Page:Popular medicine, customs and superstitions of the Rio Grande, John G. Bourke, 1894.pdf/12

130 the seven wonders of Corea, said: "The seventh Corean wonder is a sweating Buddha. This is guarded in a great temple, in whose court for thirty yards on all sides not a single blade of grass grows. No tree, no flower will flourish on the sacred spot, and even wild creatures are careful not to profane it."

To make Black Ink.—Take half-ripe pods of the black ebony, or the huisachi, and boil with water, to which have been added small quantities of alum, powder, sulphur, and iron. Decant, strain, and bottle for use. (Mighty poor ink.)

Insecticide.—The "rocio," which bears a small, yellow flower, banishes all kinds of insects, especially bedbugs and fleas.

The leaves of the "canelon" (china berry) drive away moths, and the berry itself will make robins drunk and fishes stupid.

Saint John's Day.—Every Mexican, big or little, will take a bath on Saint John's Day, and, if possible, in the Rio Grande, and then new, or at least clean, raiment is donned from head to foot. Hair and nails are also cut on this day.(Federico Rodrigiez.)

On Saint John's Day, every good Mexican must get on some kind of a plug and prance about in the blazing sun. On this day is played the game of "Correr el Gallo," in which, along the Upper Rio Grande, a live cock or hen is torn to pieces by the racing contestants. Having previously described this game in "The Snake Dance of the Moquis," I wish to say here nothing further except that on the Lower Rio Grande more humane sentiments prevail, and a paper figure replaces the live chicken. All these Saint John's Day customs are Moorish, as may be seen by consulting Lockhart's "Ancient Spanish Ballads." Edinburgh, 1823, pp. 175 et seq.

Keening.—At funerals in the Rio Grande valley, one may see groups of women carelessly chatting and smoking cigarritos, but the moment the coffin leaves the house, all break out in concert in a sobbing wail which rends the air,—a regular Irish keen.

Lightning.—It is very dangerous to stand under a mesquite, ebony, or huisachi tree during a storm. These trees certainly attract lightning, probably because they are so full of resin. (Federico Rodriguez.)

Lodestone.—The Mexicans generally believe in the powers of the lodestone ("Piedra Iman," Loving Stone) over the human affections. But there are two kinds of the stone, the male or "macho" and the female or "hembra," the former being "chino," or curly and black, and the latter "liso," or smooth, and reddish brown. Men should always employ the male variety, and women the other.

"If you want the Piedra Iman to act"—said Maria Antonia—"you must give it water to drink every Friday: you must put it in a vessel of water for half an hour. Then feed it with steel (not iron);