AT ZU$I AND MOQUI PUEBLOS. 103 



formed I found seated at one end eight Zuni women elabo- 

 rately dressed in holiday attire. In front of each was 

 placed a basket filled with ears of corn heaped to over- 

 flowing. On either side were musicians and singers, the 

 former seated about a basket covered with a white dance 

 blanket from beneath which protruded the flaring ends of 

 long horns, the latter about a native drum. The leading 

 priests of the pueblo sat about smoking cigarettes which 

 were lighted by a long fire-brand of cedar bark which was 

 passed from one to another by Ni-u-che, the war-chief. 



At a signal one of the dancers called the Klar-ha- 

 mosse rose from her seat and quietly sprinkled a little sa- 

 cred meal on the floor grasping in each hand an ear of 

 corn and extending her arms at right angles began the 

 danr-e. The singers who accompanied their song with a 

 beating on the drum began their chorus and the dancer 

 slowly edged her way to the middle of the room by means 

 of a short sidelong movement, rising first on the ball of 

 the foot and then on the toes slowly and silently keeping 

 time to the song. She was followed by eight other wo- 

 men each with an ear of corn in either hand, with arms 

 extended. There was also in the line midway in its length 

 a solitary male dancer, scantily clothed, who also carried 

 an ear of corn in either hand and who danced with a more 

 rapid motion. Upon one of his knees a few bells were 

 fastened which kept time to the music and song of the male 

 singers. 



The procession of dancers edged along side wise to the 

 middle of room, facing now in one direction now in an- 

 other, slowty turning at a signal from the leader. Midway 

 in their dance an old woman passed from one to another, 

 taking the hands of the dancers in her own and drawing 

 the corn which she held slowly across the mouth of the 

 dancers two or three times. 



