The Opelousas courier., 1892-01-02
SqHirming Reptiles Toyed With by
Savage Dancers-A Strange and
Weird Spectacle.

feathers witch the Moquis always leave
sticking in close to the edge of springs
or tanks where they water.
This proclamation is a form which is
always gone through on the morning of
the snake dance, and all the young men
of the tribe turn out and have a race
from the spring to the village, carrying
the emblem with them.
The race was a grand affair. Imagine
a string Of about fifty Indians, 1.-the,
strong and fleet of limb, tearing across
the rough valleys Tor about five miles
and then finishing up by running up the
steep trails over the side of the mesa and
so right into the village!
These Moquis are probably the finest
long distance runners in the world.
Born and raised at an altitude of 5000
feet above the sea level, their wind is
everlasting, and they are accustomed to
take long trots across country from in
fancy almost.
The man wno won the race was a fine
looking young fellow of about twenty
two, and he came in in a long, swinging
trot through the village street after hav-
ing just run up a steep and rough trail
winding around the point of the mesa,
which is over 400 feet high. The
fourth in the race was a boy of about
twelve years, who did not seem in any
way bothered by his long run
The punches of feathers were duly de-
livered to the priests or medicine men,
who bless them before sending them back
again to be placed round the springs.
Meanwhile, down underground in the
"skhlvas'' or sacred dens or temples,
preparations were being made for the
make dance. The snake-warriors had
asted all the day, taking only copious
draughts of the decoction brewed by the
head priest and priestess of the snake
order as an antidote to the bite of the
rattlesnake. It is truly an antidote too,
and although they are often bitten about
the face, hands and arms by the angry
reptiles, little or no ill-efects follow.
The dance takes place ir an open space
in the village, and a small uganda or
bower Of cottonwood limbs is con-
structed just opposite to a piece of heavy
plank having a small round hole in it,
which is let in flush with the level of
the ground.
At last, all preparations having been
made, a signal is given and the t'ante-
lope warriors (members of q secret So
clety or guild somewhat akin to the Ma
sonic or other Orders among civilized
people, file slowly out, the leading war
rior sprinkling water with a feather
from q bowl which he carries in his
hand. Each man, as he walks past the
little cottonwood bower, stamps heavily
on the plank, sprinkles a little meal from
his hand upon the ground and rattles
vigorously with a little rattle which he
carries. This slow, measured tramp is
kept up for several times around the
open space, the stamping, ETC., being re
peated every tune they pass over the
plank. Then they draw themselves up
in line along one side of the opening, q
shout is heard and the snake warriors
come rushing out. Instead of coming
with the slow, measured step of the an.
telope warriors these latter rush along
almost on a run. Headed by a mar
carving a bow, punches Of feathers and
a peculiarly shaped piece Of board on
the end Of a leather thong which ht
whirls around, producing a bud, hum.
ming noise, they go quietly two or three
times around the opening, faally draw
ing themselves up in 4 line opposite to
the antelope warriors.
A sort of chant is now sung, time be-
ing kept by swaying the body from side
to side, and at the same time shaking
the little ~rattle5. This chant, inter-
spersed with more stamping on tht
ground, is kept up for some time, unit
at last one of the antelope warriors-he
with the bowl of Water-steps up to tht
little bower, sprinkles some drops o
water j front of il and says something
III a low tone Of voice. The snake war
riors now split up into sets of three AMI
begin fling past the bower. The lead
ing man of the three now stoops down
dives under a sheet or blanket, which j
hung across the front of the cottonwood
limbs, and comes out with a snake held
between lis teeth. The snake is usual,
gripped about four or five inches from
the head, but we noticed some being helG
amidships, or almost by the tail. Tn
squire, or second man Of the trio, nov
puts one arm round the NECK of his prin
cipal, and, with a little bunch Of eagle
feathers, he commences Ticking at ths
head Of the squirny snake, to prevent j
from biting the face of the man VIII
holds it. The third man dances alonI
behind, ready when the principal dance
gets tired Of gripping the snake betweeI
his teeth and throws it down, to catch j
up deity Of the ground and hand
over to one of the row of antelope war
riors.
The operation Of diving under th
blanket and dancing round with th
snakes IS repeated by each separate trio
and those who have thrown snakes dow
retire again at once, 50 that the Who'll
space Is covered BIZ men biting snakes
men dropping snakes and men picking
up snakes, and the scene is one Of til
widest confusion.