The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-05-22

form Of crosses and hoops. They are
ornamented with paint, feathers, bells
and small looking-glasses. What a
strange wild scene it was. The light
from the fire falling upon the dark
forms and the waving emblems. The
wild chant rose on the air and gave to
the scene living reality. I took my
seat by the fire and listened. An old
man led the singing. He would first
start off with few notes, then the
drum would start in, followed by all
the singers. Indian singing can be
heard but not described. Every sound
of which the vowels are capable are
uttered; and every note, high or low,
that the human voice can give, is
sounded. And all this with measured
time and every voice as one. Some
times one sings and the rest chorus.
To me it had neither music or sense,
and sounded to me, no doubt, like the
singing of church choir would to the
wild Apache.
This was not only asing, but wor-
ship to the sun, towards whose setting
the emblems had been placed. The
warriors in turn would take a fine
powder and sprinkle it over the heads
of the singers and upon the emblems !;
at the same time muttering ..incanta-
tons. The young women came and
formed in line back of the emblems
and danced to and from them; passed
around them, and then taking them in
their hands, danced around the assem-
bly,. The bells made soft jingling
sound; and the swaying and dancing
of the plumes added to the wild scene.
At intervals the singing would cease
and the men would smoke in silence.
Refreshments of bread and coffee
would be passed and again the wild
refrain would begin. At midnight the
singing was at its height, but from
that on the weaker members would
drop out. The old mans head sank
lower and lower, and at last he went
to sleep; but a younger and stronger
man took his place. Lower and lower
burned the fire; closer and closer the
singers huddled together; Indians
were sleeping on every side; the fires
that had been kept up by the wives
to make the coffee had died out; and
those faithful slaves slept by the dead
embers. 1t was moonless night, and
the stars in grand procession marched
across the heavens. The great dipper
made its circle of the northern skies,
and marked the time upon the great
dial. have stood among the wor-
shippers of civilized bands; 1 have seen
the sage and hoary head bent in rev.
erence; unfelt have heard the solemn
tones of prayer and admonition. But
the weird worship of these rude sons of
the desert, touched chord in my
heart untouched before. The civilized |
mani who knows the world il governed
by laws fixed, unalterable, can guard
himself by conforming to those laws,
but the untutored savage stands with
helpless hands in the presence of the
Great Unknown. He can only hold
hem aloft in mute appeal to the mer-
" Of the gods.
One by one the light of the bright
stars were quenched behind the west
,rn mountains. Faint streaks of light,
of the coming day, lit the
eastern sky. Brighter and brighter
hey shone til the great sun looked
rom the summit of the mountain with
. benignant smile upon his faithful
who had watched his coming.
[ have seen the rising sun when his
first beams gilded spire and dome !;
when they fell upon the foliage of the
rec that sheltered the homestead roof;
when unheralded he leaped above the
plain or lit with a halo
The mountain peaks. Yet I never
his coming with the interest
felt the morning. of that long night
If vigil waiting The ceremony was
ended by taking the two crosses and
placing them few feet apart against
he rising sun; while the hoops, five in
were passed through by all
he Apaches, old and young; then
With their faces to the sun passed be-
ween the crosses, and turning to the
light. We ate our breakfast, mount
ID our horses and single file we went
to sleep. Nc.