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All Saints Day at Jemez, New Mexico. 



Albert B. Reagan. 



As the Jemez Indians are Catholics, they observe All Saints Day as 

 other Catholics do, but after their own fashion. Whether mass is held 

 in the Jemez church on that day or not, at daybreak the sexton com- 

 mences to pound the two bells in the belfry of the church alternately with 

 a hammer. This pounding he continues till sun up. The Indians then 

 commence coming one by one to give gifts as prayers for the good of all 

 saints. Some of these gift-carriers have baskets of gi'ain, some baskets 

 of fruit, others baskets of baked bread. On entering the church, each 

 gift-carrier proceeds to the altar, and, having made the cross and said the 

 appropriate Catholic prayer, he places his gift upon the altar and leaves 

 the church at once. On going out of the church he pulls the two bell ropes 

 as often as he chooses, causing the clapperless bells to pound each other 

 into a dull monotonous choppy ringing, thus declaring to the village and 

 to his God that he has deposited his gift. This gift depositing is carried 

 on throughout the entire day. The proceeds, thus obtained, are given to 

 the priest. 



