The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-02

Snakes halted. facing the Antelopes at \
/ distance Of about twelve feet They wore
I dark red sheepskin aprons. with mecca
] sins. feathers and corn husks; their faces
we're painted black and their bodies
streaked with yelloW-unlOVeiy creatures
and terrifying to look upon
Five Of the snakes stepped 10 the rear:
I eight formed In a single file. facing to the
right and marching TO the left, led by
boy years old At the door OF the boskc
they halted.
Here the boy put his right hand in
the sack and drew forth a snake. a rattler
nve feet long and girthed like the fetlOck
OF a wild horse. The boy attempted 10 hold
the serpent with his teeth four inches back
OF the head, and he made several efforts
before he could open his mouth wide
enough. The folds Of the snake was over
the boys left arm.
AS soon as he had a good grip on the
snake the march and chant were resumed
The snake-carrier helped the momentum
OF his foot with quick jerk toward the
left OF the closed right hand the man be-
hind him placed his left hand on the snake
carriers left shoulder near the snake
head, and with a few eagle feathers in his
right hand he seemed 10 be chasing the
snake toward the left. so as TO keep the
serpent's fangs from the carriers face.
The third man picked up a snake from
the bOske and carried it as the first, while
the fourth acted as the second man did;
thus IL went on until the eight men, or
four couples, were in notion BY the time
the last couple were ready 10 take snake
the first would have completed few cir
cults Of the space; then he would take the
reptile from his mouth and gently throw
him on the ground then march around
until he would reach the bOske again and
take another snake.
This was continued until all the snakes
had been used, but in the meantime the
snake that had been thrown on the ground
was receiving attention. AS soon as the
snake struck the earth one of the FIVE
outside men followed il, sprinkling corn
meal on its body and brushing it with a
bahoo; then, like a streak of lightning,
the watcher grasped il back of the head
and carried 1t TO one or the Antelopes to
hold
When all the snakes had
been put through the cere-
hands of the Antelopes. the high priest
of the Snake Order led the way for about
thirty-five feet toward the west. where
ten squaws with black cloth wrapped
about them were gathered. The Ante
lopes followed with the captive snakes in
their hands and formed a circle around
the women. A short prayer to Ba-lu-lu-
kong was offered by the women. who then
sprinkled cornmeal on the ground and
quickly retired.
Suddenly the Antelopes dropped all the
reptiles in a wriggling mass on the corn
meal, and the snakes as suddenly darted
forward, and grabbing as many as each
could lay his hands on they rushed to the
cardinal points of the compass and down
to the valley below where the reptiles
were set at liberty.
During the absence of the snakes the
Antelopes circled the empty boske, chant
ing mournfuly. They then retired to their
keva and resumed their ordinary garb-
the snake dance of the Moqui tribe was
ended for that season.
Singularly enough. in the cultivated ap-
prehension of the civilized watcher at
this peculiarly barbaric invocation the OBJ
ject sought was attained.
The clouds hanging low over the mesas
spilled not a drop until the echo of the
last chord died away on the rising wind
Then Ba-lu-lu-kong struck the cloud
masses and the forked lightning darted
forth like the tongues of the serpents of
the dance; the thunder of the god-like
stroke made the earth tremble and de-
luge was poured upon the seven cities of
Tusayan.
Hence, mistaken is the faith of the
Moqui in Ba-lu7lu-kong, and, the lone SEN
tinel no longer watches at dawn from
the roof of the keva of Oraiba.