The copper era and Morenci leader., 1915-10-22
SNAKE DANCE IS THE GREATEST SIGHT
 IN AMERICA
Noted Traveller Declares Ceremony Of t's,pi Indians Exceis All Other Attract.ons for the Tourist Visit. ing th.A West

(Roger Foster in New York Sul)
 The most impressive thing that l saw during my travels was the snake dance of the Hopi Indians on their reservation in Arizona during the last week in August. I have seen Asiatic snake charmers and the cere- monies of an African tribe who worked themselves into a frenzy by the hypnotic effect of the prolonged beating of the same note upon tom tom and the heat of the camp fire during which they bit off the heads of snakes and swallowed scorpions, but these expected backshish and it was generally believed that the fangs of the snakes had been removed.
 The snake dance is the culmina- tion of a festival that lasts -everal days, during which it is preceded by ether dances and by foot races. It is performed by religioIs fraternity into which the members are initia- ted about the age of puberty. The. prepare themselves for '.he, rite b.; . fast and diet for feU y.o-,is before during which they collect thesnakes At the conclusion of the ceremony they drink an emitic and use To- tion, the contents of both of which are secret. This regimen is said to
 The Instruments were covered render them immune.
 with war paint. Their only garments were loose flesh-colored brooches rot reaching to the knees, high moe. casins and a tail composed of the skin of wild animal. Some wore necklaces of small birds. All had headdresses with feathers.
 The music was made by rattles shaken by a row of about ten men, some of whom represented the an telope and buffalo fraternities. The dance was performed by about twen- ty braves in couples, one of each two holding feathers with which he fteased the snakes and sought to di- vert their attention from those that held them.
 The dancers entered in single file, passing before the musicians after each stamped upon piece of wood covering a hole, so that they might thus communicate with the great spirit in the bowels of the earth. This was followed by a dance con- ..iisting of a measured movement ot 7he feet of the dancers and musici- cns as they stood in rows opposite each other. Then, as they circled round the stone one of each couple I turn took a snake from mass oi snrub5ary where the snakes were Hidden in bags.
 The snakes numbered fully fifty mostly rattlers, with a few wh1I snakes among them, since this sum rner rattlesnakes were scarce. Up On the first round each snake dancer seized a single snake, grasping 1t 1T the mid d7le by his teeth, leaving i free to coil with the tail around hi
  ard rattle, while it might with th' some would take two or even three each in their hands and mouths.
 At times a snake was thrown iron the dancers mouth upon the ground where it hissed and rattled. One O these charged upon the spectators but a white man in the front roy caught it by the neck and threw back into the ring. In spite of tn teasing Of the feathers, the snake more than once closed their teeth i the faces, necks and sroulders c those who held them, but the wa paint concealed any blood that fo lowed.
 ! Throughout the Indians chanted