The Portland daily press., 1882-03-14
Wash. Corr. N. Y. Tribune.l

A brief but singular, and for this longitude,
entirely unprecedented kind of religious cere-
monial was enacted this afternoon in the woods
half mile north of the outskirts of Washing
ton. Mr.. Cushing's company of Zuni chiefs,
whose arrival was mentioned in dispatch pub
lished in to-day's Tribune, are intensely relig-
ious in their way, as are all their tribe. Yes
terday they reminded their conductor and
adopted brother that twas full of tho moon
and it behooyed them to make the sacrifices ap
propriate to the event. Mr.. Cushing, whose So
cial engagements are numerous and pressing,
persuaded them to wait until to-day At
O'Clock this afternoon the six redskins bedeck-
ed with their most elaborate trinkets and gew
gaws, were crowded into a carriage by them
selves, while six Americans, intent upon wit
Messing their intended rite-Mr. Gushing and
Tribune correspondent being of the number
crowded into another carriage and led the
way to the hills which bound the city on the
north.
Having reached distance from the city suf-
fcient to insure privacy the carriages were
emptied, and Mr.. Gushing taking the lead, the
FIVE whites following in group with three of
the Indians bringing up the rear in single file,
conducted the party through the pouring rain
down muddy lane for distance of about 100
rods. A little brooklet skirting a piece of
woods was selected as the scene of the ceremo-
ny, and the Indians dispersed themselves over
a small section of the neighboring hillside
searching the ground intently for an ant hill.
Their success did not seem to be great, but
they finally selected spot under the leafless
branches of large chestnut tree, where ants
had presumably at some Uime made their home
and began scraping away the leaves and rub
bish. The ant as Mr.. Gushing afterward ex-
planned is the selected emblem of strength,
and for some occult reason this particular rite
must be performed over their homes. The
ground being cleared one lusty Indian seized a
long stick and dug hole few inches deep.
Each Zuni, including Mr.. Cushing, who by
reason of his membership of their secret Order
Of the Bow, is under obligations to take part in
all the ceremonials and sacrifices Of the tribe,
then produced from little bags of skin decked
with silver pinch of sacred meal, and sprink-
led the bottom of the hole. The next step was
the production by each deyotee OF little bum
die of "plume-sticks, each bundle being envel-
oped in corn husks. The plume-stick is mere
twig, little larger in circumference than
lead pencil, having bound to one end ducks
feather Ducks feathers are difficult to obtain
at the home of the Zuni and are therefore held
to be of considerable value, and in this value
consists the virtne of the sacrifice. All things
being ready, the worshippers, standing at their
places beside the hole, began Dumbling their
prayers, each apparently upon his own account
there being no semblance OF unison. The
prayers at this stage of the proceedings were
addressed directly to the plume-sticks, which
were placed one by one in the bottom OF the
hoe, the feathers standing upright. The
prayers were continued until all the SUCKS
were deposited
1t was striking scene, but one with very
fe8 elements of comfort-three real pagans
wrapped in their blankets aud one counterfeit
pagan in the garb of civilization soemnly shiv-
eribg in the rain as they breathed t.ieir prayers
to the sacrificed ducks feathers and five skept-
ical onlookers trying in vain to shelter them
selves from the swift rain under two very
small umbrellas. The plume-sticks being all
disposed of, final prayer was addressed TO the
spirit unto which they were dedicated. The
sticks were then reverently covered up and
second hole was dug, in which the corn husks
were solemnly burned When the ceremony
was concluded the Zunis ran up the hill to
their carriage into which they were crowded,
and the chilled spectators followed them back
into the city.
Mr.. Gushing is most enthusiastic nvestiga-
tor and seems to be excelently well equipped
In all ways for the life he has chosen. His sue
cess in establishing himself within the space of
less than three years upon terms of such init
macy that the most hidden mysteries of this
timid and interesting people are, or are about
to be, opened to him, is phenomenal, and is due
no less to his perseverance and pluck than to
the tact, patience and self control under trying
circumstances with which he has conducted
himself. He was not cordially received ny the
Zunis at the beginning, and the first few
months of his stay among them was filled with
discouraging experiences. The name given
him at the outset was intended to expressive
of little respect, and he was subjected to in
Vulnerable petty annoyances and hardships.
He afterward learned that the experiences of
these months were intended to try him, in Or
der that the Indians might know the stuff he
was made Of Gradually he learned their Ian
guage, and, one by one, gained friends among
them. He took part in their expeditions to
distance for one purpose or another and espec-
tally commended himself to them by pluckily
assisting to defend their reservation from the
neighboriDg tribes, who had a disagree cable
habit of pasturing their horses in the corn and
wheat fields of the Zunis.
Mr.. Gushing became popular among the Zu-
mis- by these means, and was soon formally
adopted into the Parrot family, the most aris-
tocratic of the Zuni clans. The ceremonies on
this occasion were those which take place when
q male child sborn, and upon their completion