New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-08-13

sacred orders: but the feeding Of the snakes, when
takes place three days before the elimination Is per
formed night In the kva or suo'erraheah chao'' VI
The priests Of one particular order whom. lot CON
venience we may designate as the priests OF the
black vatersnake The writer making some
etbnolorc collections and Investigations among tue
Hopi and had taken up temporary residence LOT 'ne
purpose In one OF their villages called Ie"a Oh 'no
first mesa On the same mesa are TWO oher N'i'"seS'
separated from each other only lew huhoreu s"u''
and 1t was at the farther oil these "aps 'n'' 'ic
strange lite took place
Arc, several DAYS had been occupied in the pre-
umnories-one Of which ceremonial lace by
the priests around the entire circuit OF 'e
WAS given that the snakes were TO be eo lha' i'H'
In the snake kiva at Walpi AT the other village ''e
writer found another ethnologst, MI A y. e'ePheh'
who has been making study of this people Tor years
His quarters were close 10 the snake hoch' aio"''o
rvb,ch tho dancers 20 I'm the snake dance already
-aferrcd TO- and OH the other side was the hVa OF
the priests OF the black watcrsnake. Inc hlVa was
n grot,o followed out OF the living rock ana rooieo
over level with the courtyard The entrance was
a SQUARE hole in the roof. just large enough TO ADMIT
n man through which a ladder projected from beio"
Topcther the two white descended and iound
theu,sclyes In an oblong chamber about twenty-five
feet in length In the centre was burning s"''n
fire. upon which an old man from uhe 10 uhe put
fresh twigs from pile al his side. AT tile iur'her
and was sort OF low stage, upon which was growing
ia
with much solemn ritual in the same place tweNe
davs before This was the first surprisc-corn grow
Ing inside while the winry blasts we're moving
without and the fresh green OF the young pia"es'
which were several inches high, had pretty effect
Across the floor In front OF the stage was q long
pole the purpose OF which was understood later Inc
walls and the round logs which formed the raftes were
covered with symbolic figures in green, yellow Dack
and red representing the clouds the ram, the lght-
ming and the rain gods or snakes. one painted snake
extended the whole length OF tie raftcr
Tho snake images wnich were to be used In the
performance were piled just in front oil the growing
corn. They were OF enormous size and startlingly
.a,,s,ic The heads were evidently of wood. painted
black with large circles for the horned like the
horned serpents of Oriental mythology, With double
rows OF cleaning white teeth, through WHEN pro-
iected red forked tongues. Their bodies almost as
largo in the middle as mans leg were painted dark
above and lighter below, and apparently were maoe
of the stout cloth which the iiopi weave. the make
mn was perfect ard so uncanny IN It's hdcii'y 10
nature that II gave one Inc coio chh 10 "oA at
them.
The performers TO the number OF abont thirty were
already stripped 10 the bTesrch-cloth ana with
turtlesheu rattles fastened TO their right legs were
dancing in unison with O slow chorus which Mr.
stcp,en who understood the words, explained was
an invocation 10 the clouds TO come near and give
.b.r moisture 10 fcrtize the land Of the lIop. The
dancers moved In double file in semicirclc from one
side to the Of the kiva, ana thcn at the signal
tptven by rattle. faced about and danced back
amin. They were OF all ages. from grny-haired old
men IN one little fellow abont twelve years old,
whose legs were too short TO reach the floor when
they sat alone bcnch Oh rooh "' ''' "'0 '" ''''
between the songs.
The songs were like all Indian songs weird slow'
monotonous and oft repeated, ana the ouroeh Vi
all was prayer to the water gods ana an iVo'"'o''
of the spirits Of tie thunder. the cloud ana inc RAM
Non two nj
At last, nearly at the mdhisht MUIR wv =. ''.
,erformers took hold of the long pole s're'cnco
go 3, front Of the stage, and. fastening cords TO
its ends. drew II quickly up TO the rafers We now
cav that Il was attached to cur'aih' "ipo" was
Tins drawn up conceal the stage just rs III io''
theatre The curtain also was covered WIN e.
hoiic dp,,rcs I'm various colors mostly rccsn"p,,
Of various mythical deitics and all very s amd
drawn The Indian Is m artist Gy ,nc ncnictins
Of his mythical Pantheon Across the lower par m ~
the curtain six large holes. closea 'I cri,fn
BY movable naps Of uniform pattern VIII Wv
Tue sudden hush that fell the assembly sho wee
formers stepped out FROM thu ro~t going to lhs
front took up each snake and PIP , ' or i
over shoulder and pissed THROUGH 1t one OF Ihe
Sss s s' ar HnIr sS a S ma @n the
rest, but with small pouch harGinS from III, ne, -
long p"mSs sndds saS aro a's chorus chorus Of most
earthly SOUNDS from behind tn curtain a. II T ,,n:
to which can he compared IN the strans combination
OF roars, gfowE ana wall. sometime heard IN
circus when The Wild animals nave become alarmed.
This was the signal All nj once the six snakes
which had been catri.d benind the curtain darted
their enormous heads throngn TIL holes In It's lover
mart one nj each hole. Thy came M. had. srck
ana almost half their Length. moving their heads from
lido In side as II singing out spectator for at
tack their white teeth cleaning. their Jaws opening
wde and again closirg with q snap ana their red
1900 tongues constantly darling in and out Of thelr
o,ths At the same zine the performer who had
TAKEN the snake under hi, arm seemed about to b.
vssI,n~ It's ugly neck about bis arm. dartns Its
tonrue into his very fnce. and then, rearing up
would throw itself out with mgSV ana press 81