Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-04-05

, from 1he Ocean for Use In Their
Rites at HOme-CushIng lie Now n
FuIl-Fledged Priest OF the Tribe.
The Zuni Indian priests, who arrived
in Boston week ago, and have since
been the lions of the town, performed
last Tuesday the religious ceremony
which is the main object of their visit
there-namely, the procuring of water
from the ocean of the rising sun for use
in their rites at home They went to
Deer Island in the city steamer at the in
vitation of Mayor Green and accom-
panied by about three hundred promi-
nent gentlemen with ladies, and on ar
irving at the island went directly to ten
tents erected at the eastern extremity
Presently the Indians emerged, their
faces smeared with paint of various hues
and their hands full of feathers and
various implements to be used in
the observances to follow. Mr..
Cushing, their guide, who donned
his Indian costume before leaving
the boat, came with them, also in full
paint and feathers. He wore what look
ed like bearskin cap, from beneath
which hung down over his shoulders
long, flowing hair. His companions
wore colored handkerchiefs tied tightly
around their foreheads. The old Chief
of the tribe, the high priest, leading,
the others followed after him in single
file, Mr.. Gushing being fifth in the line,
and with slow steps they proceeded to-
wards the water. There was no levity
on their part, but solemn seriousness was
in their faces. Directly in front of this
tent was graveled beach. A short dis
lance to the right, however, there was a
low point of rocks, which, as the tide
was out, were bare, and appeared, while
offering an opportunity for the chiefs to
get little nearer to the deep sea, to be
also a more convenient point than the
shelving beach from which to dip the
sacred water. So they turned in that
direction, and a large crowd surrounding
them hurried in a promiscuOus rush,
anxious to secure slightly points for OBJ
servatiOn. Indians and spectators picked
their way along, stepping from rock to
rock, till they were out two or three
hundred feet from the shore Then the
Indians squatted in small semi circle. |
and the spectators, balancing themselves |
upon the smooth and slippery rocks, |
formed larger semi circle behind them. |
An enterprIsing photographer set up his |
camera directly in front of the pious |
priests, about ten feet from them, and |
prepared for business The priests had |
already begun upon their sacred services, |
each chanting in his turn PRAYER to the |
god of the ocean, the mother of the |
ocean. and the father of the world. At |
the end of every sentence were words |
which interpreted mean, make the road |
of life for ourselves and for our children |
to be prolonged" and to repre-
sent the roads the sacred meal, |
composed of ground white corn and |
sea shells, was scattered in rows. Mean |
while the tide was rapidly rising, and so |
the people on the ends of the semi circle |
found their position becoming uncom-
Portable, and before they were really |
aware how uncomfortable it was the |
rocks on which they stood were sur
rounded with water and the little waves |
washing over the tops of them. The |
phO'o rapher was suddenly knee deep in |
water, and one or two waves larger than |
the others caused number of people to |
lose their equilibrium and step over
board. A general backward movement |
began about this time. and sedate gen.
tlemeu of divinity, professors and less |
distinguished persoDages jumped about |
with more or less agility to escape from |
the approaching flood. Finally the In |
dams were left alone. They were wet,
but were filed with deep religious fervor |
and delight, for they believed that the |
coming Of the waters was to them |
marked token of divine favor. |
Mr.. Gushing interrupted the SER
vice to suggest to them that |
they retire to a more comfortable spot, |
but the high priest turned to him and |
said: BE firm. The waters come upon |
us by the will of the gods. The sun
bears us God hears. This is a beauti- |
full manifestation of the truth of our |
religion, and you must be prepared for |
it. Even if the waves rise and take you
in, it will be we'll" The chanting of |
prayers occupied about fifteen minutes, |
and Divine Providence may be seen in |
the facts that the founders of this OBJ |
servance centuries ago did not make the |
services as long again, or to day they |
would all have been drowned by the |
rising tide. The blowing of cigarette |
smoke into trayful of feathers fol |
lowed, and then the high priest threw |
the feathers out on the water as tokens |
of gratitude to the gods of the ocean for |
the favors bestowed. The two high
priests of the Order of the Bow, one of |
whom is Mr.. Cushing, then sprinkled
their companions with water, and this
closed the second part of the ceremonies,
and the procession moved to the tent.
The two high priests brought
up the rear, swinging the whiZ-
zers announcing to the gods of the
ocean that the prayers are complete. A
prayer chant was sung and the sacred
meal sprinkled toward the west whittier
their road lies to home. Then the priests
returned to the beach, bearing vessels for
the sacred water. Two of the priests,
who were barefooted, waded into the
water and filled the vessels, and after
this came the most imposing ceremony
of the afternOon-the initiation of Cush
ing into the order of the Kau Kau. This
is the highest religious order among the
Zunis, and by his entrance Gushing will
become possessed of the mythology and
early history of all the tribe, which is in
the possession of but four priests. The
high priest and Gushing clasped their
arms about each other so as to bring their
left sides or their hearts together, and
the priest called upon the gods to wit
ness that the man is his son. The four
other priests followed this example, and
Gushing was baptized and his hands
washed in the salt water aud the initia-
ton was as complete as possible. 1t will
be repeated on ARRIVING home, and Mr.
Gushing will then have his hearts desire
"a knowledge, which he is pursuing in
the interest of EthnOlogy, of the history
80 II A...I