New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-14

climbed up and down the steep ladder, tb,.,
them e Tere 10 TAX pa empty I Just then t
were making their final preparations in tbeir 'aacs
played around before the houses: and TnllIdarsR
dogs and chickens and donkeys wandered ronn ,sks
'aThen, at end of the dance place annsa-nI
solitary figure and all eyes were turned on birsu
was half-naked red man, carrying in his hand !
great sack; and when one looked hard at Ii ' aa
could that the contents We're alive IT was s ns
OF writing SNAKES M WI fteady step he walked
cloth which hung over the front Of il. and he pIas
the bag of snakes inside. Then he Withdrew laced
Appearances absolutely unconscious of the watcbst
the hOusetOps. e's
priests They were half-naked and strsnsaaxSs
painted; their faces were blackened but thers
on their backs and arms and breasts were ebo sad
patterns. drawn in blush white oehre. They ' wn
skin dangled from the waist and at side srs a
tassel OF cords hung almost 20 tne ground In Their
procession circled round and round the place s9i
formed up in line before the Kisi and with ordsra
waving Of the snake whips and shaking of the kas
rattes and stamping of the feet they chanted ~
course were uninteIlgbe to US: and it NAV bs q
they were not entirely understood by themseIvss
for while the language Of savages changes by ~
grees from century to century, and lis arssbaT
forms. passing out of common use. swiftly begin II
be forgotten. few still hnger on In the songs de-
voted to the gods. and are piOusly chanted H.
priests, who no longer interpret what thsy
And now the song was ended. and the long I'm,
Of the Snake priests broke up and melted rto
groups. moving irreguarly in front of the Kis Jus,
what they did in that clustering movement was
hard to but they seemed 10 bend down in
before the white cloth; and from inside the Ks
behind the cloth something was passed out thoss
outside and, 10! pair OF priests stood up side nv
side one with his around the others neck. ana
in that others mouth. firmly grasped in his strong
Jaws a great snake. Yes, he was carrying
great live rattlesnake in his mouth, holding II M.
far from the middle. and the fiat. venOmOus head
wandered inquiSitively up and down his cheek, ana
in around his throat. and past his if seeking
where to hide. His companion. the 'hugger,' who
had his left arm around the carriers Shoulders
held the snake whip in his right hand, and with
gentle touches Of the tip played with the reptiles
Il. 2 mad 20 ma hn IA anH
from the eyes of the carrier And thus side by sids
with slow. prancing steps. locked in this strangs
embrace, the pair slowly made the circuit OF TIA
dancing place. On the side opposite 10 the Ksi
stood a little group of women bearing bowls n
sacred meal and this they Sprinkled the pair
and on the writhng serpent as they passed. Behind
the pair followed a third priest snake whip n
hand attending their steps. When the circuit
had been completed the carrier. bending forward
opened his Jaws, and the Wrtth1ng reptile dropped
to the ground Instantly the third priest, tia
was Fastening TO escape, and. brushing it rapidly
with his snake whip to recall IL to it's Obedience
with a lightnnglike dart Snatched it up in his s
hand and held it in the air. The snake accepted
grasping hand without making any visible effort to
ssMsantime pair after pair had followed the frs,
each carrier with 4 writhinS. sQufrInlnS serpent
in his mouth each hugger with his snake whjo
guiding the restless, inQuiSttive head from tbs
undeYended face Of the carrier. None Of III.
was huge bull snake, four or five feet long and as
thick as a mans wrist, which certainly an
enormous mOuthful. Him the carrier supported
with both hands holding up either end, while his
middle. And there were small snakes. too, slim
whip snakes and young rattlerS. and here came A
carrier who had got two together in his mouth and
the twin snake heads wreathing themselves round