FEWKES] THE SNAKE-WASHING AT WALPI 977 
especially to notice any innovations or variations from the presenta- 
tions in 1891, 1893, and 1895, which might result from deaths in the 
renks of the celebrants and the increase in the number of white 
spectators. 
The kiva exhibitions were found to remain practically unchanged, 
and notes made in 1891 might serve equally well as a description 
of the rite in 1897, although the participants had changed. The mor- 
tality among the Antelope priests since the dance was first studied in 
1891 has been great, among those who died being Hahawe, Nasyun- 
weve, Masaiumtiwa, and Intiwa—practically all the older members 
except Wiki. This has led in some instances to the introduction of 
lads to fill out the complement of numbers, and with them has come 
some loss of seriousness in the kiva exercises. For an unknown 
reason Hofyi took the part of a Snake priest, and old Tcoshoniwi 
(Leino), after several years of absence, resumed his role of asperger 
of the kisi. With the death of the older men of this society much 
ancient lore concerning the Snake-dance legend has been lost, for 
the boys who have taken their places are too young to understand 
or indeed to care much for the ceremony, even if its significance could 
be explained to them. Wiki, the Antelope chief (plate L), is so deaf 
that it is next to impossible to communicate with him on the subject, 
so that much of the Walpi Snake lore is lost forever. 

WASHING THE. REPTILES 
The exercises in the Snake kiva during the washing of the snakes 
were practically identical with those elsewhere described, and there- 
fore need not be repeated: but an exceptional event occurred at the 
end of the rite: One of the reptiles had crawled up the side of the 
room above the spectators’ part and had hidden ina hole in the roof, 
so that only a small part of the scaly body could be seen. An attempt 
was first made to dig the snake out from the inside of the room, but 
as that was not successful some of the men went outside on the roof, 
and were obliged to remove some of the stones before the reptile was 
captured. It was finally brought down the ladder and washed with 
the others. 
Supela was followed out of the kiva in order to note more in detail 
than hitherto what was done with the liquid in which the snakes had 
been bathed, and with the altar sand in which they had been dried (plate 
tu). He went through the western court of Walpi to the end of the 
mesa, and, standing on the edge of the cliff, poured a little of the 
water over it in four places. Although his explanation of this act 
was not very lucid, the rite is undoubtedly connected in some way 
with world-quarters worship. The bowl in which the snakes had been 
washed was later deposited, with the jars in which they had been kept, 
19 ETH, PT 2 27 

