The Portland daily press., 1882-03-30


ones many generations ago. II was also ar
ranged to admit Mr.. Gushing, their adopted
brother, into the preliminary novitiate of the
order OF the Ka Ka, which is the only re-
mainiug one of the important orders OF zufi
Of which he is not member. The use OF the
ocean water among the Zunis is at the annual
ceremoniais Of the summer solstiee, at which
elaborate sacrifices of plumed, painted prayer
sticks" are made, with view of obtaining by
appeals to their deifed ancestors, to their
animal and hero gods and to the celestial gods,
water from heaven to secure the growth OF
their crops The ocean Of SUNRISE" which
no Znni had seen before the present visit, is
veperated by them, because they consider it
the origin Of all water, aud because it is tie
residence Of many of their deities few
drops Of this ocean water is mixed with or
dinary water and is used at the solstice cere-
moaials to moisten the paint on the feathered
ssprayer-sticks," and the quantity at first
gathered under the circumstances 10 be mem
toned has lasted up to the present time, there
being now, however, but very little OF it. 1t
has been carefally preserved through so many
years in cane tubes, sealed and covered with
silicious coating.
THE ZUNI TRADITION
in regard to the water they have up to the pre-
sent used gives 1t a semi-divine origin, but
Mr. Cushing, treating the matter historically,
is of opinion that it was brought from the gulf
of Mexico by a Zuili who was a captive in that
region, for he knows of no other man mem
toned in Zu1i history who is SO likely to have
been the person first to bring the water as this
one. Mr. Gushing says that between 175 and
900 years ago there was man OF the Zuni
nation who was taken captive by the then
Spanish government of Mexico. He was
taken to Mexico for purposes of trial on
charge of treachery or treason, but, being
found innocent of the accusation, he was re-
leased and allowed to roam about Mexico with
special facilities for observation. 1t seems
that, during his visit to that country, he pro-
cured from the gulf of Mexico certain cane
tubes filed with ocean water, and these he
brought to his home. They were pat in charge
of a family of priests, and have been kept in
that family ever since. The old cacique of
war Nai-in-tchi, who is with Mr.. Gushing at
present is the descendant into whose hands
their care has hereditarily fallen 1t will be
seen from the following account, given by Nai-
in-tchi, and translated by Mr.: Gushing, that,
according to the Zuhi tradition, the water was
brought with other gifts, from the skies by
one OF the old ones" Nai-in-tchi gays: "In
the days of creation, when mankind issued
from the wombs of the earth, they brought
among which are, first. well-being, material
prosperity; second, those things whereby our
ancestors were to reach the gods;
third, those things whereby we can, appeal to
the skies to enrich the poor land which was
granted the Zuiis in the days of the new.
Among these latter things was water from the
ocean Of sunrise, which was brought by one OF
our old ones Our old ones said to us: My
children, it may be that during your lives some
one of you, through the light of the gods or ia.
vor and good fortune, may bring your roads OF
life to meet with those OF your fathers, the
monster gods of the ocean,. Poor is the land
of the Zunis. No river, no great lake, no great
gpring does it contain; but through prayers do
we ask these things from the upper regions.
Our old ones also said to us: III it be your good
fortune to have this opportunity, you mnst
grasp it. Go to the ocean where the sun rises.
Take from the ocean the medicine of foam, the
sand and the excrement of the sun (sea shells,
etc. with which to make your prayer-hour,
and also water whereby, through prayer, ye
shall obtain clouds. Alas, my children! fur
to that great ocean. Only possibly may you go
and we say to you go over the road prayerfully
and. when YOU reach the ocean, gather these
things and bring them home to your people
and to your children to be, for by these things
shall all be made well. Althpugh yonr nome
be a desert and a poor land, yet by these things
will you get that whereby ye live.' Therefore
have we come with prayer in our hearts, and
filled with thoughts for the welfare OF our
children, to the land of the east, the home OF q
god-like people. We find here world beauti-
mi in itself and beautiful as its children have
made it, and we have great good fortune IN
having lived to see it,"
A IN DRESSING FOR THE CEREMONY,
the Zflnis put on variety of ornaments and
badges. each one of which, in every detail, was
symbolical of some rank or attribute, though,
when they emerged from the tent, they merely
seemed to have rather gaudily decorated them
selves with paint, silver buttons and feathers
Mr.. Gushing was decorated with much more
magnificence than the others. AS war chief he
had on his head tail bearskin helmet, with
two eagle plumes affixed on the right side.the
side of the strong arm. Across his shoulder
was the badge of membership of the Order OF
the Bow This badge consisted OF deer thongs
slung over the shoulder and across the chest,
and upon it were affixed curious looking flint
arrow heads. To it was attached over the re-
gion of the heart, a bunch of the sacred plumes
OF membership of the same order, made OF the
strong feathers of the duck, to the base OF
which was tied stick with an arrow point up
on it, representing the lightning. These badges
differed chiefly in the cases of the other chiefs
in sizes, each size representing the different de-
grees Nai-in-tchi wore a red plume on the
crown of his head made from the feathers OF
birds, representing prayer and sacred song.
His badge was the widest, representing III de-
grees, the highest number at present existing
in the order of the priesthood of the Bow. The
political chief had two plumes, both red in his
hair one representing his membership OF the
order of the Little Fire, and the other his rank
as fourth priest. Ki-a-si wore skull cap OF
deerskin pierced with innumerable holes and
surmounted by plume OF split falcons featn-
ers Previous to leaving the tent the chiefs
nut on their war paint. The Governor first
painted Mr. Cushings face with bright drab-
colored paint, which sparlSled in the sunlight
and was supposed to represent the twinkling OF
the stars. This dark paint which was assum-
ed by all the chiefs belonging to the order OF
the Bow, was applied with the finger, in a
broad band under the eyes and extending over
the nose giving Mr.. Gushing, at the first ap-
plication the appearance of having told some
quarrelsome person the night before that he
had falsified. Dabs of the paint were also put
on the chin; where the American we wears his
goatee, and also on each cheek. This dark
colored pigment was applied in the same artis-
tic manner to the others, the Moqui being,
however, decorated instead with streaks OF yell
low ochre and red paint-emblems OF the order
of the Little Fire. The chiefs, being thus
elaborately gotten up, sailed FORTH and walked
down the beach to the edge of the water
where one of them was considerably surprised
when an incoming wave suddenly washed over
his feet, but without causing him to retreat
The chiefs immediatly commenced mutterine
their prayers and throwing handfuls OF prayer
meal made of shells and sand of the ocean
mixed with white corn, the latter representing
ali the cereals which go to support mankind
Happening to perceive small piece of rocky
ground near at hand, which lutted out farther
into the water than the beach itself, the chief;
Immediately made for it. The crowd follow
ed and pressed them closely, Notwithstanding
the efforts of half-a-dozen policemen in attend
ance to keep order. There was great deal o
water about, ,sout of which rose piles Of rock
and upon those the most adventurous OF the
chiefs stationed themselves. The chiefs seat
ed themselves ON pieces of rock close together,
and sang and prayed to the gods of the North
the West, the South, the East, the skies anc
the lower regions of the world. At the cessa
tion Of every prayer the prayer-hour. was scat
tered into the water. The chiefs also pulled
ont their feathered prayer-Sticks, and prayed
over them This lasted ABOUT twenty-five mlu
utes, but in the meantime
THE TIDE WAS RISING,
Mr.. Gushing wished the chiefs to move away
Init they told him to remain firm, because th,
rising Of the waters was the manifestation o
the satisfaction of the gods, and the ocean was
coming to be taken up in reply to their pray
ers. Finally, the chiefs were pursuaded to re
move back to the beach, where a wide semi