The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1882-04-08
ADORlNG THE SUNRISE SEA.
Quaint Ieathen Rites Of the Zunis i
Boston HarbOr.

Quaint Heathen Rites Of the Zunis in
| Boston FfarbOr.
BosTCN, March 2S.-Perhaps three
centuries ago the wilderness bordering
ON Massachusetts was the scene of as
weird and uncanny form of idolatry
as was to-day revived here by q band
of aboriginees. Six chiefs of the Zuni
nation have made a pilgrimage from
their home, New Mexico, to the "Ocean
of the Sunrise" to pay homage to the
god of the waters, one of their princi-
pal deities. For 1876 years their supply
of holy water from the great sea had
not been replenished, and the chiefs and
medicine men were sent On the long
journey to propitiate the Great Spirit
and implore his continued favor. They
are accompanied by Prof. Frank II.
Gushing of the Smithsonian Institu-
tion, who some years ago went among
them to study their habits and tradi-
tions. So fascinat ted did he become that
to assist in his Investigations he made
himself one of them and was adopted
by chief. He participated in to-day's
ceremony, and has acted as Interpreter
for the Zunis for the week they have
been here. The savages are remarka-
bly, fine-looking men for Indians, and
they lave been the objects Of much in
terest during their stay here.
A stranger procession never appeared
hereabouts.
First came several policemen, who
attempted to keep the crowd in order,
and shouted loudly to it all the time to
"keep back, which, rs usual, the crowd
did not do.
Then came Mr.. Cushing, clad in II
blue shirt of native cloth, buckskin
leggings and moccasins decorated with
silver buttons, crescents, and buckles,
strings of beads, and shell bracelets.
He wore upon his head a bearskin cap,
somewhat like Robinson Crusoe's ira
ditional head-gear, with number of
feathers stuck into the side of it, and
was agreeably decorated with a streak
of black paint, which ran under both
eyes and across his noes, while large
spot of the same appeared on each
check.
The chiefs were dressed like Mr..
Gushing, except that one wore gorgeous
green breeches and had a skin skull
cap on his head, while another had
breeches of n stuff resembling black
plush. All were painted in the pleas.
ing pattern above described in the case
of Mr.. Gushing, except that the color
favored by one was red and by another
the same, and in no case entirely pleas
ing. The Indians wore upon their backs
their shields and weapons of war, and
in their hands carried hollow gourds
and glass vases with which to take up
the sacred water.
After protracted and irregular
scramble over the rocks the celebrants
of the rite, followed by the irregular
mob of sightscers, reached a point where
they could look eastward over the sea.
Squatting on their launches on the
weedy rocks, they began to chant a
prayer in Il low monotone, and as they
chanted scattered meal from their
pouches upon the sea, in four different
directions, to propitiate the Gods of the
North and of the South, of the upper
and of the lower regions, the Mother
of the Ocean, and the Father of the
World. The symbol of this strewn
meal is of road or path which the
priests mark out with it, signifying a
request that the paths in life of the sup
plants and their children may be "fin
ished." to use the Zuni expression: OF