Arizona weekly enterprise., 1890-09-27

thing of them and upon descending into the lake they found the beautiful kiva, in which the children were assem- bled; but again they have been changed; they were no longer reptiles, but were of similar type to the Ko-ye-meshi and Ko-mo- -ket -si, and since that they have been worshiped as ancestral gods, bear ing the name of Kok-ko; but the little war gods knew them. and addressed them as My children and they replied, Sit down and tell us of our mothers" When they told them that their mothers refused to be comforted at their loss, they said, Tell our mothers we are not dead, but live and sing in this beautiful place, which Is the home for them when they sleep. They will wake here and be al ways happy And we are here to inter- cede with the Sun, our father, that he may give to our people rain, and the fruits of the earth, and all that IS good for them" The Ah-shi-wi then journeyed on. led by Ah-ai-u-t and Ma-a-sewi, to the present sight of Zufi Many, how ever fingered at a spring some fifteen miles west of Zuni and there established the village Tkapquena Hot Springs.
 The kO-ye-me-shi and komo-ketsi- passed down through the interior of the mountain into the depths of the lake, the waters ofeverlasting happiness. In the passageway are four chambers, where the couple tarried on their way and where at the present time the two priests of the Kok-ko rest in their journey to the sacred waters. So credulous are the people that the priests delude them into the belief that they actually pass through the mountain to the lake.
 Hox-i,,or han nr1 Ot tlta wonderful cave Tn this mountain, our little party visited the place. prepared to explore 1t. MT. Stevenson and MT H. L. Turner entered the Assure in the rock and squeezed through the crevice for sixteen or eighteen feet to where the rock was so solid that they both determined no human creature could penetrate farther. They examined the place most carefully by means of an artificial light. Through a small aperture stones could be thrown to depth from which no sound returned, but excepting this solitary opening all
 was solid. immovaolc rock. In this cave many plume sticks were gathered. Near the opening of the cave, or Assure, Is shrine to the Kok-ko. which must be very old. and over and around 1t are hun dreds of the plume sticks and turquoise and shell beads.
 I would mention here a little incident illustrative of the superstitious dread these Indians entertain of violating the priestly commands. We found it very difficult to persuade an old Zuni guide, who had visited the sacred salt lake, the mountain of the war gods. and other places of interest with us (to these he had gone by special permission of the High Priest. to accompany us to the spirit lake and the
 mountain of the Kok-ko. Our persua-
 sive powers were almost exhausted ere we could induce him to guide us to them. but having consented he was willing to
 go even if he should be punished by
 death He was a man renowned for bravery. but he wGs SO overcome by his superstitious fears that his voice sank to
 whisper and finally became scarcely audible. The morning of the day on
 which we reached this place, the old man. who had been riding by my side, ahead of the rest of the party, suddenly halted and said in a half angry voice, "Why do 1 go ahead? l am not the
 chief of this party. Those who belong at
 the head must go to the head And he
 would not move until Mr. Stevenson and
 went in advance. By this change he sought to transfer tue responsibility to us
 Finally he rode upto us and said ID a a whisper, We will camp here" IEe
 whole expression of the old mans
 face was that of ghastly terror 1 was much annoyed, for thought that, at the eleventh hour, his fear had overcome his
 desire to gratify us. Just then a Mex ! ican lad on horseback approached; we
 were all mounted. l asked the lad, "ls
 there a lake near by? He replied, Yes
 a half a mile off" The old Indian sald
 speaking in a whisper, And you have afraidn No; why afraid!" And you | looked into the waters and you did not dieF" With look of bewilderment the
 youth rode of. l signaled to the old man to accompany us to the lake. "No,
 no; would only die, and you must not
 % or you will die."? No said l, "wt
 will not die if our hearts are good, and fl
 YOU will not go it is because your heart
 Is not good and you are afraid"
 We found the lake so surrounded by
 marshes that we could not get within al
 eighth of a mile of the waters. One oi
 our party attempted to reach it on foot
 but could get very little nearer. w,
 made a circuit of the lake along tht
 slightly elevated ground and could dis
 tinctly see 1t.
 On completing the circle striking pic
 ture m our eyes. Boldly outlined by tn
 setting sun stood the old man, his hai . blown by the evening breeze, for he hat barred his head of the usual kerchief worl
 around it, and, with his hand holding the sacred meal extended toward tn glorious sunset, he stood repeating prayer We halted, and he continue, , his prayer, wholly unconscious of ou presence; as he turned we surprised hin l I extended my hand and said, Now am happy, for you are again brave an strong" Yes" said he, my heart l glad. I have looked into the waters C [ my departed people. 1 am alive, but may die: if l die 1t is well; my heart e glad From that moment the glooT g was gone and he was bright and happ, g We could not induce the old man to as l cend the mountain of the Kok-ko wit l us, as none go there except certai 7 priests; but the lake is visited by thos j. who are designated by these priests
 e Several days were consumed by us e exploring this immediate vicinity. Q } breaking camp, our old Indian guid ' seemed determined to tarry behind. - remained with him. As the party roo - off he took a large quantity of food whic z he had carefully stored away behind D: tree-he having observed an almost abs e lute fast in order to make large otferir a to the spirits of the departed-and hea Is ed this food upon the embers of the can s fire. by the side of which he stood for ,- long time, supplicating in a most solen n manner the spirits of the departed to T e ceive his offering.
 s- Certain men are selected, who wi e bodies nude save the loin skirt and wi h bare feet, walk from Zufii to the lake, l. distance of 45 miles, exposed to Il D. scorchipg rays of the summer sun, to .e posit plume sticks and pray for rain. )f the hearts of those sent be pure and goo 1r the clouds will gather and rain will ia 5, but if evil be in their hearts no rain " to fall during the journey and they retu ce with parched lips and blistered six ic The Kok-ko repeat the prayers for "a ie with their intercessions to the Ya-to-tl ee the Sun, and by them the plume stic h. are sent to the same great god. So e he stantly are the lesser gods employed lg offering plumcs to the great god that
 night the sacred road (the Galaxy can Iii. seen filled with feathers, though by le, they are invisible. They believe that he soul or essence of inc plumes travels O. Ire this road, just as the soul from the bo es, travels from Zuiii to the spirit lake, a en in their offerings of food the food itsel ng not received by the gods, but the spi ite ua1 essence of the food.
 th One of the most important charact ai- in Zuhi mythology, the Kak-lo, find lil- ! himself alone in the far Northwest, $