The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1879-10-24
The Snake Dance.

MOQu1S fueDlOS, OF Arizona, gives u
thrilling account of a strange ceremony
practiced by that tribe, called the
s'Snake Dance" The Moquis regard the
serpent as sacred reptile, possessed of
the power of controlling the elements,
and disposed to be friendly to man.
They never kill snake, and frequently
handle the most poisonous serpents with
impunity. The rattlesnake is regarded
with special veneration, and their bite is
no l1Ilre dreaded than the scratch of
| mesquit thorn or the pricking of cactus.
| They have an antidote for the bite of a
rattlesnake which is infallible, and never
| fails to effect cure in a few minutes
when administered Immediately. An
Indian of this tribe, when bitten by
rattler, swallows the antidote at once,
and after being stupefed for a moment,
becomes entirely restored, and never
feels any pain or inconvenience after
ward. All attempts of white men to
learn the ingredients of this antidote
have proved futile, as the secret is
guarded with religious fidelity, and an
Indian would lay down his life rather
than communicate the recipe for snake
bites to pale face. IF white man is
bitten by a rattlesnake, the Indians will
not hesitate to give him the antidote, but
| he must not inquire what it is COM
posed of.
The snake dance is performed by the
Moquis every two years, and is resorted
to as means of propitiating the Spirit
of the Summer Rain to send abundant
showers to fructify the earth and make
the crops grow. The corn is planted in
the moist sand of the mesa, without pre-
vious preparation of the ground, for the
plow is unknown to the tribe, and after
it has grown to a certain height and
needs moistening from the clouds, pre-
parations are made for the grand snake
dance. A deep and wide excavation is
made in the dirt floor of one of the
largest houses in the village, and the
whole tribe go out to hunt snakes. These
they catch with their hands and bring
them in twined around their necks,
coiled in their bosoms, or wrapped
around their legs and arms. All kinds
| of snakes are captured-the rattler, the
viper, the moccasin, the blue racer, the
black, the garter, the green, spotted-in
fact, every variety existing in the coun-
hundred are placed in the pit in the
floor, and the mouth is covered over with
buffalo robe, the hairy side down, to
prevent the reptiles from crawling out
and escaping. Then a certain number
of old men dance around the pit, chant
ing monotcnous songs and calling upon
the imprisoned serpents to intercede
with the Spirit of the Clouds to
send rain upon the thirsting corn
fields. A body of younger men next
form circle around the pit and go
through a similar ceremony. Then come
the old women, who have a different
chant, then the young married women,
then the boys, and finally the virgins
| L 1.
then for few moments solemn silence
prevails, during which the kissing of the
serpents and the shrill sound of their
rattles are heard under the buffalo robe.
These sounds are taken as favorable
tokens that the incantations have been
successful, and that copious fall of rain
will follow Then the buffalo robe is re-
moved, and then the men and boys leap
into the pit, and each one brings forth a
!. snake, which he holds in his mouth.
Sometimes man will emerge with two
or three small snakes in his mouth. As
each man emerges from the pit with his
mouth full of snakes, he runs at full
speed down the almost perpendicular
side of the mesa until he comes to the
plain, and there gently releases his cap.
, tives, who at once take to the grass and
, quickly disappear. After the pit has
wounds on their arms, breast and faces,
and if blood has been drawn, they know
that the fangs of a rattler have entered
their flesh, and they lose no time in ap'
plying the antidote.
The wounds inflicted by the rattle
) snakes are very painful. The rattler
: when provoked, is the most savage of al
| serpents, and will continue to strike and
lacerate an enemy as long as he is withir
reach. Sometimes an old snake with full
grown fangs will fasten upon the cheel
, or arm CT an Indian and hold on unit
the fangs are torn from his jaws. Mr.
Mateer witnessed one of these snake
dances of the Moquis recently, and wa
horrifed at the sight. He saw the blooe
streaming from the arms and breasts o
the Indians, who bore the pain with stol'
indifference, and seemed to take pleasure
in the infiction. They believed that tn
more savage the snakes became and TIN
deeper the wounds inflicted, the NOR
copious would be the shower. On th'
, occasion of the last snake dance the In
dams of one of the villages refused t.
participate. For some reason they be
f lieved the rain would come down wlthou
the dance, and while the other village
were engaged in the ceremony, they sa
!. idly in their houses listening to the nols
Il and smiling at the unnecessary troubl
their neighbors were taking. Subse
quently they had good cause to repent
: for when the rain came sweeping dow
from the mountains, it poured copiou
food upon the snake-worshipp1n vi
lagos and their fields, and passed aroun
the hereto village and their parched cor
> fields, leaving them as dry as a powder
horn. The result was that six OF tn
seven villages raised abundant crops an
the other had to call on the Agent TO
!. Government rations.
Mr.. Mateer was formerly resident Q
this city, and appears to be truthfr
/, man. He was spectator of the strang
snake dance, but witnessed it from sal
!. distance, sitting on wall oyerlookln
the scene.
A witty lady was once told by ger
tleman acquaintance that 'she must hay
been born with silver spoon IN n
mouth. She looked at him CAREFUL.
and, upon realizing the size Of his mouth
replied: I don't doubt it; but 1t mu'
have been soup ladle
Syracuse Hreald believes Mr.. s. Jont
Tilden keeps both barl's loaded.