Ceremonial of Hasjelti Dailjis and Mythical Sand Painting of the Navajo Indians Part 3

SECOND CEREMONY.

The sweat-house priest preceded the invalid and song-priest, the latter carrying his medicine basket, wands, etc. The hot stones and pine boughs were put into the sweat house; meal was sprinkled around the west base and the wands deposited, as before described, by the song-priest. Three white and black striped blankets were placed over the entrance, one upon the other, and upon these were a buckskin and several folds of white muslin.

An attendant brought a large medicine bowl half filled with pine needles; water was poured upon these; a small earthen bowl and a gourd containing water were placed before the song-priest, who put into the bowl chopped sage, over which he sprinkled dried foods reduced to powder; a small quant.i.ty of meal was also sprinkled into the gourd and bowl. The song then began. A small pine bough was laid to the right of the entrance of the sweat house. The opening of the song was a call upon the G.o.ds to impart to the medicine power to complete the cure of the invalid and to make all people well, and to have a wet and good ground all over the earth. This song is specially addressed to Toneennili, the water sprinkler.

Hasjelti and Hostjoghon arrived just as the sick man emerged from the sweat house. The invalid bathed himself from the bowl of pine needles and water. Taking the sheep's horn in the left hand and a piece of hide in the right, Hasjelti pressed the invalid's body as before described. The G.o.d was requested by the priest of the sweat house to pay special attention to the rubbing of the head of the invalid. The small gourd was handed to Hasjelti, who gave four drafts of its contents to the invalid. Hasjelti touched the soles of the feet, palms, etc., of the invalid with medicine water from the bowl. The G.o.ds then suddenly disappeared. On this occasion Hostjoghon took no part in administering the medicine. The invalid, after putting on his clothing, proceeded to the lodge, followed by the song-priest. The sweat house was razed as usual, and the pine boughs and stones were placed to the north of the house in a small pinon tree; the logs of the house were deposited on the ground a few feet from the tree. A line of meal the length of the medicine tube was sprinkled on the logs and the tube laid thereon. Meal was sprinkled over the tube and logs.

THIRD CEREMONY.

The first sand painting occurred on October 16; it was begun in the early forenoon and completed at sundown. Common yellowish sand was brought in blankets. This formed the ground color for the painting. It was laid to form a square 3 inches in depth and 4 feet in diameter. Upon this three figures were painted after the manner described of the painting of the rainbow over the sweat house. Nine turkey wands were placed on the south, west, and north sides of the square, and a line of meal with four foot-marks extended from near the entrance of the lodge to the painting.

(See Pl. CXX.)

Hasjelti stands to the north end in the ill.u.s.tration, holding the emblem of the concentrated winds. The square is ornamented at the corners with eagle plumes, tied on with cotton cord; an eagle plume is attached to the head of Hasjelti with cotton cord. The upper horizontal lines on the face denote clouds; the perpendicular lines denote rain; the lower horizontal and perpendicular lines denote the first vegetation used by man.

Hasjelti's chin is covered with corn pollen, the head is surrounded with red sunlight, the red cross lines on the blue denote larynx; he wears ear rings of turquoise, fringed leggings of white buckskin, and beaded moccasins tied on with cotton cord. The figure to the south end is Hostjoghon; he too has the eagle plume on the head, which is encircled with red suns.h.i.+ne. His earrings are of turquoise; he has fox-skin ribbons attached to the wrists; these are highly ornamented at the loose ends with beaded pendants attached by cotton strings; he carries wild turkey and eagle feather wands, brightened with red, blue, and yellow sunbeams. The center figure is one of the Hostjobokon, and upon this figure the invalid for whom the ceremonial is held sits. The four footprints are made of meal. These the invalid steps upon as he advances and takes his seat, with knees drawn up, upon the central figure. After dark the invalid walked over the line of meal, being careful to step upon the footprints in order that his mental and moral qualities might be strengthened. The invalid removed his clothing immediately after entering the lodge; he had downy breast feathers of the eagle attached to the scalp lock with white cotton cord; he advanced to the painting and took his seat upon the central figure. An attendant followed him, and with his right hand swept the line of meal after the invalid, removing all traces of it. The entrance of the invalid into the lodge was a signal for the song-priest to open the chant with the rattle. Hasjelti and Hostjoghon bounded into the lodge hooting wildly. The former carried the square (the concentrated winds), which he placed over the sick man's head. Hostjoghon carried a turkey wand in each hand, and these he waved over the invalid's head and hooted; this was repeated four times, and each time the G.o.ds ran out of the lodge. Hasjelti wore a velvet dress, but Hostjoghon's body was nude, painted white. This wild, weird ceremony over, the sick man arose and the song-priest gathered the turkey wands from around the painting, while an attendant erased it by rubbing his hands over the sand to the center. The sands were gathered into a blanket and carried out of the lodge and deposited some distance away from the lodge, where the sun could not generate the germ of the disease. The sand is never touched by any one when once carried out, though before the paintings are erased the people clamor to touch them, and then rub their hands over their own bodies that they may be cured of any malady. The invalid, after putting on his clothes, returned to his family lodge. A group then gathered around the spot where the paintings had been and joined in a weird chant, which closed the fifth day's ceremony.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

SIXTH DAY.

Preparations for a great sand painting began at daylight. Sand for the ground work was carried in in blankets; the fire which had burned through the previous ceremonies was first removed and all traces of it covered with sand. As the artists were to begin the painting with the center of the picture only a portion of the ground color was laid at first, in order to enable them to work with greater facility. While the ground color was being laid a man sat on one side of the lodge grinding with a metate and mixing the colors. A quant.i.ty of coals were taken from the exhausted fire from which to prepare black paint. A small quant.i.ty of red sand was mixed with the charcoal to give it body or weight. The colors used in this sand painting have all been referred to in the description of the rainbow over the sweat house. After the central portion of the ground work for the painting was smoothed off a Jerusalem cross was drawn in black. The eye usually was the only guide for drawing lines, though on two occasions a weaving stick was used. As a rule four artists were employed, one beginning at each point of the cross. Each arm of the cross was completed by the artist who began the work. For ill.u.s.tration of painting see PL CXXI.

The black cross-bars in the ill.u.s.tration denote pine logs; the white lines the froth of the water; the yellow, vegetable debris gathered by the logs; the blue and red lines, sunbeams. The blue spot in center of cross denotes water. There are four Hostjobokon with their wives the Hostjoboard; each couple sit upon one of the cross arms of the logs. These G.o.ds carry in their right hands a rattle, and in their left sprigs of pinon; the wives or G.o.ddesses carry pinon sprigs in both hands; the rattle brings male rains, and the pinon, carried by the women, female rains; these rains meet upon the earth, conceive and bring forth all vegetation. Their heads are ornamented with eagle plumes tied on with cotton cord. (Note: In all cases the round head denotes male and octangular head female.) The G.o.ds have also a bunch of night-owl feathers and eagle plumes on the left side of the head; both male and female wear turquois earrings and necklaces of the same. The larynx is represented by the parallel lines across the blue. A line of sunlight encircles the head of both males and females. The white spots on the side of the females' heads represent the ears. The arms of the G.o.ddesses are covered with corn pollen, and long ribbons of fox skins are attached to the wrists, as shown on painting number one. All wear beaded moccasins tied on with cotton cord. Their chins are covered with corn pollen and red sunlight surrounds the body. The skirts only have an additional line of blue sunlight. Hasjelti is to the east of the painting.

He carries a squirrel skin filled with tobacco. His s.h.i.+rt is white cotton and very elastic. The leggings are of white deer skin fringed, and the moccasins are similar to the others. His head is ornamented with an eagle's tail, and to the tip of each plume there is a fluffy feather from the breast of the eagle. A bunch of night-owl feathers is on either side of the eagle tail where it is attached to the head. The horizontal and perpendicular lines on the face were referred to in the description of the first sand painting. The projection on the right of the throat is a fox skin. Hostjoghon's headdress is similar to that of Hasjelti's. Two strips of beaver skin tipped with six quills of the porcupine are attached to the right of the throat. The four colored stars on the body are ornaments of beads. The s.h.i.+rt of this G.o.d is invisible; the dark is the dark of the body. Hostjoghon carries a staff colored black from a charred plant. The Navajo paint their bodies with the same plant. The top of the staff is ornamented with a turkey's tail tied to the staff with white cotton cord; eagle and turkey plumes are alternately attached to the staff with a cord.

The Naaskiddi are to the north and south of the painting; they carry staffs of lightning ornamented with eagle plumes and sunbeams. Their bodies are nude except the loin skirt; their leggings and moccasins are the same as the others. The hunch upon the back is a black cloud, and the three groups of white lines denote corn and other seeds of vegetation.

Five eagle plumes are attached to the cloud backs (eagles live with the clouds); the body is surrounded with sunlight; the lines of red and blue which border the bunch upon the back denote sunbeams penetrating storm clouds. The black circle zigzagged with white around the head is a cloud basket filled with corn and seeds of gra.s.s. On either side of the head are five feathers of the red shafted flicker (_Colaptes cafer_); a fox skin is attached to the right side of the throat; the mountain sheep horns are tipped with the under tail feathers of the eagle, tied on with cotton cord. The horns are filled with clouds. The rainbow G.o.ddess, upon which these G.o.ds often travel, completes the picture.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Upon completion of the painting the song-priest, who stood to the east of it holding in his hand a bag of sacred meal, stepped carefully between the figures, sprinkling pollen upon the feet and heart of each. He then sprinkled a thread of pollen up each cheek and down the middle of the face of the figures, afterwards extending his right hand toward the east. The face of the encircling rainbow G.o.ddess was also sprinkled. The song-priest placed the sacred wands around the rainbow, commencing on the west side of the painting, and repeated a prayer, pointing his finger to the head of each figure. He also placed a small gourd of medicine water in the hands of the rainbow G.o.ddess and laid a small cedar twig on the gourd. The invalid upon entering the lodge was handed an Apache basket containing sacred meal, which he sprinkled over the painting and placed the basket near the feet of the rainbow G.o.ddesses; the song-priest and choir sang to the accompaniment of the rattle. A short time after the entrance of the invalid Hasjelti appeared, and taking the evergreen from the gourd dipped it into the medicine water and sprinkled the feet, heart, and heads of the sand figures, after which the invalid sat in the center of the cross.

Hasjelti gave him a sip of the sacred water from the gourd and returned the gourd to its place; then he touched the feet, heart, and head of each figure successively with his right hand, each time touching the corresponding parts of the body of the invalid. Every time Hasjelti touched the invalid he gave a weird hoot. After he had been touched with sands from all the paintings the theurgist, selecting a few live coals from a small fire which had been kept burning near the door, threw them in front of the invalid, who still retained his seat in the center of the painting. The theurgist placed herbs, which he took from a buckskin bag, on the coals from which a very pleasant aroma arose. An attendant sprinkled water on the coals and a moment after threw them out of the fire opening. The song-priest gathered the wands from around the edge of the painting and four attendants began to erase it by sc.r.a.ping the sands from the cardinal points to the center. Again the people hurried to take sand from the hearts, heads, and limbs of the figures to rub upon themselves.

The sands were gathered into a blanket and deposited at the base of a pinon tree about one hundred yards north of the lodge. A chant closed the ceremony.

SEVENTH DAY.

The first business of the day was the preparation of an elaborate sand picture, and though the artists worked industriously from dawn, it was not completed until after 3 o'clock. The paint grinder was kept busy to supply the artists. It was observed that in drawing some of the lines the artists used a string of stretched yarn instead of the weaving stick. When five of the figures had been completed, six young men came into the lodge, removed their clothes, and whitened their bodies and limbs with kaolin; they then left the lodge to solicit food from the people, who were now quite thickly gathered over the mesa to witness the closing ceremonies. The mesa top for a mile around was crowded with Indians, horses, sheep, and hogans (lodges); groups of 3 to 20 Indians could be seen here and there gambling, while foot and horse racing were features of special interest. Indeed, the people generally were enjoying themselves at the expense of the invalid.

The rainbow G.o.ddess, Nattsilit, surrounding the painting, was about 25 feet in length. Upon the completion of the painting the song-priest sprinkled the figures with pollen as before described and planted the feather wands around the pictures.

In the ill.u.s.tration of this painting, Pl. CXXIII, Hasjelti will be recognized as the leader. He carries a fawn skin filled with sacred meal; the spots on the skin are seven and in the form of a great bear. The fawn skin indicates him as the chief of all game. It was Hasjelti who created game. The first six figures following Hasjelti are the Ethsethle. The next six figures are their wives. Toneennili, the water sprinkler (_to_, water, and _yonily_, to sprinkle), follows carrying a water jug, from which he sprinkles the earth. The Ethsethle wear leggings of corn pollen and the forearms of the G.o.ds are covered with pollen. Their wives have their arms and bodies covered with the same. The skirts of the Ethsethle are elaborately ornamented and their pouches at their sides are decorated with many beads, feathers, and fringes. The G.o.ds are walking upon black clouds and mist (the yellow denoting mist), the women upon blue clouds and mist.

During the ceremony an Apache basket containing meal was brought in and placed at the feet of the rainbow G.o.ddess. The invalid entered the lodge, which had become quite filled with privileged spectators, and receiving the basket of meal, sprinkled the figures from left to right; he then removed all his clothing except his breech cloth and stood east of the painting. Hostjoghon stepped to the head of the rainbow G.o.ddess and taking the small gourd of medicine water dipped the cedar twig into the water and sprinkled the figures, then touched the twig to the feet, heart, and head of each figure, commencing at the male figure to the north and pa.s.sing south, then beginning with the female figures to the north and pa.s.sing south. The invalid took his seat in the center of the painting with his knees drawn to his chin. Hostjoghon held the medicine gourd over each figure and pa.s.sed it to the invalid, who took four sips, Hostjoghon hooting each time he pa.s.sed the gourd to the invalid. After returning the gourd and twig to their former position he placed the palms of his hands to the feet and head of each figure and then placed his palms on the corresponding parts of the invalid's body, and pressed his head several times between his hands. After touching any part of the invalid, Hostjoghon threw his hands upward and gave one of his characteristic hoots. The song-priest placed coals in front of the invalid and herbs upon them, as he had done the day before, and then retired. The coals were afterwards thrown out of the fire opening and the crowd rushed to the painting to rub their bodies with the sand. The painting was obliterated in the usual manner and the sand carried out and deposited at the base of a pinon tree some 200 yards from the lodge.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

EIGHTH DAY.

The grinding of the paint began at daylight, and just at sunrise the artists commenced their work. When any mistake occurred, which was very seldom, it was obliterated by sifting the ground color over it. Each artist endeavored to finish his special design first, and there was considerable betting as to who would succeed. The rapidity with which these paints are handled is quite remarkable, particularly as most of the lines are drawn entirely by the eye. After the completion of the painting, each figure being three and a half feet long, corn pollen was sprinkled over the whole by the song priest. (See ill.u.s.tration, Pl. CXXIII.)

The corn stalk in the picture signifies the main subsistence of life; the square base and triangle are clouds, and the three white lines at the base of the corn stalk denote the roots of the corn. The figures of this picture are each 3-1/2 feet in length. These are the Zenichi (people of the white rock with a red streak through it) and their wives. Their homes are high in the canyon wall. The black parallelogram to the west of the painting designates a red streak in the rock in which are their homes. The delicate white lines indicate their houses, which are in the interior or depths of the rock, and can not be seen from the surface. This canyon wall is located north of the Ute Mountain. These people of the rocks move in the air like birds. The red portion of the bodies of the Zenichi denote red corn; the black portion black clouds. The red half of the face represents also the red corn; the blue of the bodies of the others denote vegetation in general, and the yellow, pollen of all vegetation. The zigzag lines of the bodies is lightning; the black lines around the head, zigzagged with white, are cloud baskets that hold red corn, which is stacked in pyramidal form and capped with three eagle plumes. There are five feathers of the red and black shafted flicker (_Colapteo cafer_) on either side of the head. A lightning bow is held in the left hand, the right holds a rattle ornamented with feathers. The females carry in their hands decorated baskets and sprigs of pinon, and they wear white leggings and beaded moccasins. The Zenichi never dance. These G.o.ds are also called Zaadoljaii, meaning rough mouth, or anything that protrudes roughly from the mouth. (The mouth and eyes of these G.o.ds protrude.) The rainbow G.o.ddess is represented at the north and south end of the painting. The corn stalk has two ears of corn, while the original stalk had 12 ears. Two of these ears the G.o.ds gave to the younger brother of the Tolchini when they commanded him to return to the Navajo and instruct them how to represent the G.o.ds in sand painting and in masks. The four corner figures will be recognized as the Naas.h.i.+ddi (hunchback, or mountain sheep).

[Ill.u.s.tration]

During the ceremony Hasjelti, dressed in black velvet ornamented with silver, and Hostjoboard, with her nude body painted white and with silk scarf around the loins caught on with silver belt, left the lodge to gather the children upon the mesa for the purpose of initiating them; but the children had already been summoned by men who rode over the mesa on horseback, visiting every hogan to see that all the children were brought for initiation. A buffalo robe was spread at the end of the avenue which extended from the medicine lodge some three hundred yards. The head of the robe was to the east; at the end of the robe blankets were spread in a kind of semicircle. Most of the children were accompanied by their mothers. The boys were stripped of their clothing and sat upon the buffalo robe. The head of the line being to the north, they all faced east with their feet stretched out. Their arms hung by their sides and their heads were bent forward. The girls sat in line upon the blanket in company with their mothers and the mothers of the boys. It is entirely a matter of choice whether or not a mother accompanies her child or takes any part in the ceremony. The girls also sat like the boys, their heads bent forward.

Their heads were bent down that they might not look upon the G.o.ds until they had been initiated. Up to this time they were supposed never to have had a close view of the masks or to have inspected anything pertaining to their religious ceremonies. The children ranged from five to ten years of age. At this particular ceremony nine boys and six girls were initiated.

When the children were all in position, Hasjelti, carrying a fawn skin containing sacred meal, and Hostjoboard, carrying two needles of the Spanish bayonet, stood in front of the children. The boy at the head of the line was led out and stood facing the east. Hasjelti, with the sacred meal, formed a cross on his breast, at the same time giving his peculiar hoot. Hostjoboard struck him upon the breast, first with the needles held in her right hand and then with those held in the left. Hasjelti then turned the boy toward the right until he faced west and made a cross with meal upon his back, when Hostjoboard struck him twice on the back with the needles. He was again turned to face the east, when both arms were extended and brought together. Hasjelti made a cross over the arms and then over the knees. Each time the boy was crossed with the meal Hostjoboard struck the spot first with the needles in the right hand and then with those in the left, after which the boy returned to his seat. The cross denotes the scalp knot. Most of the boys advanced quite bravely to receive the chastis.e.m.e.nt. I noticed but one who seemed very nervous, and with great difficulty he kept back the tears. The boys' ceremony over, the G.o.ds approached the girls, beginning at the end of the line next to the boys. Hasjelti marked a line of meal on each side of the foot of the girl, when Hostjoboard, now holding two ears of yellow corn wrapped with pinon twigs, placed them to the soles of the girl's feet and Hasjelti drew a line of meal on each hand; after which Hostjoboard placed the ears of corn to the palms of the hands, she holding the corn in her palms and pressing it to the palms of the girl's hands. Hasjelti formed a cross on the breast with the meal and Hostjoboard pressed the two ears of corn to the breast; a cross was made on the back and the two ears of corn pressed to the back.

Hasjelti, with his right hand, then drew a line on the girl's left shoulder, and with his left hand a line on the girl's right shoulder, the corn being pressed to the shoulders in the manner described. Two lines of meal were run over the forehead back to the top of the head, and the two ears of corn pressed to the top of head. The boys were nude but the girls were gayly dressed in blankets, jewelry, etc. At the close of this ceremony the representatives of the G.o.ds removed their masks and called upon the children to raise their heads. The amazement depicted upon the faces of the children when they discovered their own people and not G.o.ds afforded much amus.e.m.e.nt to the spectators. The masks were laid upon a blanket and the girls and boys were commanded to look upon them.

Hostjoboard placed her mask upon the face of each boy and girl and woman in the line, beginning at the north end of the line, giving a hoot each time the mask was placed upon anyone. Great care was taken that the mask should be so arranged upon the face that the eyes might look directly through the eyeholes, for should any blunder occur the sight of at least one eye would be lost. It is scarcely on before it is removed. After the masks had been placed on all the faces it was laid beside Hasjelti's. The man personating Hasjelti sprinkled his mask and then Hostjoboard's with pollen, and the man personating Hostjoboard sprinkled Hasjelti's mask and then his own with pollen. The boy to the north end of the line was called out and from the pollen bag took a pinch of pollen and sprinkled first the mask of Hasjelti and then Hostioboard's. This was repeated by each boy, girl, and woman in the line. In approaching the masks they always pa.s.s back of the line around to the north side and then step in front of the masks. The mask is sprinkled in this wise: A line of pollen is run from the top of the head down to the mouth; pa.s.sing around to the right the line is drawn upward over the left cheek; the hand continues to move outside of the mask to a point below the right cheek, then up the right cheek. The younger children's hands were guided by the representatives of the G.o.ds. It would be a great fatality to sprinkle a drop of meal over the eye holes; the individual committing such an error would become blind at least in one eye. Great care is also taken that the line is run up the cheek, for if it was run down not only would vegetation be stunted, but the lives of the people would become so, as all people and things should aim upward not downward. The line running down through the center of the face calls upon the G.o.ds above to send down rain upon the earth and health to all people. Two or three children started through ignorance to run the meal down one of the cheeks; they were instantly stopped by Hasjelti, but not until the people looking on had expressed great horror. All in the line having gone through this ceremony the crowd of spectators sprinkled the masks in the same manner. I was requested to sprinkle them, and at the same time was specially instructed to run the lines up the cheeks. This closed the ceremony of initiation. The boys were then permitted to go around at will and look at the masks and enter the lodge and view the sand painting. Hasjelti and Hostjoboard returned to the lodge, carrying their masks in their hands.

About an hour after the ceremony of the initiation of the children a large buffalo robe was spread on the avenue with his head to the east, around which a circle of some hundred feet in diameter was formed by hors.e.m.e.n and pedestrians who gathered, eager to witness the outdoot ceremony. The theurgist and invalid were seated outside of the lodge, south of the entrance. The dieties personated in this occasion were the G.o.ds Hasjelti and Taadotjaii, and the G.o.ddess Tebahdi. Haskjelti wore black velvet and silver ornaments, with red silk scarf around the waist. Taadotjaii was nude, his body being painted a reddish color. The limbs and body were zigzagged with white, representing lightning and downy breast feathers of the eagle, and in his right hand a gourd rattle devoid of ornamentation.

Yebahdi wore the ordinary squaw's dress and moccasins, with many silver ornaments, and a large blanket around her shoulders touching the ground.

Hasjelti approached dancing, and sprinkled meal over the buffalo robe, and the invalid stood upon the robe. Hasjelti, followed by Zaadoltjaii, again entered the circle and sprinkled meal upon the robe. The G.o.ddess Yebahdi following, stood within the circle some 20 feet from the robe on the east side and facing west. Hasjelti, amidst hoots and anties, sprinkled meal upon the invalid, throwing both his hands upward. Immediately Zaadoltjaii, with arrow in the left hand and rattle int he right, threw both hands up over the invalid amidst hoots and antics. They then pa.s.sed to Yebahdi, who holds with both hands a basket containing the two yellow ears of corn wrapped with pine twigs that were used in the children's ceremony, and indulged in similar antics over the G.o.ddess. As each representative of the G.o.ds threw up his hands she raised her basket high above and in front of her head. Hasjelti, together with Zaadoltjaii and Yebahdi, then pa.s.sed around within the circle to the other three points of the compa.s.s. At each point Yebahdi took her position about 20 feet from the buffalo robe, when Hasjelti and Zaadoltjhaii repeated their performance over the invalid and then over Yebahdi each time she elevated the basket. The invalid then entered the lodge, followed by the representatives of the G.o.ds, who were careful to remove their masks before going in. The invalid sat on the cornstalk in the center of the sand painting, facing east. Zaadoltjaii stepped upon the painting, and taking the little medicine gourd from the hands of the rainbow G.o.ddess, dipped the cedar twig into the medicine water and sprinkled the painting, beginning at the south side. Zaadoltjaii gave the invalid a draft from the gourd, and waving the gourd from left to right formed a circle, amidst the wildest cries. He gave three more drafts to the invalid, each time waving the gourd around the invalid with a wave toward the east. He then placed the palm of his hand over the feet of all the figures, beginning with the figure at the south end, west side; running up that line he began with the figure on the north end east side, running down that line; he then placed his hands to the soles of the feet of the invalid, hooting twice; then the heart of the invalid was touched in the same manner with the palm of the right hand, the left hand being placed to his back. The body was pressed in this way four times amid loud cries. This was repeated upon the invalid. After touching each figure of the painting, the right hand was placed to the forehead of the invalid and the left hand to the back of the head, and the head pressed in this way on all sides. The song-priest put live coals before the invalid and upon them sprinkled tobacco and water, the fumes of which the invalid inhaled. An attendant then threw the coals out of the fire opening, and the song-priest gathered the twelve turkey wands from around the painting while the inmates of the lodge hastened forward to press their hands upon what remained of the figures, then drawing a breath from their hands, they pressed them upon their bodies that they might be cured of any infirmities, moral or physical, after which four men gathered at the points of the compa.s.s and swept the sand to the center of the painting, and placing it in a blanket deposited it a short distance from the lodge.

NINTH DAY.

FIRST CEREMONY.

The final decoration of masks with ribbons, plumes, etc., began at sunrise and consumed most of the morning. About noon two sticks 1 inch in diameter and 6 inches long were colored; one, of pinon, was painted black, the other, of cedar, was colored red. Three medicine tubes were made, one black, one red, and one blue. These were placed in a basket half filled with meal; the basket stood in the niche behind the song-priest. Two men personated Naiyenesgony and Tobaidischinni. Naiyenesgony's body was painted black (from the embers of a burnt weed of which specimens were procured) and on the outside of his legs below the knee, on the upper arms, breast and scapula were bows in white but without arrows.