New-York tribune., 1899-07-30
ZUNI INDIANS AT THE CIRCUS
THEY TOOK HOME POSTERS WHICH AFTER
WARD FIGURED ~ TIL EIR RE-
LIGIOUS EXERCISES
Correspondence Il The Chicago Record.

Correspo ondenCe Il The Chicago Record.
Frank H. Cushing of the Bureau u Eth
nology. SAYS when H. brought the delegation OF
u nj Indians East in the summer of l>>3 what
Interested them most of all they saw IN the
Journey the circus posters that We're pasted
on the dead walls and the high board fences
along the railway track. Th"y showed process
sions of gilded chariots. extraordinary acI"Ddtc
fratS cages Of f-rocIous animals. herds Of ele-
phants and other pictures which are quite ta-
miliar 10 the eye of The white man. but had
never before been seen by the Indians They
We're ii led with amaZeWent They coud not
understand what the pictures were. or why they
were exhibited To the public. In their untutorel
arf.r1uts 20 solve the mystery they concluded
that they were representations of religious rites
and had been exposed in puhli" places N order
that the people might worship them IN lhe
Zuni mythology the animal kingdom mas an I'm,
portaut place and their different cans anu
gems ara named In honor of the uS'r. IN" p-ar'
the antelope ana other wild beasts. Whlrh thry
are accustomed 70 worship. Therefore thry Iosl
no time in Offering Alteration 10 the circus post
shortly after their arrival in Washington Bar
mum came to town with his circus ana M
nageri- and he sent an invitation 10 IN" Hu,lls
D ,ybo rrorputiv accepted. II was difficult Tor Mt
Cushing and their other escorts 10 sri thrih
away from the cages II the wild beasts. because
/ they had never seen such i've animals before
and feared that they would never have another
4 opportunity. Al each cage they ouete1 prdS "l9
and scattered their curious prayer meal IN inc
air The lions and the tigers. the Girafes ana
the elephants Interested them most and IT was
with the greatest reluctance that they We're per
suaded 10 leave Jumbo. who was then the KING
II the herd and his associates l5ut the per
formance had already begun IN the ring. ana
Mr. Barnum was anxious that they shouId
see il all
The Zunis regarded the tent as a great tenn
ule and believed the performance 10 be- my -
terious religious exercise. Hence they regarded
every number on the programme with the most
reverent attention. Everything that happ"h"d
seemed 10 amaze and interest them more than
urer
uastic performances. They had never heard or
conceived Of such feats " strength and agility
and were convinced that the acrobatS were
supernatural beings possessed OF divine strength
and the spirit of tn" gods.
Mr. Rarnum sat with them during most OF the
! performance and at the end. through MT Cush ,
ing as interpreter. he told them that ne uesireI
10 make them present 10 take home 10 IhelI
/ tribe He told them they might choose anythln-
! under the tents that pleased them most ana
! would give L o. them or send 1t at his expense
/ 10 Zuni The importance and generosity oi TINS
offer was Immediately recognized. but II was a
matter too portentous to be hastily settled.
hence Ge venerable cacique asked time 10 con-
suit and consider.
"AT right" said Mr. Barnum heartily. Any
thing YOU want under this tent is yours. ana
YOU can have all the time you need 10 take your
pick Only I suggest that you would better
settle the matter before We leave Washington
and save trouble.
All that night the Zunis sat in solemn CON
claye and il was long after dawn that they
adjourned with heavy eyes and solemn faces
Later r the day they met again. and after seV-
I eral hours of further conference the old cacque
sent for Mr.. Gushing. and in the name ana pres
/ ence of his associates announced that they had
| re1ched a decision which they desired him -
| communicate to Mr.. Rarnum. He said they had
| contemplated and discussed the subject IN all
. its bearings and had come to the conclusion
! that they would prefer a set Of circus posters
! above anything else that they had seen tie
explained that some OF his companions had al
! vocated the acceptance Of one Of the animals
| or one Of the acrobats. whom they would take
home with them a priest or a god, but Jhat
would be only one, whereas II they Took the