Los Angeles herald., 1891-08-29

his tail he opens the clouds, which causes
thunder and lightning and makes the
rain fall. He also dwells in the rocks of
the earth and. presides over the water
that flows from the springs. Six differ
ent days before the dance the Indians
run:seven circles around1the cliff, begin
ming at point five miles from the vii
lagos. The seventh and last circle is
simply around the cliff, but the first cir
Gle has circumference of over thirty
miles, and that is run by the Indians in
three hours. In all these circles at all
the arroyos, springs or water washes he
stops and places prayer emblem, con-
sisting OF breast feathers OF the eagle.
This emblem is called baher, and is q
prayer to the snake deity to give an
abundant supply from the spring. There
is no bigotry or religious prejudice
among these Indians, but those who be-
long to a certain order or secret society,
or have particular belief, are very
firm.
About nine days before the dance
takes place, those who are members OF
the snake order, or called snake gems,
retire to their underground houses,
called kibvas (kivas) to prepare them
selves and be instructed and Initiated
into the order. They get snakes from
the surrounding country, sometimes
two and three hundred. On this oc
casion only $50 snakes were used, a
large number being rattlesnakes, and
some very large ones. They are kept in
bag in the kibva, or snake house,
which is also sacred until the dance is
in progress.
The mesa or cliff, where the dance oc-
Cured, on August 25th, is situated
about twelve miles from the government
school.
We started about l p. m. and reached
there about 4 80 p. M, just in time to
see the dance. The Indians had been
gathering there all day and the cliffs
and projections on the rocks were
covered with people; carriages and We
hicles and ambulances of the govern
ment were left at the bottom of the
cliff. the name of which is called Hualpi
pronounced walpi) where the villages
are located. After climbing to the top,
the mesa or fiat rock is reached, 700 feet
high. 1t is supposed about 400 people
dwell in the three villages.
The dance took place in front of the
sacred rock. On the left hand side the
people were arranged to the very edge
of the cliff. At the right the dwellings
OF the Indians were placed in great ir-
regularity; they are built Of stone and
adobe, and some are provided with lad
ders, as they are cut in the sides OF the
cliff, and others are caves under the
cliff. On every projection in the rocks,
and on the house tops, ali the space was
taken up by curious people awaiting the
wonderful ceremony that was to take
place. The snake house was covered
with cottonwood branches, and looked
cool and harmless, until one found out
that the rattlesnakes were there waiting
for the dance. Near this kiva or snake
house General McCook, DR.. Washington
Mathews, Major Davis, Colonel Robin
son, Lieutenant Baker, and other gen.
tlemen were placed. To the right was
the sacred rock, directly in front and
in the open space between where
General McCook and party stood, not
over twenty-five or thirty feet was the
spot where the snake dancers would
perform.
Among those in attendance we're Mr..
Armstrong, the special correspondent OF
the Chicago Herald; Mr.. johnson,
tourist, who travelled night and day,
from the Durango, over the mountains
200 miles to be on time; Mr.. Julian
Scott, special agent connected with the
Indian bureau, and a celebrated artist,
getting statistics and pictures for the
department at Washington; Mr.. Dom
aldson, Mr.. Lummis, Lieutenant Col
Inns, DR.. Craig and party. OF Holbrook /;
superintendent of the government In
dian school; Mr.. Keam, OF Keam's
cai1on.
An enterprising photographer offered
the Indians $50 to commence q little
earlier. as the shadow side of the rock
was not favorable for his work, but no
inducement could be offered to change
the time, which is when the rock casts a
certain shadow, then the performance
begins and not before. A dead silence
prevailed as the shadow deepened on
the sandstone, then an Indian chief OF
the Antelopes came out. and raising his
hands seemed to invoke the Deity. He
stepped aside and in rushed seventeen
Antelope girls with gourds in their
hands filled with pebbles, which they
ratified as an accompaniment to their
dancing about the circle. They kept q
space open always in the center. They
were preceded by man who sprinkled
everything with sacred water with an
eagle feather. They were dressed in
wreaths Of cottonwood and wore cotton
wood leaves about their ankles; white
stripes we're painted on their arms and
legs. They described circle, then each
one knelt before the kibva, which
contained the snakes, and struck a
stick Of wood which resounded
and was supposed to arouse the
attention of the god of the lower world.
They circled around four or five times
more, then placed themselves in front Of
the snake house in a line and awaited
| the coming of the snakes. Then man
came in larger than all the other In
dians, carrying in his left hand bow
and arrows trimmed with brown wool,
and in his right hand rawhide with q
piece Of hardwood at the end, which he
whirled in the air. It made weird, ,un-
earthly noise, and sounded like distant
thunder. After him in came the snake
dancers with rapid strides, numbering
| thirty-eeven, and then little boys who
had been initiated in the order, from 7 to
| 10 wears of age. They were dressed in
brown kits made Of buckskin, painted
| with brown figures. They were all paint.
ed black with the exception Of the lower
arms and legs. Their mouths and chinf
were painted white. Their hair was
| dressed with eagle feathers, and they
wore brown moccasins, girdle and kilt.
| The latter came nearly to the knee.
painted with black figures. At their
backs they wore two fox skins--grey and
! hIuo Thav carried the baher. consist