236 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. III. 



OTi the ladder beams. About the neck they put many strands of 

 shells and turquoise beads. A number of priests also placed around 

 their necks a fairly large-sized abalone shell, suspended from the 

 string of beads. The snake kilt was then passed around the waist 

 and was tied on the right side, and the wrist protector was put on the 

 left arm. To a lock of hair at the front of the head they fastened a 

 red-stained nakwakwosi. Over the moccasins they now placed red- 

 fringed ankle bands, and around the legs just below the knee they 

 fastened white knee bands of cottonwood, to the outside of which 

 depended long strips of red-stained buckskin. Over the snake kilt 

 was then added a fringed buckskin kilt which also opened on the 

 right side. Over the right shoulder was passed a bandoleer, while 

 on the right leg, just below the knee, was attached a turtle-shell rat- 

 tle. They now loosened the hair and carefully combed it out with a 

 native brush and allowed it to hang loosely down the back. On top 

 of the head was then attached a large bunch of fluffy eagle feath- 

 ers stained red, and at the back of each head was fastened an object 

 much resembling two small aspergils tied together and known as a 

 hurunkioa. 



Naturally the order of the preparation for the dance just described 

 was greatly modified by the different priests, and naturally scarcely 

 any two of them were doing the same things at exactly the same time. 

 The sight was not without considerable interest^ and indeed it resem- 

 bled nothing so much as a scene behind the curtain of an amateur the- 

 atrical company a half hour before the raising of the curtain. Many 

 of the priests had brought with them into the kiva small hand-mirrors 

 or bits of looking-glass which they had obtained from the trader and 

 which were now in great demand and which were constantly being 

 passed from one priest to another. There was much talking all the 

 while, with a considerable amount of mirth. Poor blind Homiwush- 

 yoma had kept his usual position seated just to the east of the fire- 

 place, apparently enjoying the mirth and eagerness of the dancers. 

 He was constantly appealed to by one or another" of the priests as to 

 the proper way to fasten some garment, or in regard to the painting 

 of the body. It was also interesting to note the regard which the 

 older priests had for the younger members, some of whom were 

 under ten years of age, and how careful they were to see that they 

 were properly costumed. A surprising amount of vanity was revealed 

 among the men, as at the completion of their preparation they care- 

 fully scanned themselves in the looking-glass or paraded back and 

 forth in the kiva. 



