Morning journal and courier., 1881-09-28
The Moquis Snake DaAce.
Peter Moran, the Artist, Tells the stor

Peter Moran, the Artist, Tells the Story. From the Philadelphia Press.]
 In stone house dug six feet into the lime stone surface, and walled two feet above it, were seated some twenty men feasting on \ goats meat and corn bread. The house is a sacred affair, known as the estufa or council \ house. It's dimensions are about 12 by 24 feet and the entrance is made by ladder. On the floor at the upper end of the cham \ Der is 8 painting made with colored earths, ! which represents mountain lion couchant. ! It is surrounded by alternate stripes of red, blue and green, through which representa- tions of snakes are intertwined This spot seemed to be regarded with & great deal of awe, and I had some difficulty in getting close enough to make a sketch of it. In this room the intending dancers had been fasting for two days after having been previously treated with course of mysterious medicine by the priests. Their tasting had just ended when we arrived, and they were then going through the second ceremony of a feast. The odor in the close little room was overpowering. The men
 were clad only in breech-clout, and their
 bodies were painted brown. They were
 smoking the sacred pipes filled with bungee-
 an aromatic, pungent herb, somewhat resem,
 bling tobacco. Two aged priests, under the
 influence of narcotic herb, were mumbling
 to themselves and going through a ceremony
 over the painted altar.
 The next day concluded the ceremony with the dance, and 1t was one of the most horri-
 ble and disgusting sights I ever witnessed.
 One hundred and fifty snakes, including 75
 full-grown rattlesnakes, were taken from Q
 water jar and carried in salt-sacks to 8 sort of canopy made of cottonwood. The dancers,
 who had assembled again in the estufa, were ID one end away from the altar. Then one of the old priests emerged after having previ- ously driven our party out, and, with a bowl iv, hoo1 1cI01, regular circle, in the direction of the cotton wood canopy. He was followed by another man with platter of corn meal, and each of them sprinkled the contents of their bowls on the ground. They were followed by six more men with rattles made out of gourds. Then came the first section of dancers, numbering eight, accompanied by an attendant bearing @ sacred wand. An old man with a bow and arrow came next, followed by the second old priest, and 48 dancers also with attendants. Four children made up the eP& of the pro- cesslon, which marched chanting a weird, solemn dirge to the place where the snakes were. The head priest entered the inclosure- and as the dancers came to halt the at, tendants stepped forward and the priest handed out the writhing, hissing snakes to them. They in turn advanced to the dan oers Placing his arm around the devotee's neck the attendant would place the snake, or two or them 1T ne cOOl0 III the man 5 moubA and then gently wave the wand at the reptile to keep him from striking. The dancer then advanced to place about 300 yards from the estufa, and with jerk of the head threw the snake the ground. This was repeated until all the snakes had been taken from the in closure. Then suddenly dancers and atten- dants made rush for the writhing pile and seizing the snakes without regard to position, ran rapidly down the Masa, and scattered them to the north, south, east and west in the valley and below.
 Several of the dancers were bitten dur ing the ceremony, but never stop ped to examine their wounds and were taken in charge by the priests at the conclusion and treated in some secret manner with an unfailing antidote. never heard of one of them dying from the effects of the bites. The secret has never been di- vu1ged as to how the priests cured the vic- tims I was unable to learn the origin of the custom, but it is believed to be sort of in vocation for rain. The scene was remark able one, with the solemn chant, the slow movement of the dancers bodies, and the contortions of the snakes as they endeavored to strike at their captors.