New-York tribune., 1882-03-06
LIFE AMONG THE ZUNIS.

|
| WASHINGTON. March 5-A brief but singular,
and for this longitude entirely unprecedented kind
of religious ceremonial was enacted this afternoon
in the woods half n mile north of the outskirts of
Washington. Mr.. Cushing's company of Zuni
chiefs, whose arrival was mentioned in a dispatch
published in tO-days TRIBUNE, are intensely reli-
| gous in their way, all their tribe. Yesterday
| they reminded their conductor and adopted brother
that it was the full of the moon and it behoOved
them to make the sacrifices appropriate to the
| event. Mr. Cushing whose social engagements are
| numerous and pressing, persuaded them to wait
until to-day. At 3 o'clock this afternoon the six
redskins, bedecked with their most elaborate trim
kets and gewgaws were crowded into
carriage by themselves while six Americans
intent upon witnessing 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 sufficient
to insure privacy the carriages were emptled, aud
Mr.. Cushing taking the lead, the five whites follow
ing in group with three of the Indians bringing
up the rear in single Gle conducted the party
| through the pouring rain down muddy lane for
distance of about 100 rods A little brooklet
skirting piece of woods selected the scene OF
the ceremony, and the Indians dispersed themselves
|
searching the ground intently for ant hill Their
success did not seem to be great but they finally
selected n spot under the leaess branches of large
| chestnut tree, where ants had presumably at some
| time made their home. and began scrapng away the
leaves and rubbish. The aut, as Mr.. Cushing after
ward explained, 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 long stick and ding
| hole few inches deep. Each Zuni, including
| Mr.. Gushing. who by reason of his membership of
their secret Order of the Bow, is under obligations
to take part in all the ceremonias and sacrifices of
the tribe, then produced from little bags of skin
decked with silver pinch of sacred meal and
| sprinlled the bottom of the hole. The next
| step was the production by each devOtee
| of little bundle of "plume-sticlzs" each
| bundle being envelOped 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 dilicnlt to OBJ
tain at the home of the Znn and are therefore held to
lie of considerable value and in this value consists
the virtue of tho sacrifice. All things being ready,
the wcrshippers stand ng at their places beside the
hole began mumbling their prayers each apparently
upon his own account. there being no scmblancc OF
| unison. The prayers at this stage of the proceed
| ings were addressed directly to the pume-sticks,
| hole the feathers standing upright. The prayers
were continued until all of the sticks were deposited.
IL was n striking scene, but one with very few
elements of comlort-thrcc real pagans wrapped in
their blankets and counterfeit pagan IN the garb
| of civilization soleinnly shivering in the rain
they breathed their prayers to the sacrificed ducks
feathers and five skeptcal onlOollcrs irving in vain
to shelter themselves from the swift rain under two
| very small umbrellas The plume-sticks being all
| disposed of final prayer addressed to the
| spirit unto which they dedicated. The sticks
were then revcrently covered up and second hole
was dug n which tue corn husks were solemnly
burned. When the ceremony was concluded tho
| Zunis ran up the hill to their carriage into which
they were crowded, and the chilled spectators fol-
| lowed them back into the city,
| Mr.. Gushing most enthusiastic Investigator,
| and seems to be excecntly well equipped in all
WAYS for the life he has chosen His in es
| tablishng himself within the space Of less than
three years upon terms of such intimacy that the
most hidden mysteries of this timid and interesting
people eOr about to be, opened TO him. Is phe-
nomena and is due no less to his perseverance
and pluck than to the tact, patience and sef-con-
troll under trying circumstances with which he has
conducted himself lie was not cordially received
by the Zunis at the beginning, and the first few
months of his stay among them were filed with dis
couraging experiences. The name given him at the
outset was intended to be expressive of little ere
spcct, and he was subjected to innumerable petty
annoyances and harIships lie afterwarl learned |
that the experiences of these months were |
inte. dcd to try him. in order that |
the Indians might know the stuff he was made of. |
Gradually he learned their language, and, one by |
one. gained friends among them. He took part in |
their expeditions 10 distance for one purpose or |
another. and especially commended himsel t. them
by pluckilv assisting to defend their reservation |
from the ncigl boring tribes, who had Il disagree
able habit of pasturng their horses in the corn and
wheat fields of the Zuns.
Mr. Cushing became popular among the Iunis by |
these means, and was soon formally adopted into
the Parrot family, the most arlstocratic OF the
Zuni clans. Tie ceremonies on tins occasion were
those which take place when a male child IS born,
AMI upon their completion he found himself the |
possessor of an adopted father, with host
of adopted brothers and sisters, oil
more or less elusive in their attentions |
to their new relative The family or clan life had
its drawbacks, but was easily endurabe. The |
worst feature was the free use which the brothers
and sisters made with Mr.. Cushing's property, re-
turning everything TO its place but making usc of
for the time In return Mir Gushing was accorded |
the privilege of helping himself 10 whatever he |
might fancy. While he had his own private sleep |
ing-room he was compelled TO submit to the pres |
ence during great part OF every night Oi dozen |
or more of his brothers. who gossped and smoked |
cigarettes for which they have an inordinate fond
ness The Zun cookery he found to be palatable. |
and the variety of dishes sufficient Strict chasIty
prevailed everywhere and the treatment OF women |
was in striking contrast to that which prevails among
other Indian tribes. This is due, rs Mr.. Gushing
believes, to the fact that upon marriage the hus-
hand sewers his connection with his own family and |
becomes member OF the family or clan Of his bride.
IL L. ln, ,ot rrnvn nrreenhle he maY Gfter tTial,