Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-26

| one of their settlements. few weeks ago.
Il have spent the last three months" he
continued, sin Arizona and New Mexico.
| making special investigations among the
Pueblo Indians. One of my duties was to
aid in solving the mysteries of this strange
ceremony, which on account Of the sanctity
with which 1t Is regarded among the natives
has been seen by but few white men.
Think of looking down upon wide arena
high up in one Of the mountains of Arizona,
a space literally filled with dancing, howl
| ing savages, each holding in his mouth as
many tremendous, kissing rattlesnakes as
he could place between his teeth! Can you
imagine anything more CHASTITY? Walpi, the
principal village Of the Hops, stands upon
a narrow mesa, about Seventy-five miles
south of San Juan. This little city over
looks a wide valley. about COO feet below,
from which there is narrow winding path,
almost impossible to climb.
although this festival has been held al
ternately in each Of the Hepi cities, pos
sibly for centuries. 1t has only been Of late
years that white men have found their way
to these inaccessible towns in the loneliest
corner of America. Altogether the ceremon-
les lasted nine days. during which time we
camped among the natives. We learned
from the chief priests that the dance was to
be an appeal to the rain god for a cessation
Of the long drought which each year threat
ems to dry up the crops, until the rainy sea-
son regularly comes to their relief.
THE first two days Of the dance were de-
voted to strange preparatory ceremony
performed in the sanctum or kiva of the
chief antelope priest.
The Snake Hunt.
THE next four days were devoted to the
snake hunt. This was participated in only
by the snake priests. Each carried a long
handled hoe. a straight wooden rod, bag
of cornmeal and switch made Of long
feathers tied in bunch at the end of
thin stem of willow. For many miles
|
brush was searched for rattlesnakes, which
were put in a bag and carried to the city.
Each man as he found a rattler, no mat
ter how large or how fierce 1t might be,
picked 1t up in his naked fingers, grasping
him back of the neck. but none of these
hunters ever dared touch RATHER while
he was coiled. The seventh day, the hunt
being over. the priests spent in preparing
dance. On the eighth day occurred the in
teresting ceremony of Initiating new men,
bers Of the antelope society. This cere-
mony consisted of a simple baptism by
water and the comforting of a peculiar
title. The remainder of the eighth day, or
that preceding the great dance, was spent
In preparing the dance plaza. This prepa-
ration consisted chiefly in the erection of a
line of houses which faced the open side
The tent was made of boughs of trees,
formed in conical pile and covered care
fully with buffalo robe.
lhc D0nCe.
AN hour or more before sunset on the
rinth day several large bags containing the
serpents were placed in the conical tent in
the midst of the plaza. At last, when the
sun went down the weird dance began. The
first to enter the plaza were the antelope
priests. These dignitaries were naked to
the waist, below which they wore white
kits, variously decorated.
s'Their hOdies and limbs u-ere paint I'D u,itb
thunder clouds and lightning flashes, their
legs We're bare, but on their feet were SAN
Gals. Their long black hair hung loosely
over their shoulders, and plumes decked
their scalp locks. Marching in from their
kiva in single file they wound their column
several times around rock which stands
near the entrance of the plaza, afterward
singing solemn chant as they went
through many strange evolutions. After
the antelope priests had finished their chant
the snake priests entered, shaking rattles
made Of tortoise shell: They made a
march similar to that of the antelope men,
but appeared excited rather than dignified.
They were naked to the waist wore red
kits, red moccasins and red feathers on
their heads. Their bodies were colored
with daubs of red and black paint, while
the upper half of their faces was black,
the lower white. Having gone through
some evolutions they divided themselves
into couples, one man known as the car
rier. the other the 'hugger.'
With Snakes in Their Mouths.
AFTER marching around the plaza sew
eral times, they passed near the snake
tent, and as each couple reached 1t the car
rler stepped in and drew from the bag a
large rattlesnake. Shutting his eyes he
put the viper in his mouth, biting it tightly
near the middle. His companion, the hug
ger, the.cupon put his arm around the car
rier. and led him, since his eyes remained
closed, as long as he kept the RATHER in
hfS mi mr. cd md ho
plaza, the dance incomplete unless each held
the snake in his teeth until he had entirely
encircled the space. This was not always
accomplished, and many rattlers dropped
on the ground beneath the feet of the per-
formers they hurried along. About ten
of the snake men had been previously de-
tailed as 'gatherers,' and these followed
the procession, picking up the fallen ser
penis, but never touching a RATHER while
coiled. Although the dancers seemed care
less of any danger, saw one OF the car
riers get badly bitten in the face. but he
did not appear to mind 1t, while the blood
trickled down over his neck
After the Dance.
1.-THE antelope priests, who remained on
either side of the snake tent. singing a
weird chant, took the snakes from the
gatherers as soon as picked up. A group
of gaily dressed Indian maidens, the sweet
hearts Of the braves, stood at the base of
the dance rock, and sprinkled cornmeal on
the procession as it passed. But soon the
last snake had been taken from the tent
and the dance stopped. The chief snake
priest made a ring of cornmeal on the
ground, and within this all of the Kissing
vipers were thrown into a squirming heap.
At once the snake priests rushed forward,
grabbed many as he could carry, and.
dashing down into the valley. scattered
them to the four cardinal points of the
compass. Returning, they were given
powerful emeti; by their chief. Later
each was given soothing draught, was
washed and prepared for the great feast
which followed For this feast the Indian
maids brought great baskets of all sorts
Of food. This was eaten amid much jolli-
fication, and he who had been the bravest
handler of the snakes was made the hero
of the hour.
Thus ended the most exciting spectacle
which ethnologists have ever witnessed"
His Art Mcndnci0us.
From the New York World.
Society actress-"In what direction do you
think my art nes?'-
Critic-"It lies in every direction"
Actress-"Indeed?"