The ceremonial observed by a Priest of the Bow, when traveling alone in
a country where danger is to be apprehended from the enemy, may be taken
as most illustrative of the regard in which the fetiches of his order
are held.
Under such circumstances the warrior takes out his fetich from the
pouch, and, scattering a pinch or two of sacred flour toward each of the
four quarters with his right hand, holds it in his left hand over his
breast, and kneels or squats on the ground while uttering the
accompanying prayer:
Si! Lu-k'ia yaet-ton-ne, hom a-tae-tchu K'ia-pin-a-ha-i le-we
Si! This day, my Fathers, Animal Beings, (all)
thus much
i-na-kwe po-ti-tap-te hom ton te-hi-a-na-we. Ethl
(by) enemies filled through me ye precious render Not
(all do).
tel-i-kwen-te thlothl tchu-a i-na-kwe hom kwa'-hothl a-k'ia
that (in any)way soever whom (of the) enemy my whatsoever with
unexpected
a-tsu-ma-na-wam-i-k'ia-na. Lu-k'ia yaet-ton-ne hom to le'-na
daring (existence) (pl.) shall. This day to me ye thus
[At this point, while-still continuing the prayer, he scratches or cuts
in the earth or sands with the edge of the arrow-point, which is lashed
to the back or feet of the fetich, a line about five or six inches in
length].
ai[']-yael-la-na-wa. Ethl thlothl-tchu-a i-na-kwe
shelter(pl.)shall give. Not that whomsoever (of the) enemy
shield
i-pi-kwai-nam-tun a-k'ia hom ton ai-yael-la-na-wa.
pass themselves through to hence to me ye shelter shield (pl.)
shall (give),
[Here he scratches a second line.] Hak-ti-tae[']sh-a-na,
Tail-long (Mountain Lion),
[scratches a third line.] Ae-tchi-a-lae[']-to-pa, [scratches a fourth
Knife-feathered,
line] hom ton i-ke-i-nan ai-yael-la-na-wa.
my ye heart shelter shield(pl.)
shall give.
[These lines, although made immediately in front of the speaker, relate
to the four points of the compass, the other two regions not being taken
into account, since it is impossible for the enemy to bring harm from
either above or below the plane on which the subject moves. It may be
well to add, also, that four (the number of the true fingers) is the
sacred numeral of the Zunis, as with most all Indian tribes and many
other lower races.]