New-York tribune., 1905-04-16
NEW-YORK TRIBUNE ILLUSTRATED SUPPLEMENT-

TENTS feet. from the head TO the head. and 50
on. the idea being that in this way the patlens
gets strength After use each painting Is de-
strOyed. the material gathered up and carried
away into the desert on blanketa
A few days before the close OF the ceremony
the beggars appear In camp. These fellows
playing the part OF clowns. go around with
whips. and any person they meet must either
give them something take hOgginG
On the eighth day there Is an elaborate open
air initiation. which is witnessed by at least
a thousand spectators. Il was only By taking
the initiation and becoming full hedged meu-
Der OF the order that Mr.. Curtis could get per-
mission TO make the pictures he did
To the average person the ninth, or final, day
is the whole Of the Yebichai ceremony. On that
day there are often fully fifteen thousand per-
sons in camp. ana the programme includes cere-
monies in the hogan" horse races. foot races
gambling and all forms Of amusement the exer-
cises terminating with dance OF masked dg-
ures. lasting all night.
NJ. Curtis has witnessed the sacred ceremo-
MES Of many other tribes among them the
Blackfeet ceremony called bringing in the will
lows In which only warriors with at least ono
scalp to their credit may take part. Gathering
willows and stones at some stream. they ride
into camp with them. and prepare for a
| dance ceremony lasting week. He has also
seen and photographed the snake dance Of the
Hopi Indians. which is really nine days prayer
for rain. the snakes being regarded as messen-
gers to the spirit world
The buffalo dance Of the Moki Indians. which
is really dramatized hunting story and the
annual feast march Of the JiciraIa Indians are
other ceremonies at which Mr. Curtis has been
privileged to be present and make photographs
"NO. it is not exactly all play said Mr. Cur
tbs the other day. when speaking Of his work
Il have been shot at while making pictures. and
Oftentimes when swapping them afeld the Ind
ians have tried to ride me down.
1t was while in the Navajo village OF AcOma.
| in the Southwest, that Mr. Curtis had an ex-
asperating experience. He says:
The governor sent his interpreter saying
would have to pay 81 for myself and 81 for
each OF my party for being in the village. and
I would have to pay So for each one Of my
cameras if I was going to make pictures"
After a parIey with the governor. carried
through the interpreter. Mr.. Curtis paid the
money. whereupOn the old fellow said to him
in good English: "AH Tigrt. you go ahead and
make pictures"
The next morning. after he had made about
three pictures. he stopped He protested
that he had the governors authority. whereupOn
the governor sent word to him that he had
made all the pictures he could make for tho
money he had paid.
! "As had planned TO make pictures In that
particular village for week or ten days" said
Mr. Curtis. fifteen minutes at the price Of s.
camera didn't look good to me-"
Accordingly. he decided to bluff It," and Try
for pictures anyway. Then followed a running
contest OF five days duration between Mr..
Curtis and the Indian police OF the village dur
ing which Mr.. Curtis frequently prevented
from making pictures, and was finally ordered
out Of town, just before a sacred dance took
place which no white person has ever been
allowed to see.
Mr.. Curtis. who has been exhibiting his rars
collection Of photographs in this city during the
past week, says Of his work among the Indianss
Il early saw that to get true picture of the
real Indian one must go to him, and get cIOSe
to nature. Of which he is a part