El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-01-17
BY the War Captain And
Men Of the Famous
Jemes Tribe.
TRIU MPHANT MARCH
Home After Capturing the
Animal And Winning the
Favor Of the Gods For
Another Year.
Special Correspondence Of the HERALD.

Special Correspondence OF the HERALD.
JEMES, N. NJ, Jan. I5.-The sacred
bear hunt at Jemes Pueblo began on
Thursday of the fret week of this year.
The war captain of the Jemes tribe
and twenty-five men set out In search
of the sacred bear. and sitter hunting
for about week, they found the de-
sired animal snugly sleeping in its
winter quarters in q hole in the rocks
near the summit of the Nacimiento
range. On discovering the animal the
war captain'shot it through the heart.
Then there was a scramble to see
which one should touch it first, be-
cause this one would not only get the
animals hide. which is quite valuable
but would also receive an extra bless
ing of the gods. This favor of the
gods fell to one Collaque, who scram-
bled head first down the neck of the
BEARS cave to the then expiring beast.
Then after the hunting party had
prayed and scattered sacred meal to
the six regions through which it is be-
lieved by the Pueblo Indians that mans
soul Unjust pass in the course of it's exist
ence, they roped the dead amin ais
body, which was very large, aud with
considerable difficulty dragged it from
the cave. This done they skinned it,
and, after dividing the meat among
themselves, started the triumphant re-
turn with the hide to the village, sing-
irg. chanting, shrieking fendish
Oh rs
journeyed.
When the party had got within
hearing distance of the pueblo, the
Indians at the village recognized the
triumphant shout of the returning
hunters and in less time than it takes
to write it, the aboriRines were either
on their house rooves, in the streets. or
running with all speed to join the
triumphal procession which though
small as to numbers rivaled a Dewey
procession from an Indian point of
view. The people in the village took
up the shrieking shout and the balmy
breeze waited it from village to sierra
and it echod back to the approaching
victors-the supposed favored ones of
the gods. Shawls and blankets were
vigorously waved. Ths cacique
prayed.
On, on came the hunting party till
at last they entered the village. Then,
after riding around the main block of
the village, still shooting and yelling
as before, they halted in the west end
of the plaza and the more peculiar
part of the whole affair occurred. The
women rushed from their houses with
baskets of torrea and wyava which they
threw skyward in all directions as
thanks offering to the gods.
Mrs. Collaque, mother of the Indian
who had touched the bear first and
who then had the bear skin in his DOS
session, took a club and pounded the
lifeless hide, yelling and shrieking
the while aud batting her mouth with
the palm of her hand to make the :
noise more terrible. After she had
herself in this performance
she took the hide on her shoulder and
danced a jig, (?) still yelling and
pounding her mouth with her palm.
This being completed, che ente red her
house with the trophy, followed by
many of the inhabitants of the village,
the head men.
When inside of the house tobacco
and cornhusks we're passed q round and
Ill partook of the ceremonial smoke.
This closed the ceremonies of the day.
JEMES NOTES.
Mr.. Philips, who went to Taos coun-
y the last week in Decem Der, returned
20 Jemes Hot Springs Saturday last.
BE intends doing some more prospect
ng in this vicinity in the resr future.
The mail carrier. who has been very
slack with his work has los t his job, AZ
east for a month. He failed twice in
recently to get the mail at
so the postmaster hired
4 man to take his place.