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SWANTONJ CHOCTAW SOCIAL AND CEREMONIAL LIFE 241
fully watches it as broader and higher it ascends, until he feels sure he can
safely risk another promise ; then leaves his place of secret and thoughtful
meditation, and, with countenance fair as a summer morn, presents himself
before his despairing people and announces his anger cooled and wrath departed
that now he would bring rain without delay, yet dropping a casual hint as to
the efficiency of a coveted pony, cow, blanket, etc., being added, as a surer
guarantee, since " the laborer was worthy his hire."
The hint was comprehended and fully complied with in hopeful expectation.
Anon the low muttering thunder vibrates along the western horizon in audible
tones, and the lightning flash is seen athwart the western sky heralding the
gathering and approacliing storm ; soon the sky is overcast with clouds of
blackest hue while the lightning's flash and the thunder's roar seem to pro-
claim to the people their wonderful Umba Ikbi's secret power in the affair of
rain ; and, as tlie vast sheets of falling water wet the parched earth they sing
his praise ;
whicli he, with assumed indifference, acknowledged with an approv-
ing grunt ; then, with measured steps, sought his home, there to await another
necessity that would call him forth to again deceive his credulous admirers."
Romans mentions a rain-making herb.
Many among them are well acquainted with plants of every kind, and apply
them judicially [judiciously?] both externally and internally; to others again
they attribute supernatural virtues ; for instance, there is one which they make
use of to procure rain ; for this purpose they have a number of people in their
nation called rainmakers ; these assemble in a deserted field, and they boil
this plant in a large pot, dancing and singing around it with numberless awkward
gestures ; then if it should happen to rain soon after, the jugglers boast
the virtue of the plant ; but should no rain follow, they say the physick was
not strong enough ; they take care however not to employ this rain compelling
lierb unless a cloudy day forebodes rain. The plant is very singular, and I
believe a nondescript ; I saw two species of it, but could not ascertain tlie
genius [ !] ; the savages call it Esta HooJa [isht ahollo] or the most beloved.**
Finally Wright informs us, in a paragraph already quoted, that
there was a class of fair-weather makers.^^ This was true also of
the Creeks and probably all of the other southeastern Indians.
^ Cushman, Hist. Inds., pp. 260-261.
f nomans. Nat. Hist. E. and W. Fla., pp. 85-86.
83 See p. 196.