Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1888-03-21
HORRIBLE CEREMONIES.
Peculiar Demonstrations of a Mys-
terious Indian Order.
Sights That Rival Millions Description of
the Internal RegiOns-Men Masked
i'm Wreathing Serpents-The An
cient Order of Snakes.

The "Most Ancient Order of Snakes"
an organization that dates back long prior
to the coming of the Moqui Indians to the
villages now occupied by them, have re-
Gently had their festival. 1t seems that
this feast is not one pertaining TO religious
worship, says a writer in the Apache
County (Ariz) Critic, but is wholly a
public demonstration of a mysterious
order. similar in its secrets to Masonry or
Odd Fellowship.
The participants were composed of two
bodies of men, thirty six of whom danced
with the snakes, and a smaller number
who formed chorus of singing men.
These latter were the first to come upon
the scene, and were dressed in bright coll
ored embroidered kits, sashes, anklets,
and with beautifully tanned yellow fox
skins hanging down behind the body,
bearing small fat rattles in one hand,
while confined in the grasp of the other
was held a stick, to which were fastened
a couple of turkey feathers. This stick,
they claim, carries the nee essary protec-
ton of ones life, and lets the snakes
tutelary god know that none of his prog
eny will be in jured or carried to remote
lands.
These men made four or five circuits OF
the SIN all plaza, and then took up posi-
tion to the west side of it, leaving the cot
tonwood shade in the center of their line.
After they had arranged themselves
properly, in a state of extraordinary ex-
ultation, the snake men came marching
with tremendous energy, as though in
spired to bound across the entire mesa at
a single stride. This motion adds greatly
to the impressiveness of the serious scene,
and thrills the spectator to an excellent
state of mind for the ensuing act
These dancing men, like their predeces-
sors, made four circuits around the same
rock, which stands near the center of the
plaza, halting to face the chorus where, as
on the day before a song was gone
through with. The snakemen were
formed into groups of three each, and
now al individual from each group went
into the cottonwood shade and ext racted
a snake from one of the bags and. after
putting it in b is mouth and firmly fixing
ii there by the teeth. started on his round.
HIS compa MON, with an arm around his
neck, kept the tail of the snake in posi-
tion, while with the right, in which was
carried stick with two long feathers at.
tached, he held the serpent away from
becoming tangled in the hair of his friend.
The snake. after being carried around the
circle, is thrown from the mouth, when
the third member of the group gathers his
snakeship up and carries him the balance
of the dance, occasion ally, however, CIV
ing the dancing men some to hold, which
they do in rather a NJ Oldest manner.
Smiles are brought upon the visages of
many of the spectators at the sad plight
others are put in by the serpents every
once in awhile making bold dashes for
liberty, scattering the crowd in all direc-
tions, yet to be br ought back captives and
held more securely by the singers. Two
or three ms tances were noticed of the
large bull snake, being held by the
neck, but throwing his long,
prehensile body around the Leg
thus securing himself from imagi-
native dangers. One instance in particu-
lar, where the snake was longer by fully
two feet than the small boy who held il,
and twisted itself around first one leg and
then the other in such a manner that to
move was to fall The predicament of the
urchin called forth q grand outburst of
merFiment.
Yet it looked any thing but funny to the
boy. How many snakes were on hand
would be hard to tell, yet serpents were
plenty and seemed to be in excellent con-
dition, to judge from the manner in which
they resisted recap ture after having been
dropped from the mouth, but there were
at least one hundred and fifty.
Those who danced with the snakes not
infrequently had three or four at the
same time in the mouth, which, of all the
| performances, was the most repulsive.
To see a human being going the rounds
with his entire face hidden be-
hind the snakes. not q feature
visible, was something to make the
shoulders creep up one's back, which it did.
Yet there were sounds of applause from
the natives gathered around, urging the
dancers 10 attempt greater feats, such "a
taking two of the largest rattlers in the
mouth at once, and in one instance a
dancer held ma1v snakes in his mouth.
which twined around his face in hideous
mask, as il his head ha1 been trans formed
into that OF the tabled Gorgon-
That the performers are thoroughly doc.
tored or medicated prior to the commence
.ment of the ceremonies there can BE- NO
/ doubt The eyes ani che ecstatic bearing
| OF the bodies attracts attention at once.
there is peculiar Iustsr in the orbs. aud
au abnormal ell asticity in the movement
/ Of the body.
The reaction after the dance is remarka-
! able. and while no serious or last:ny ef-
| fleets follow, still they are left in a verv
weak state, requiring many hours of sleeo
to fully restore them to their normal con-
dition.
ar. wlihsm H. Sherwood, the well
known pianist, and Miss EstelIe F. Abrams