The Coconino sun., 1922-09-01

we'll as women tried to scare them back by throwing dust at them. This procedure displeased the Indians, who after that let the snakes get right into the crowd before they were snatched up. Displeasure was also shown by the Indians because their appearance was greeted by applause, and many of the white people, through lack of appreciation of the religious meaning of what was going on, laughed and talked while the dancers were offering their initial prayers. People who have seen the ceremony before say that the per- formers did not allow the snakes to approach so near the spectators be- fore, and that in previous years the men who picked up the reptiles did not snap them near the spectators faces as they did this year.
 Excitement was shown, when at the conclusion of the dance, all the In- dians holding snakes, gathered in circle and threw them into a pile. The snakes were immediately picked up by performers, who ran off with with them, carrying them to the north, south, east and west whence, according to the belief of the Indians, the reptiles will go toward the center of the earth, to the snake rain god, and petition it to send rain.
 On Wednesday of this week there was another snake dance, but on smaller scale, at Chimopovy, while on Thursday or Friday there was one scheduled for Mashonivi. Next years dance will be held at Polacca.
 There were many ludicrous hap penings during the dance. One little Indian dancer, not more than 10 years old, who was carrying a rattler, was nearly upset when a 10-foot bull snake carried by another dancer, wrapped several feet of his tail-end around one of the kids legs. It was some time before the youngster could be extricated, the two main actors meanwhile never losing a step in the dance.
 Superintendent Daniels of the res- ervation usually addresses the spec tators just prior to the dance, warn ing them against applause, noise or interference in any way with the dancers. MT. Daniels neglected to do this this year and the result was lot of noise from the whites and some very angry Indians.
 One man started to kill a snake that had come too close with pop bottle. Others, who feared the con- sequences, restrained him. If he had killed the snake there might have been race riot right there.
 A big snake glided out between the feet of Governor Thos. E. Camp bell, who stood in the front rank of | spectators. The governor didn't give ground, but he looked mighty uncom- fortable.
 There was practically no serious car trouble. The roads over all the 107 miles from Flagstaff to Hote- villa were fairly dry though in some places very rough. Flagstaff cars went out ard back without mishap. Most of che people who went from here left here on Friday, returning Sunday, though some made one-way trip on the day of the dance, while MT. and MT. Joe F. Schmidt, Jr., as usual being in big hurry, went there and back the day of the dance.
 There were fewer spectators this year from other states and foreign countries than usual, because of the unsettled railroad conditions.
 Among the Flagstaff people who attended the dance were:
 Mir. and Mrs. D. M. Eldredge and son, MT. and Mrs. R. L. Neill, MT. and Mrs. Jack Fuss, Mir. and Mrs. Henry H. Ransom, Mir. and Mrs. J, | Q. Thomas, Mir. and Mrs. B. Hyde, Dr. and Mrs. L. B. McMullen, Mir and Mrs. Richard Guy, Mir. and Mrs. J. D. Jackson, Mir. and Mrs. c. B. Chal- lener; Mir. and Mrs. c. c. Kendall, MT. and Mrs. E. H. Wheat. MT. and Mrs. P. J. Moran and family, MT. and Mrs. Will Robbins, Mir. and Mrs. Hugh Campbell, MT. and Mrs. w. S. Brown, MT. and Mrs. Ernest Lennon, Mir. and Mrs. o. w. Blume, Mir. and Mrs. Rollin Drake, Mir. and Mrs. John s. Phelps, MT. and Mrs. Stuart Camp bell, Dr. and Mrs. A. w. Crump and family, Mir. and Mrs. Joseph F.. Schmidt, Miss Anna Riordan, Miss Margaret Walsh, Miss Rosemary Reinhold, Miss Freda Johnson, Miss Edna Yester, Miss Mary Boyer, Miss Lucille Wilkie, Miss Mildred Julian, Miss Eleanor Greenlaw, Miss Eliza beth Hall, Miss Kathryn Keller, Miss Clemmie flaws, Miss Margarette Walker, Miss Hazel Caring, Miss Frances Kapanke, Miss y1odell Da- vies, Miss Martha E. Dewey, Miss Catherine McMullen, Miss Lucretia McMullen. Miss Catherine Beckwith, Miss Mary E. Prochnow, Miss Sadie