not enter his into lodge,

ndéna sha’hmóknok; kíuksh toks wán kiukáyank

they halloo to call (him) out; the conjurer red fox hanging out on a pole

mû´luash m’na kaníta pî´sh.

as sign his outside “of him.”

Kukíaks tchû´tanish gátp’nank wigáta tchélχa mā´shipksh. 3

Conjurers when treating approaching close by sit down the patient.

Lútatkish wigáta kíukshĕsh tcha’hlánshna.

The expounder close to the conjurer sits down.

Shuyéga kíuks, wéwanuish tchīk winóta

Starts choruses the conjurer, females then join in singing

liukiámnank nadshā´shak tchûtchtníshash.

crowding around him simultaneously while he treats (the sick).

Hánshna mā´shish hû´nk hishuákshash, tátktish î´shkuk,

He sucks diseased that man, the disease to extract,

hantchípka tchī´k kukuága, wishinkága, mû´lkaga,

he sucks out then a small frog, small snake, small insect,

ḵáḵo gî´ntak, káhaktok nánuktua nshendshkáne.

bone afterwards, whatsoever anything small.

Ts’û´ks toks ké-usht tchékĕle ítkal; lúlp toks mā´shisht 3

A leg being fractured the (bad) blood he extracts; eyes but being sore

tchékĕlitat lgû´m shû´kĕlank ḵî´tua lû´lpat,

into blood coal mixing he pours into the eyes,

kû´tash tchish kshéwa lúlpat pû´klash

a louse too introduces into the eye the white of eye

tuiχámpgatk ltúiχaktgi gíug.

protruding for eating out.