Arizona republican., 1899-07-17
INDIRN MAGlCIANS
Greatest Ever Seen were The Rrick-
arees of North Dakota

The g-z55est nasicia1s have ever
seen. said DR.. Washington Mathews Of
the army, IKE mos ezDsrs in leg5rde-
main. were he Ariekarae Indians, wao
n my ttms-ia 1805-I-ved n Fort
BearthoId, II what IS now North D2-
k0ta n the autumn Of that year,
when the harvest was done and before
they werS OUT upon Their winter hun--
weeks md months were spent in ce-e-
moz.es OF ali kinds. picturesque and
symbolic dances. the celebrations and
anniversaries Of secret societies, SIC,
among -o5 only the men, but the wo-
men and the L.tIle children.
events Of this Eind occurred every
day and every night Fn6y hal IN
the ce-Iar Of their village a great mod
.ci1e edge, probable ninety feet in d
ameter. circular Il form. IN il they
had performances every night, ana We
white men who had nothing els to
do. visited those performances more
regularly than We would visit the the
atacs in a city. Il WIS pace OF Re-
SORT w-ch Us every night. Part Of the
lodge VS. fenced OF To- The aJld- elce
and the rest reserved f0r the perform
ers II addition ID songs AID dances
they had ezh biliC1s Of legerd ma =
/ cannot think Ct all their tricks, -or
veirs nave rolled by s.lce thzl. Max
t1g little wooden images smoke PIP 5,
putting a stuffed bird in the end OF
sick and mixing it chiTps were among
the most amusing. The last tick vas
p-obably performed by the US Of 4
reed il he mouth OF one Of the ma
gicials.
The ire dance was one OF tier
most interesting performances. Ih2y
would build q tremendous hre, dance
around il. md at cs-s9in point Inc
men would break or and rush into the
roaring flames. dance in them and
throw the embeTs n2dly into the a.
Il was then time for Us 70 rush odI
ourselves. because we might be struck
by some Of the fy-2g brands. Appac-
entity they went into the fire D3r9i1ot-
ed and bsre1egged. Thy wore neCh-
ing but breech clouts.
might after night they had some
Hing new. Another trick was apD3r-
emily to run a knife through a man
arm and let the blood rush out. They
would entertain Us for hours WIN
songs and dances. No adm sslon "2s
charged. but We frequently made them
presents"
= w nat IS the SIRdt-S- t--th = ~ IL Z
ever seen among the NavaJos?
THE growth Of the corn 5 Vs-y
pretty trick 1t takes place a. night
by the uncertain Igtc Of the fire,
which confuses the eye Of the specta-
tor A party Of indians come IN and
dance. bearing nothing apparently
about th5m. They form a hing, sing
ing and dancing. The ring opens and
there You see growing Ou1 OF the bare
ground Of the corral small plant.
They sing awhile. and the ring closes
again. When il opens second tine
the yucca baccata plant IS noticed. IN
indian rites everything goes by fours 5
Tt IS their sacred number. IS three and
sevza are sacred numbers with us
There ara four acts in the rite. The
second Is The plant u bud. The N I'd
is the plant IN the flower The r-1g
closes again ana WHEN Il opens thel5
is the fruit. wish great beans six iuch=s
long hanging to it. The exp,anaoo1
is that tney bring tato the inclosure
with them the v3r.3us parts Of the
plant. which they deity place in prop-
e position while The ring closed
during tla incants ions. They use
their blankets % cover the work. -
Chicago Record.