The Hazlehurst signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1883-1885, 1885-10-29

other basket of sacred meal
Around the ankles were strings q!
antelope hoofs. while hanging from the
waist behind was FOX skin. As each
man passed the bower containing the
snakes. he stamped once upon tho
ground, and sprinklcd handful OF
meal upon the boughs. AT the conclu
sion of the walk-around h line was
formed directly beneath where W,
stood, and the men began sing-sons
chant. TO the accompaniment of which
they slowly moved their bodies back
and forth. and slightly raised first one
foot and then the other few inches
from the ground. There was wonder
full precision to the movements, and the
chant grew every moment more bois
ferrous, while the noise made by shaking
tho ra,tles seemed TO excite all obscrv'
crs. During this dance second party.
whose advent was hailed with the great.
est apparent delight, filed rapidly into
the little inclosurc and began n march
around the oddly fashioned stone. These
were the chief performers of tho day,
and numbered iifty-scven in all.
Dressed as their predecessors were, but
holding wands made Of eagle feathers
instead of rattlcs. they had their face.
thickly painted black and white. anc
moved with STOPPING figures and down
cast eyes. In time they range them
selves in line opposite the first party,
whose movements had now become still
more violent, and began song and
dance, accompanied with sounds pro-
duccd by the rattles and cagle.fcathci
wands. AZ length, when the excite
mcnt among all was mt fever heat, q
venerable Moqui stepped before the
bower OF snakes and chan,od n short
song there. Barely had he ceased whcr
general break was made for the rest
Ing place of the reptiles by the mem
bcrs of the second party, and in IN in
crcdbly short time each man was again
walking around the circular space,
holding firmly between his teeth long,
Kissing. biting. twisting snake, which
now curlcd its body around the dancer,
and again fastened its fangs in.
TO his check. For several minutes
the revolving sport or dance went
ON, the men perspiring at every PORE
the snakes doing their utmost to get
away. the audience shouting with eX'
element. Gazing calmly upon tho
scene stood n group Of maidcnS. robcd
in bright red shawls, who sprinklcd
meal upon the dancers rs they passed
by, holding in their mouths the fright.
cncd snakes. Then, ut n signal, the
reptiles were cast together into the CEN
ter of the square, where they made n
living pile of writhing forms. Another
signal. and again dash was made for
the snakes, and soon each man. with
one in his hand. bounded away down
the trail leading from the mesa to the
valley below. Later we saw them rae.
ing over the valley and dcpositing here
and there the reptiles that they held.
Evening shadows had now settled
rpon the valley. and darkness had
wrapped itself abou, the corners Of the
village before the men appeared again,
hot and tired after their work. When
the last one had returned and the fctc
had ended. we drove slowly away
while the strangely fashioned village
We had left rose clearly outlined against
the Western sky. For two years longer
the snakes ON the Moqui Reservation
will crawl unmolcstcd through the dry
and sun.burnt grasses. AT the end o.
that time they will again be held be-
tween the iirm white teeth OF the fana,.
les whom yesterday we watched indulS
ing in their sport.-Arizona Cor. ". y.
Ecening Post.