consists in an over-stimulation of the nerve center of sight, resulting in hallucinations of most wonderful visions, with remarkably beautiful kaleidoscopic changes, the character of the visions depending upon the temperament and mental content of the subject. Thus a white man, with his inherited and acquired habit of thought and store of mental concepts, would see a different set of visions from those seen by an Indian, whose mental habit and concepts are different. The visions are also partly induced by the hypnotic power of suggestion and expectancy.

The mescal cult is a curious example of the blending of ideas, beliefs and customs. No doubt the fundamental rites antedate the coming of white men, perhaps many centuries; but since then Christian ideas have been added together with original religious ideas of the various tribes to which the cult has been brought. Thus the Omaha, of Nebraska, have interjected the use of the wild sage, Artemisia gnaphalodes, in connection with mescal ceremonies, that plant having been an immemorial symbol of sacredness among the Omaha.

The writer has been present, by invitation, at several mescal meetings in the Omaha tribe. The entrance of the tent of meeting toward the east, the fireplace, in the center, is usually an excavation, eight to twelve inches deep, and in the shape of a heart to represent the heart of Jesus. Quantities of artemisia plants are often gathered and strewn in a circle surrounding the fire, and upon these the people sit facing the fire. At the west side, which represents the base of the heart, a "mescal button" is placed upon a cloth worked with symbolic figures, as upon an altar. Near this is placed an open bible and there is set up a staff about three feet in height, decorated with beads and symbolic feathers. Here is seated the leader, having in one hand a symbolic fan made of twelve eagle feathers, representing the twelve apostles of Christ, and in the other hand a rattle made from a gourd on which are various

carved symbolic pictures from the life of Christ, while the handle is decorated with beads and feathers. At the leader's left sits the officer next in rank who has a drum, made by stretching a piece of skin over the mouth of a crock which is kept partly filled with water. The drumhead is kept wet so that the effect of the sound from it is a low continuous and insistent thrumming, which does not seem loud, even at close range, but which can be heard at a surprising distance. The fire is lighted and kept burning by attendants appointed to that task. An attendant distributes a supply of "mescal buttons" to the circle of worshippers, beginning with the leader and going round the circle in the direction of the sun; that is, from the west, by the north, to the east, and back by the south. The people eat the buttons gazing downward or into the fire. The leader sings a chant and the man at his left accompanies him with the drum. Then the drum and rattle are passed to the next two on the left who likewise sing a chant; and so round the circle, the attendant meanwhile supplying more of the "mescals" as required. The meetings usually last all night. The hypnotic effect of firelight is well known, and here we have several factors conducing to this effect: the firelight, the community of thought, abstraction from all extraneous affairs, the droning chant, the hissing of the rattle, the insistent thrumming note of the drum, and the mental attitude of expectancy induced by the words of the speakers who discourse on what they shall be priv. ileged to see. Having no notion at all of the chemical reaction of the human body to the drug, they fancy that they really see most wonderful visions of spirits. For example, at one meeting the leader read the account in the Old Testament of the prophet being taken up to heaven in a chariot of fire. Then the singing and drumming began, and the physiological action of the drug having taken effect, one man related what he had seen. He said Jesus had come for him in an automobile and had taken him up to heaven where he had seen God in His glory, in a splendid city, and

with Him many of the great men of all time, more than he could number.

I have been told by a member of the mescal society that while they are under the influence of the "medicine" in the meeting they can "see the thoughts" of those present, so if anyone is not in accord, is "thinking bad thoughts" he would be revealed to the true worshippers.

They habitually repeat the promise of Jesus that if He goes away He will not leave them orphans but will send another comforter, applying this assurance to the "medicine", that is the peyote, saying it is the promised comforter and that it will lead them into all truth.

REMINISCENCES OF WILLIAM AUGUSTUS

GWYER1

I was born in the city of New York, March 10, 1820. My father was an English gentleman, using that word in the English sense. My mother was a descendant of a Huguenot who fled from France to England to escape persecution, and from thence to the colony of Massachusetts in 1635. He was one of the proprietors and settlers of the town of Norwalk, Connecticut, in 1651. His descendants down to the present time have participated in all the wars of the colonies and of the American Revolution; I had three ancestors in that war, and through their heroic services I am now a member of the Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. My father died when I was three years of age, and though he left me, by will, an ample competence, I never received a penny of it. How it so mysteriously disappeared I never knew. I was brought up by my mother, who did the best she could for me through difficulties and hardships until I was fifteen years of age, when a situation was procured for me in a dry goods store. I continued in this business until I was twenty-one. At that time a merchant whose acquaintance I had made proposed to me to go into business and outlined his plan, which was to go to North Carolina in the turpentine region and open a store, he was to ship me all the merchandise needed. I was to sell the same and remit proceeds to him in cash or naval stores. I accepted his proposition with alacrity; it was a big thing for me to have an offer to enter into business on my own account without any capital of my own. I went to North Carolina and began operations. It was a success 'For a biography of Mr. Gwyer see History of Nebraska, II, 82.

ED.

from the beginning. He sent me the goods as wanted and I sold them and remitted salary, and the endless chain worked beautifully. At the expiration of three years we dissolved partnership and divided the profits, which was satisfactory to both parties. I then removed to Wilmington, North Carolina, and began business as a commission merchant in cotton and naval stores. My business grew with great rapidity. I made money rapidly. I became the most extensive consignee of cotton and naval stores in the city. I continued in this business until 1856, when the demon of unrest got possession of me. I had conquered what I had set out to do, acquired a fortune, at the early age of thirty-six; but I was not satisfied. I had read glowing descriptions of the great West, and had conceived an ambition to assist in the building of new states. These ideas took full possession of me, and under their inspiration I closed up my business and went north to Minnesota, Iowa, and Nebraska.

I reached Omaha in the autumn of 1856. I found here a population of about 1,000 inhabitants, nearly all young men, very few women. All had come here to grow up with the country and make their fortunes. They were mostly impecunious, but they were able and brilliant men-students, scholars, lawyers, surveyors. I doubt if their equals could be found in proportion to numbers anywhere in the United States. J. Sterling Morton, secretary of the territory, Doctor George L. Miller, Andrew J. Poppleton, William N. Byers, Joseph W. Paddock, Jesse Lowe, Alfred D. Jones, William D. Brown were here at that time, and others whose names I cannot now remember. The Douglas House, corner of Harney and Eighteenth streets, was the only hotel, and it was filled to overflowing. Here many of the residents, speculators, lot owners, lawyers and adolescent statesmen congregated to talk lots and lands and to fire the hearts of all new arrivals with the certainty of future values, the fortunes to be made by buying lots on