igo Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. III. 



indifferent success, inasmuch as, owing to a very slight fall of rain 

 the night before, the surface of the earth, usually of fine dust, was 

 now in a caked condition and it was not therefore easy to track the 

 snakes, and this is usually the most available way of finding them. 

 On visiting the Snake and Antelope kivas on the afternoon of this 

 day they were found practically deserted; the Antelope priests spend- 

 ing the day in looking after their crops in the field and the Snake kiva 

 being kept by old blind Homiwushyoma. 



Although two of the Snake, men were followed this day for sev- 

 eral hours,' yet in neither case was there any success, consequently 

 the actual capture of a snake was not witnessed. One Snake priest, 

 however, described the process. According to his statement, when 

 the snakes are not dug out of the ground they are generally found 

 coiled up asleep under a sage brush. In this case sacred meal is first 

 sprinkled toward them. Should the snake now start to make its 

 escape it is immediately picked up by the naked hand just back of the 

 neck and thrust into the snake sack which each priest always has with 

 him. Should, however, the snake assume a striking attitude the 

 snake whip is generally waved in front of it, whereupon it uncoils 

 and is then captured. It is believed that the capture of a snake 

 in the field has been witnessed and described by a single pair of 

 observers. 



At seven o'clock in the evening the line of Snake priests on their 

 return from the hunt was seen coming up the trail of the lower mesa. 

 Having gained the summit of this lower mesa they halted, faced the 

 east on the trail while Lomanakshu uttered a silent prayer and then 

 deposited a single red-stained nakwakwosi on the trail. He next 

 scattered meal over it and waved his snake whip over it. The line then 

 started for the kiva, each priest as he passed the nakwakwosi facing 

 again towards the east and sprinkling the nakwakwosi meal and wav- 

 ing over it his snake whip. Having arrived at the kiva hatchway 

 each one, just before descending, dropped his digging stick. Having 

 entered the kiva, they first deposited their whips in their accustomed 

 place on the old bearskin sack, and then the sacks containing the 

 snakes were deposited in a row by the side and to the east of the 

 snake whips, while the others placed their empty bags on the other 

 bundle to the west of the snake whips where the other snake parapher- 

 nalia lay in confusion. Lomanakshu then spoke a few -yv^ords to old 

 Homiwushyoma, presumably informing him as to the success of their 

 hunt, and he answered ^'■Kwakkwai.'''' They then lounged about in 

 different parts of the kiva, chiefly upon the platform, removed their 

 moccasins and shook out the sand for a few moments. Lomanakshu 



