246 Field Columbian Museum — Anthropology, Vol. 111. 



snakes from the four receptacles into the sacks. The snakes beneath 

 the jar and the wooden box, of course, were easily released, these two 

 receptacles being lifted up, whereupon the snakes were grabbed up 

 in an exceedingly wreckless manner and without the slightest hesita- 

 tion on the part of the boys, and thrust into the jars. To obtain the 

 snakes from the two large water bottles, however, was a more diffi- 

 cult task. The cobs stopping up the jars being removed, some of 

 the snakes attempted to escape, but of course were immediately 

 picked up and thrust into the bags. Then a long eagle feather was 

 thrust into the hole in the upper side of the jar and gradually the 

 snakes were all induced to leave the jars and were transferred. 

 During this time certain of the priests sat about the hearth and 

 indulged in fraternal smoking. Sosonkiwa now placed around his 

 body the skin of an antelope and on his head a knitted cap, and oth- 

 erwise assumed the costume of a Kalehtaka. He then made near the 

 center of the sand field three straight lines which crossed each other 

 equi-distant at their middle. On these he now placed a large earthen- 

 w^are vessel which he had recently brought into the kiva, first waving 

 it toward the six directions. Water was now poured into it from the 

 large gourd vessel which Lomanakshu had brought in, and which had 

 been obtained at Toreva Spring, first waving the jug from the six direc- 

 tions towards the center. There were now carried on the initiatory 

 rites of two of the children, Hopoonga and Riyaoma by name. Con- 

 cerning these initiation rites it was ascertained that the novitiates had 

 first been taken to the houses of their "fathers," /. e., the men who 

 were acting as their sponsors in the initiation, but are forever after- 

 wards called father by them. Here their tumcis, i. e. , the women 

 belonging to the same clan as the candidate, had first washed the heads 

 of the latter and given them their new names and a white corn ear. 

 Hereupon they were taken to the kiva where they first sprinkled meal 

 on the snakes. When the men got ready to bathe the snakes these 

 novitiates took a position at the northwest corner of the sand field, on 

 which the snakes were afterwards thrown. They held in their right 

 hand a snake whip, in their left a corn ear. Just before the snake 

 washing commenced they were asked by their sponsors, it is thought, 

 for their new names, which they gave. The interrogator said: 

 "Anchaa, yan um machiowahkang, woyomik uh katci nawakawin 

 tani." (Yes, all right, thus being named may your life be long!) 

 They then assisted in the bathing of the snakes. Hopoonga's sponsor 

 was Homiwushy.oma, Riyaoma's was Nakwayeshwa. 



All the priests had in' the meantime seated themselves on the 

 stones. In this position they were closely crowded together. 

 They were all naked, with their hair hanging loosely down their backs; 



