The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1895-01-30
CHAPTER XXX[II, CONTINUED. }
THE SURRENDER.

Taking Otomie in my arms, bore her
to one Of the storehOuses attached to the
temple. Here many children had been
placed for safety, among them my own
son.
What ails our mother, fatherp" said
the boy. "And why did she shut me in
here with these children when it seems
that there is fighting without?|
"Your mother has tainted" answer
ed, land doubtless she placed you here to
keep you safe. Now, do tend to her till
return"
II will do so,' answered the boy, ''but
surely it would be better that I, who am
almost a man, should be without, fighting
the Spaniards at your side, rather than
within, nursing sick women"
do as I bid you, son" said, land
charge you not to leave this place until
come for you again"
Now I passed out of the storehouse,
shutting the door behind me. A minute
later I wished that I had staid where I
was since on the platform my eyes were
greeted by a sight more dreadful than any
that had gone before, for there, advanc-
ing toward us, were the women, divided
into four great companies some of them
bearing infants in their arms. They came
singing and leaping, many Of them naked
to the middle. Nor was this all, for In
front Of them ran the pabas and such of
the women themselves as were persons in
authority. These leaders, male and female,
ran and leaped and sang calling upon the
names Of their demon gods and celebrating
the wickedness of their forefathers, while
after them poured the bowling troops Of
women.
To and fro they rushed, now making
obeiSance to the statue Of Huitzel, now
prostrating themselves before his hideous
sister, the goddess of death, who sat be-
side him adorned with her carven neck
lace Of mems skulls and hands, now bow
ing around the stone of sacrifice and now
thrusting their bare arms into the flames
Of the holy fire. For an hour or more they
celebrated this CHASTITY carnival, of which
even l, versed as was in the Indian GUS
toms, could not fully understand the mean
ing, and then as though some single i'm
pulse had possessed them, they withdrew
to the center Of the open space, and form
ing themselves into a double circle, with
in which stood the pabas, Of a sudden they
burst into chant so wild and shrill that
as listened my blood curdled in my veins.
Ever as they sang step by step they
drew backward, and with them went the
4O6SOCAc Va CC1SA U14O4A OJOc 0ACN
upon the statues of their gods. Now they
were but segment Of q circle, for they did
not advance toward the temple. Back
ward and outward they went, with a slow
and solemn tramp. There was but one
line of them now, for those in the second
ring filed the gaps in the first as 1t wild
ened. Still they drew on till at length they
stood on the sheer edge of the platform.
Then the priests and the women leaders
took their place among them, and for q
moment there was silence, until at sig
nal one and all they bent backward
Standing thus. their long hair waving on
the wind, the light of burning houses far
ing upon their breasts and in their mad
dened eyes, they burst into the cry Of:
''Save us, Huitzel! Receive u.s. lord god,
our home!''
Thrice they cried it, each time more
shrilly than before; then suddenly they
were gone-the women Of the Otomie were
no morel
With their own self slaughter they had
contaminated the last celebration Of the
rites of sacrifice that ever shall be held in
the City of Pines. The devil gods were
dead, and their worshipers with them
A low murmur ran round the lips of the
men who watched; then one cried, and his
voice rang strangely in the sudden silence,
'MaY our wives, the women Of the Oto-