In our Creation myth or story of the First Man, the vapor-bath
was the magic used by The-one-who-was-First-Created, to give life
to the dead bones of his younger brother, who had been slain by the
monsters of the deep. Upon the shore of the Great Water he dug two
round holes, over one of which he built a low enclosure of fragrant
cedar boughs, and here he gathered together the bones of his
brother. In the other pit he made a fire and heated four round
stones, which he rolled one by one into the lodge of boughs.
Having closed every aperture save one, he sang a mystic chant while
he thrust in his arm and sprinkled water upon the stones
with a bunch of sage. Immediately steam arose, and as the legend
says, "there was an appearance of life." A second time he
sprinkled water, and the dry bones rattled together. The third
time he seemed to hear soft singing from within the lodge; and the
fourth time a voice exclaimed: "Brother, let me out!" (It should
be noted that the number four is the magic or sacred number of the
Indian.)

This story gives the traditional origin of the "eneepee,"
which has ever since been deemed essential to the Indian's effort
to purify and recreate his spirit. It is used both by the
doctor and by his patient. Every man must enter the cleansing bath
and take the cold plunge which follows, when preparing for any
spiritual crisis, for possible death, or imminent danger.

Not only the "eneepee" itself, but everything used in
connection with the mysterious event, the aromatic cedar and sage,
the water, and especially the water-worn boulders, are regarded as
sacred, or at the least adapted to a spiritual use. For the rock