Two sheepskins, a blanket, and cotton cloth were spread one upon the other
in front of the song-priest; and from the long reeds that had been first
rubbed with a polishing stone, then with tobacco, were cut ten pieces an
inch and a quarter long and two pieces 2 inches long. These were colored
black and blue, one long piece and five small ones being black, the others
blue. While these were being decorated the song-priest and choir sang "My
fathers, see, we are getting ready! We do our work well, and you would
better go into the house for we are to have rain! Now, mothers, send down
rain upon us!" This song was constantly repeated.
The tubes when completed were laid in position to form a dual person. The
long black tube representing the body was first placed in position. The
long blue tube was then laid by its side and south of it. The pollen end
of the tubes pointed to the east. The right black leg was the next placed
in position, then the right blue leg, the left black leg and left blue
leg. The right black arm, then the right blue arm, the left black arm and
the left blue arm, then the black head and the blue head. (See PI. CXV.)
These tubes were filled with feathers, balls, and tobacco, and tipped with
the corn pollen and lighted with the crystal, the black tubes being
offerings to the gods, the blue to the goddesses. After they were
completed they were placed in position by a second attendant; and while
the tubes were being filled the song-priest and choir sang "See, fathers!
We fill these with tobacco; it is good; smoke it!" A message was received
from the fathers that they would smoke, and, puffing the smoke from their
mouths, they would invoke the watering of the earth. They again sang "All
you people who live in the rocks, all you who are born among the clouds,
we wish you to help us; we give you these offerings that you may have food
and a smoke! All women, you who live in the rocks, you who are born among
the fog, I pray you come and help us; I want you to come and work over the
sick; I offer to you food of humming-birds' plumes, and tobacco to smoke!"
Two bunches of feathers which had been placed to the east side of the rug
pointing east were deposited in two corn husks, each husk containing bits
of turquoise, black archaic beads, and abalone shell; corn pollen was
sprinkled on these. The song-priest then placed the dual body in the husks
thus: First, the black body was laid upon the husks to the north, and upon
this a pinch of pollen was sprinkled; the blue body was placed in the
other husks and pollen sprinkled upon it; then the two right legs (black
and blue) were put into the corn husks with the black body; the two left
legs were added to the same; the right and left arms and the two heads
were placed in the husk with the blue body and corn pollen sprinkled upon
them. The husks were closed and held by the song-priest to the soles of
the feet, palms, knees, breast, shoulders, back, and top of head of the
invalid, who repeated a long prayer after the theurgist, and the parcels
were given to an attendant, who carried them some distance from the lodge
to the north and placed them in a secluded shady spot upon the ground. Two
bits of tobacco were laid upon the ground and upon these the body was
placed, the figure in a recumbent position with the arms over the head.
The invalid for whom this ceremony was held spared no expense in having
the theurgist make the most elaborate explanation to his near relatives of
the secrets of the medicine tubes.
[Illustration]