The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-28
EXERCISING THE DEVIL.
How san Luis Rey Indians Drive the EVIL
One Away

One Away.
A correspondent at San Luis Rcy Indian
Agency gives the following description of
the manner in which the savages drive the
evil one away: 1.-The Indians do not like to
take medicines, but they held few days
ago ista for three successive nights, for
the purpose of decoying the demon of sick
ness, and if possible, to catch and kill him.
II was the best | have yet seen in the many
years OF my acquaintance with the lie and
customs of these Mission Indians. After
lot of bucks, naked, but fixed up with paint
and feathers, had exhausted themselves by
dancing and stamping the ground about an
hour around big fire and got hoarse from
gruntlng and howllng, an old gray buck,
the 'chlSserO, stepped into the centre of the
ring aud began IN low, mournlul voice, to
sing. lie was dressed rather, undressed,
the same rs the others, with the execution
that he held rattle made out ofthe tails of
rattlesnakes IN his right hand, while on his
head was tiara formed of three punches of
pumes.
From time to time he went outside of
the ring upon the hillside and looking up
IN the air IN all directions, called in a dccoy-
iiG NbANO w Nut kllbSt. w men III EtluflltN
he always explained in q few whispered
words how difficult it was and how danger
ous IL was Tor him and that he was very
much afraid. AT last when he came back
again from the hill, he danced three times
around the lire, when he was seized with
heavy commissions, which brought him, I'M
der fearful means land seemingly he sui.
Tered terrible pa nsl to the ground But he
had stlll force enough left TO pull out the
bundle of feathers from his head. With
these he rubbed his chest and this releasing
him from the power OF the demon, he
jumped ny with fearful yells. Everybody
followed him in wild tumult, men, women
and children crying, 'Matario,' 'Matario'
(kill him, kill him, and beating the grouna
with the sticks they had ready for the oc-
casiOn.
81 got out OF the way then, Tor they
seemed to be a lot of loose maniacs. When
they returned to the ring they all stood up
in a circle, the old 'chissero' dug a little
hole in the center and alters some more sing
ing and stamping the ground, pulled one
OF the bundles of feathers from his head and
going around rubbed it against each per.
son. From time to time he returned to the
hole and seemingto suck some Juice from
them, he spit 1t into the hole. Then he
lllled II again, stamped the ground down
and with fearful yells the same wild beat
ing OF the ground followed, in which even
old Vicente took part. This concluded the
ceremonies and every body went home
feeling satisfied that he was the one who
had hut or killed the ghost and no more
sickness was going to prevail in the village.
The whole made a picturesque scene--the
swarthy old bucks with their sweaty faces
illuminated by excitement and dancing,
the huge fire burning in the middle, OF
which once in while kick would send
the flames and sparks away up to the tons
OF the trees, the stern face OF the captain
sitting ON chair with a long rod in his
hand and the audience with eager expec-
tation, sitting on the ground. the fair sex
doing their part i'll singing Then owls
would fly overhead through the branches
OF the dark, shadowing oaks joining in
with Their voices and adding to the awe of
the whole, while fair Lunas face rose,
shining in its soft splendor, above the
mountains to illuminate it ALL