LAST DAXCE OF Till-: I'KIL'IS 



311 



cane was presented by the King of Siiuin 

 when these Indians were under Spanish rule, 

 before the United States acquired the ter- 

 ritory. On feast days tiie governor carries 

 these insignia of liis otlicc with great [irido 

 and dignity. 



When the race was over, tlie racers again 

 fornu^d two sections of thirteen each and 

 began the "Dance of the Races." These 

 two small groups presented a pathetic jiic- 

 ture, trying to enact a drama in which for- 

 merly the chants of hundreds had echoed in 

 these same mountain tops. The dance step 

 of the old men had the masterful movement 

 of the great past, and their chant was rich in 

 the spirit they sent heavenward ; but it was 

 dift'erent with the short-haired Americanized 

 boys. The performance was very brief. 



The groups of dancers jiassed through the 

 plaza once, and then on to the kivas. 



This Indian village once had so many 

 dancers taking part in its fiestas that five 

 kivas, or sacred chambers, were required, 

 each accommodating a hundred warriors. 

 This time the two small groups of dancers 

 hurriedly closed the dance and disappeared 

 into two of the kivas, leaving three vacant. 

 In the olden days the dance started at sun- 

 rise and stopjied at sunset. This dance 

 lasteil scarcely thirty minutes, and when the 

 dancers disappeared into the kivas a death- 

 like stillness settled over the famous Picuris 

 pueblo, which made mourners of the hand- 

 ful of American visitors, who had seen the 

 last (lance of the Picuris. 



— Chalmers Lowell Paxcoast. 



The small group of Iiidiaii> taking part in the Dance of the Races is in mournful contrast with 

 the hundreds who in former years joined in the ceremon.v of the old time Scalp Dance. They are here 

 about to enter the kiva at the close of the dance 



