The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-01-31

edges of the desert, from twenty to fifty
miles northeast of Flagstaff, and near the
Grand Canyon of the Colorado. The
country there is extremely wild. In all
seven villages were visited.
1t was at the villages OF Mashongnavi
and Walpi, on the Moqui reservation, that
Mr.. James saw the snake-dancers. The
former village is on the first mesa, and the
latter probably 1000 feet higher on the
second.
He had through friends got special
permit from Supei. the snake chief, to at
tend the festivities. Fully 1000 Indians
were gathered at each village to see the
snakes and participate in the dance.
II had long heard of these snake dances
and Of the profusion of snakes displayed"
said he, ''but the difficulties were so great
in believing what was said that always
discounted them. However, what | saw
was incredible enough.
"The Indians swarmed around an open
and nearly level place in the pueblo, each
with snakes in their hands or entwined
about their necks or bodies. Not infre-
quently the Indians appeared holding
them in their teeth. while the tail lashed
one way and the head the other.
SAT Mashongnavi the scene was particu-
larly wild. The snakes were nearly all
rattlesnakes, and of all ages and sizes.
Sometimes the Indians were bitten in the
face by the reptiles which they cid in
their teeth. But they didn't seem to
mind it.
az saw them sometimes hold two rattle
snakes in their teeth, one above the other
The reptiles, when they bit the Indians in
the face, as they did a few times, were
dropped from the teeth and an effort was
made to shake them off, but they would
hold on for some time by their fangs, and
thus were shaken and dangled in space.
THE Indians never bothered about the
bite until some time afterward, when they
had got through dancing. when they
would 90 ana drink quart of very bitter
drink from herbs of some sort, which they
had prepared.
81 drank about pint of the stuff, too
l concluded if they could drink well on to
q gallon each of 1t, as they did before they
got through, / could stand pint. | did
it to see what its effect was. It was awful
stuff, 80 far as the taste went. The effect
was not particularly noticeable.
when the Indians got through dane
ing they would toss their reptiles on the
ground in the center OF the circle in one
writing mass. Each dance lasted about
thirty-five minutes. When they got
through finally for the day, all the snake
dancers having participated, they threw
off the bitter drink by running the finger
down the throat, if not sick already by the
drink and exertion.
Then they went away to their adobe
and stone houses. to fall in to stupor
which would last for many hours.
1t was an exciting experience. At the
other village of Walpi the snake dance
was carried on in much the same manner.
The villages are about fifteen miles apart.
''The Indians were very picturesquely
arrayed when not dancing. When they
stole TO cla fhav
their jotsitz, a kind of blanket. secured
several of these blankets and also a number
of Navajo blankets, so fine that would
not like to take $3.50 apiece for them.
Both Chief Supeli, the snake chief, and
Wiki, the antelope chief, whom also met,
were fine fellows. They are large, daunt-
less men, whom to see is to like l was
used in the most courteous manner by
them"
Mr.. James is here on a business trip
and will remain several days. He thinks
no one should fail to see the Moqui snake
dances if such a thing is possible. The
dances are weird and interesting beyond
words.