Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-01-04

Il AN n good-tor- nothing fellow, Doris,
and rot halt worthy OF You. Shall | 90?
But Doris held ont u restraining hand.
FiRE-PR00F NOlANS.
How the Ha>hkawn Dance Is Performed at
rhe Naval" Agency.
Dsl-cr Tribua..
Mr.. John p Sweet, who has recently been
truyc'ingin New Mexica AMI Arizona, gave
III interesting and graphic sketch to 4 Den
v,r Tribune reporter OF the 'HaShk4yl
%l'ance," Which he had Witnessed at one of
the Navajo agencies. 1t took place in a
large corral, or inclosure Of an irregularly
circular form, about forty PAGES in diameter.
Its fence, about s feet high, was constructed
Of fresh jumper and pinon boughs. In the
center was a conicIl pile OF dry wood, about
~ feet high, which was to make the grea,
central ire. Around this, a few feet from
the fence. . dozen smaller fires were burn
ing for the comfort and convenience of the
spectators, who numbered about 500 men,
women and children, gathered here from
various pnrts OF the Navajo country. The
FIRE dance was the most picturesque ami
startling Of all. Some time before the
dancers entered | heard strange sounds,
mingled with the blowing Of the buffalo
horn. The sounds were much like the call
OF the sandhlli crane; all may, perhaps. be
properly called "trumPeting, aud they
we're made by the dancers cOnstan,lydlrIng
the exercises. The noises continued to
grow louder and come nearer, until we
heard them ut tGe opening IN the east, and
in y moment after men having no more
clu hing on than u bfeCch-cloUt entered
Every man bore u long, thick bundle o.
shredded cedar bark in each hand, eNcep,
he l,.d,., who carried four smaller tagO'S
# the SAINT material. -Four times they all.
danced round the fire. waving their bundles
81 lulk toward the flame; then they matted
ia tie east; the leader advanced toward the
central fire. lit one Of the little fagOtS, and
tr.mprriug loudly, threw i, over the fence
oi the corral in the east. lie performed n
,u.'lsr act at the south, the west and the
uu,.A kUl before the northern brand was
'H'u.u he lii it with the fago,s of his com.
., -. rs each brand disappeared over tn
q. &C.,. some Of TIE spectators Drewlnt0 jl-!r
.&r,i, ana made Il motion rs il tossing
.p.r substance after the departed 4 uue
50 ru tic tugotS were ali i' the whole band
-,u "a Wild dance around tic ire. \.
lr they Sept close together and Sptt 2p)r
ore another some substance of supposed
medicinal virtue. Soon they scattered and
ran, apparently without concert, the rapid
r. M causing The brands to lhrOH oat ionS
hr.iiant strealnerS OF flames over Ia" naked
lands and arms Of the dancers. They hen
irc cC,ded to apply the brands to their 81
nude bodies. and the bodies of their ron
r.d,s in front Of thrm-nO man ever one
ru~.iuC around. Attimest tho dancer struck
the victim vigorous blows with his flaming
wand; again he seized the flame Us it it were
4 sponge, and, creeping close to the one pur-
sued, rubbed the back Of the latter for
several moments as ifhe were bathing him.
Ia the meantime, the sufferer would catch
up with some one in front Of him and, in
turn. battle him in flame. AtSmes when a
dancer found no one in front of him, he pro
ctc6cd to sponge his own back, and
misht keep this up while making two or
ri-yc circuits around the fire or unit he
overlook some one else. At each a%pplica-
;jaE Il the blaze the loud trumDetiug was
heard, and il often seemed as il q flock Of a
hundred cranes were winCing their way
overhead, southwark, through the darkness.
If a brand became ~eXtinguished it was lit
u-oju in The central ire; bat when it vas
>. far consumed as to be no longer held
cua2euienIlv in the hand, the dancer drop
:sr;i it and rushed trumpct!ng out Of the
,,r.l. Thus one b. one they all departed
aid the spectators started into the arena,
picked up the t~ascicIcs Of the fallen trag-
InrnIs Of bark, lit them and bGihed their
hands in the flames as q charm against the
evil effects Of fire.
Were they not b.isterod?' asked the re,
potter.
They we're nothurtin the least was the
answer. 81 believe they were protected by
Il coating ofea.th or clay paint. That, how,
ever, did not make the effect any less
grange. | have beheld many fire scenes on
the stage, many acts Of fire eating and fire
h:ndling BY civilized jugglers, and many
fire dances by other Indian tribes, but moth.
ing quite comparable to this. The scenic
accessories were unique. Demons scourg,
ir- lost souls with the eternal fire could
scarcely be pictured to look more awful"
LOnged for Love la IL Cottage.
D,frOt FRI. Prc5E.
Ny dear" he said, as he entered the
A,1~c, who is that gentleman across the