The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-10-25

one lady among US put UP her umbrella to
protect herself from the heat Another
of the party began to feel the headache
which the charcoal always caused her.
There was no doubt in anyones mind
that the fire was hot-blazing, burning
hot, and something like 16 feet of it, too.
20 les malhereuX. les malheureuX," eX-
claimed an excited French woman as she
fancied walking over those embers.
When all the ash was famed away and
the fire had been beaten to a fierce glow
with long poles, white-robed priests en-
tered. one of whom. taking salt from Il
supply placed near us. attended the high
priest as he went to each of the four
corners Of the pile. At each he clapped
his hands. clasped them and raised them
high, as If in supplicaton, bent his head
in prayer and ended by strewing hand
full OF salt about him. 1t was the motion
OF man sowing seed, and but few grains
can have fallen in any one spot At the
middle of each side and end this was re-
peated.
1t was now growing dark and the blaz.
ing embers threw a glow over the white
dress of the priests. The high priest was
striking man. His motions were quick.
decisive. intelligent, as he rapidly passed
from one place to another. We could
see his face distinctly, we were SO close.
The darkness lent added effectiveness to
the next ceremony. Each corner and side
meant this time The attendants struck
flint as the priest prayed and the sparks,
flying off in the dark. made a shower OF
tiny, thin, yellow lights against the rich,
glowing, red mass of charcoal and the
darker crowd of figures beyond.
A driZZling rain was falling, but it
affected the fire little. 1t was now beat
en- with poles until 1t glowed again, as
the high priest ended his invocations. And
before l understood what he was doing
little scream from our French lady
startled me into realizing that, making no
break or pause with one of his swift mo-
tons he had stepped out and along the
fire path. The glow of colors from be-
low on his white dress and dark skin
was worthy of Rembrandt. He trod on
the fire firmly, though quickly. and the
other priest followed. The high priest
walked nine times He set each foot
down firmly. and only once appeared to
feel the smallest discomfort. Then he
stepped somewhat to one side, by mis-
take it seemed, and visibly WINGED car
rying it off by a series of affected steps,
high in the air, as if it We're all in his
part.
After the priests came the crowd. wo-
men carrying children. a man with sick
person on his back boys of all ages.
Each stepped over a wet mat, through
small pile of salt on to the fire. The salt
was ordinary coarse salt 1--WE had 1t
analyzed). At least six steps were neces-
sary to cross the fire; some walkers took
more; nearly all were fairly deliberate.
One or two, fancied, felt the heat I'M
comfortably, If not painfully for on COM
ing off the fire they wriggled their feet
about in the pile of salt at the farther
end as if 1t cooled them. Most of them
disregarded it altogether, often stepping
across it without touching it. One child
was afraid to walk and threw up its arms
before its face as 1t stood before the fire,
as If to ward off the heat. 1t was finally
persuaded to venture, and stepping brave
ly on the Goals, apparently felt no dis
comfort. AS pain would have been con-
fession of impurty, Of course there was
a premium upon concealing 1t. But there
was no concealment in the old woman
who tucked up her kimono and trudged
along the fire as prosaically as If she
were going to market planting one sturdy
foot after the. other in the red charcoal.
We left them still walking, men, women
and children, as they CHANGED to leave
the crowd the high priest stepping for
ward now and again and trampng across
with his spirited, quick 'audacious tread,
as if he detied the fire to harm him. We
left them walking and set out to ride
miles and miles to Szabu, an hour away,