Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1893-04-14

40 ''''t-t' xxi .t'taI !i.i4 lt'l 80 ~
VII vi 1" >calf. shea .l..- H. 70. q
tr"t H.. u. ami wltAaN4-ia.,..i!. ri AT
self Cy.i Tx the hand # TIE child
Eltz.. "r,! l!uwri the h.rt f.:lA IF the
aged weaver.
AS they tok their places Old lklapel
placed the tiara upon his heal and the
procession began t. move. First came
the body of priests III their white robes
hIndrct or more. chanting Il low mo-
h"t,a'u LAX. followed 10y eight chiefs
'"arll.-; : l,ttrr of wood covered with
= 4. and i','k"i with flowers, III which
sat Aln"', a dark skinned girl Of eight
cen. already under the Influence of the
potent ;Iltsi drink distilled from maize
an! forming picture that sent shud-
t,rs through Lela's frame.
Then came the four death priests.
swinging censors of gold and filling the
air with an aromatic scent. Their faces
were painted most skillfully to represent
skulls: their heads were shaved, and
their tightly fitting garments We're like
wise made to convey the idea of skele-
tons. The effect upon the minds Of the
people was CHASTITY and thrilling.
Behind them came the members of the
order of the kabIlo, an ancient secret
society, to the number of four hundred.
clad IN black, the foremost carrying a
corpse between them. Many of them
led little spotted dogs-a favorite form
Of sacrifice to Chalcu, the serpent, the
dread god Of evil.
Then came the principal families, in
the order of their rank and wealth, with
bearers of food, drink, flowers and fruits
for sacrifice at the different affairs,
which were located at intervals all
around the great court. The populace
followed, in less order and with more or
less disputing, and stretched out the
long parade until the rear nearly touched
the leaders and all could see the entire
ceremonies.
When order had been attained they
moved slowly and with great solem-
nifty toward huge heap of wood upon
which had been cast the sweepings of
the houses, old utensils and clothing.
baskets and fishing nets-in fact every
thing that would be renewed yearly in
the household. This was ignited with .
brand from the sacred fire by Kulcan,
who, coveTed~ith small bells and attired
IN . gorgeous feather robe, marched
slighty in advance, with much show Of
pomp. the priests chanting solemnly.
The procession moved on to q large
stone altar, upon which rested the figure
Of woman. most hideously carved,
bearing in her arms maize and other
fruits. This YVES Ixcan-leox. the goddess
Of maize. To her was sacrificed bread and
pinon nuts and all manner of produce
of the fields, brought in baskets and laid
around the altar. Four chiefs stood at
the corners and held aloft red cord,
under which all who had purified them
selves by fasting and dreaming were
permitted to enter. Before hcan-leox
they burned little balls Of incense, each
casting his ball into the braziers of gold,
while the people prayed silently. kneel-
ing. for good and bounteous crops.
Then they moved onward to the altar
Of Am, the sacred stone, the emblem of
life. some holding it to DO but the ancient
symbol of the sun god himself. 1t was
simply an upright conical stone stand
ing upon a PEDESTAL: before it, in a great
FIRE. they sacrificed sheep and rabbits,
also wounding themselves and dropping
their blood into number of braziers set
abou: the altar. Women, kissing this
stone of Am. invoked the blessings of
maternity with loud plea0ags. Farther
on stood the dread image Of Chalcu-
the very sight Of which affrighted not
only the children. but old men as we'll
, hideous figure, with . hugo serpent
eoiled about his form. out Of whose
mouth came pale blush flame eontinu-
ally. as though he hungered for blood.
Before him the people FRUSTRATED them
selves, while even among the younger
priests blanched faces showed here and
there. To Chalcu they burned many
little spotted dogs. and consigned the
corpse which the Kabilo carried to the
devouring flames.
Kulcan addressed the PROSTATE multi
tude with devout gravity and earnest
mien, advising them a. to what they
should do to avert evil, and announced
10 them the solemn feast Of "Katun," or
the ffty-second year, which would &C.
cur two years hence, telling them to
prepare their daughters for the fatal
lottery.
Then opening q folded parchment he
read to them the omens for tho future
year, announcing the findings Of those
whose duty it was to study the stars and
other signs. He prayed aloud TO Chalcu
10 be merciful, to tempt NO man beyond
his strength, to bring no evil to the city,
but to be satisfied with the sacrifice Of
his servants.
It was evident that each word was
echoed by the grooming fear stricken
multitude, to whom, as we shall see, the
serpent emblem meant more than q mere
idea, and represented a real and horrible
memory of a terrific event.
It was high noon, the rays of the sun
falling from Immediately overhead upon
The city, SO that the great dialpost cast
but an inch or two Of purple shadow.
The dread event Of the day was about
to occur. and the people pressed one an
other closer in their desire to obtain .
nearer view. Very many slipped from
the ranks and mounted to the highest
housetops in order to witness every de-
tail Of the awful scene.
nklapel, standing motionless on the
temple, felt that the procession was
gearing him. A strange commingling
II fear and hope moved him, for the
memory of the voice in the storm was
fresh in his mind, and he felt that the
hour had come for the manifestation or
Intervention which he expected. The
lead Of the procession had already nearly
reached the temple summit. He heard
the measured tread Of feet as they
mounted the graded causeway. and knew
that in another moment Kulcap with
his charge would stand beside him.
Had Iklapel's vision been what it was
of old, and had his eyes been directed
upward toward the frowning cliffs. he
would have been startled to see q face
peering down upon the wondrous scene
a face in which establishment and
qualification were mingled, for the own
er of it saw white faces in the multitude
below him and felt himself safe. He
would have seen Q body belonging t.
the face emerge and descend the crum
bling. ladderlike pathway. rifle and bird
in hand, in eager anticipation Of . vel
come which meant food and drink to 9
hungry and thirsty man. But Iklapel
saw nothing. nor did one eye turn in al
that host Of gazing faces upward toward
the real sun-to the golden emblem Of
| which thav aacrifcod