Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1882-05-11

! pleasing. The Indians bore upon ktheIl
backs their shields and weapons Of war,
and IN their hands carried hollow gourdl
and glass vases with which to take up the
sacred water.
After protracted and irregular scram.
bic over the rocks the celebrants of the
rite, followed by the irregular mob ol
stghtseers, reached a point where they
could look eastward over the sea. Squat
ting on their launches on the weedy rocks
they began to chant prayer In q low
monotone, and as they chanted scattered
meal from their pouches upon the sea, IN
four different directions, ID propitlate the
Gods OF the North and Of the South, 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 10 of a road or path which
the priests mark oHt with it, signifylng a
request that the paths In life of the sup
plants aud their children may be finished
10 use the Zuni expression. or drawn out
TO distant end, as we night say.
AS the sea rose. number of the more
venturesome members of the assembly
found themselves out from the shore and
were obliged TO wade back to the beach.
while an enterprising photographer, who
had boldly planted himself on two small
rocks in the very front Of the kneelng
Zunis and trained his camera upon them,
was soaked up TO his knees before luis
negative was taken.
The Indians, however, were much
pleased with the rIsi.ngedri, considering 1t
a mark Of especial favor on the part of the
gods OF the aea, and, despite Mr.. Cush-
ing's attempts TO dissuade them from re
manning, they persisted ia completing their
chant and petition. They even looked
and urged him not t0 be faint hearted, hut
10 remain and see the favorable purpose of
the gods Although seeing the sea on this
occasion for the first time they manifested
not the slightest alarm, but were evident
ly awe struck and Impressed with the
majesty and power of the waters.
When they came ashore out of the water
they formed a circle, sitting close together,
and smoked sacred cigarettes made of cane
filed with consecrated toba sco. AS they
smoked they prayed and blew the smoke
among the feathers of the prayer sticks
they carried. Then they case the prayer
sticks into the waves, Then the two head
chiefs waded back into the water and
filed their gourds and vases and went TO
the tents On the way they whlrled IN
the air sucks at the end of thongs, making
a whizzing noise. The gods were thus
informed that the ceremony was finished.
Another song was chanted, recltIng the
good expected TO result from. the act of
worship. The sacred meal was four times
scattered westward, the direction they
must take In returning TO their own land.
In addition TO the gourds and vases, the
Indians took back seven large demijohns
of sea water, which, which viii be conse-
Grated after their return.
The concluding ceremony was t1e IN
itiation of Mr.. Gushing into the highest
order of the bow. BE was taken TO the
shore, stripped of his headdress, was bap-
tlzcd, and his hands were washed. In
were chanted meanwhile, aud
then the chiefs embraced him. On his re-
turn, however, he must subject himself to
several trying ordeals, one test beirg tas
Of four days and nights. He will then be
permitted TO read the secret history OF the
tribe, which Is expected to throw much
light upon Indian history in America.