Miscellaneous Papers. 



245 



third from the top was a sinuously curved yellow figure which ter- 

 minated in three green buds. It was drawn to represent the flash 

 or heat-lightning, which the Jemez believe is the god of bloom. 

 The lower figure was zigzag, a blue-bodied snake, having a green 

 head, with horn turning backwards, similar to that of the red snake 

 above described. This snake is the representative of good. It is 

 considered by the Indians as the producer of rain, as being the 

 genius of the watercourses. 



The " Morning Star " in one of the 

 dwellings at Jemez. ( By per- 

 mission of the Bureau of Eth- 

 nology.) 



The dancing skirt and belt. 



As soon as the god representatives had descended from the roof 

 of the estufa they began to dance and crow-hop about, keeping up 

 their ear-grating "ahooing" all the time. This they did for about 

 ten minutes. Then they began to march around the village, if 

 march it can be called. They advanced in a long, drawn-out 

 column. Some crow-hopped it along; some jumped like a man, 

 others like a frog; some walked with a cane, mimicking an old man; 

 the cane was tri-colored in red, yellow, and green. Some, leaning 

 forward on short canes, walked on all fours. Others strutted about 

 like a turkey-gobbler. Occasionally all stopped a moment to pose. 

 In this act they usually stood half erect, threw their hips back- 

 wards, contorted their bodies, and brought their heads in a position 

 so that the circular mask presented a full front to the god of day, 

 or to his place of rising. At the same time they prolonged the 

 "ahooing" and gave it an emphatic accent. In this manner did 

 they march and pose till they had encircled the whole village and 



