A basket of yucca suds was prepared by an attendant, who cleansed his
hands of the suds by pouring a gourd of clear water over them; he then put
a handful of the suds upon the head of a man who stood before him, nude
with the exception of a breech cloth, after which the man washed his head
from a water jug which was held over the head of the bather by the
attendant. The bather covered his body with the suds, and the contents of
the jug was emptied on the floor of the lodge by the attendant. The man
dressed himself in the ordinary cotton clothing with rare beads around his
neck, and a leather pouch held by a band of mountain sheep skin over his
shoulders; he knelt before a bowl of white kaolin which he spread over his
face; he then took his seat between two attendants, the one to the right
of him holding a pinch of native tobacco and the one on the left holding
corn meal in the palms of the right hands.
At early dawn the buffalo robe at the entrance of the lodge was slightly
dropped from the doorway to admit the rays of approaching day. The masks
which had been sung and prayed over all night were laid away in the niche
behind the song-priest. The little girl who performed the previous night
returned to the lodge, but I could not see that she was there for any
purpose save to eat some of the remaining food, which had been gathered
into two large parcels and left by the old woman who removed the vessels
after the feast. A red blanket was laid and upon it a piece of white
cotton. A reed five inches in length and twice the diameter of the others
heretofore used was prepared. The reed was colored black in the usual
manner and filled with a feather ball and tobacco. It was lighted with the
crystal and touched with the pollen. Upon the completion of the tube the
invalid took his seat on the west side of the rug, the attendant who
prepared the tube sitting on the west side; he took from one pouch four
white shell beads and from another a turquoise bead; he looped a cord of
white cotton yarn some three feet long around the pollen end of the tube
and fastened to the loop two wing feathers of the Arctic blue bird, one
from the right wing and one from the left, and a tail feather from the
same bird and three feathers from a bird of yellow plumage, the right and
left wing and tail feather. The five beads were strung on the string, the
turquoise being the first put on; these were slipped up the cord and two
under tail-feathers and a hair from the beard of the turkey were fastened
to the end of the string with a loop similar to that which attached it to
the tube. (See PL CXIX.). This was the great (cigarette) offering to
Hasjelti and must be placed in a canyon near a spring, for all birds
gather at the waters. This was offered that the song-priest might have his
prayers passed straight over the line of song. This offering secures the
presence of this most valued god and so fills the mind of the song-priest
with song and prayer that it comes forth without hesitation and without
thought, so that he may never have to think for his words. A small
quantity of each variety of sand used in decorating was placed on a husk
with a little tobacco, and on these a pinch of corn pollen; the tube was
then laid on the husk and the string and feathers carefully placed. Two
additional feathers, the under tail of the eagle and turkey, were laid on
the husk. A blue feather was dipped in water, then in pollen, and rubbed
twice over these feathers; an attendant folded the parcel and the
song-priest received it and touched it to the soles of the feet, knees,
palms, breast, and back and mouth of the invalid; he then put a pinch of
the pollen into the invalid's mouth, and a pinch on the top of the head;
he placed the folded husk in the invalid's hand, and stood in front of him
and whispered a long prayer which the invalid repeated after him. The
manner of holding the husk has been previously described. The man with
painted face received the husk from the theurgist, who returned to his
seat and at once opened the chant with the rattle. At the close of the
chant the holder of the husk touched the soles of the feet, palms, etc.,
of the invalid with it and left the lodge. This precious parcel was taken
three miles distant and deposited in a canyon near a spring where there is
a luxuriant growth of reeds. Prayers were offered by the depositor for
health, rain, food, and good fortune to all. Only the theurgist and his
attendants and a few of the near relatives of the invalid were present at
this ceremony.
[Illustration]