70 THE SIA. 



society of the eagle were given the secrets of the medicine for liealing 

 the sick, through the process of sucking, the aut alone receiving the 

 secret of the medicine by brushing; the last four societies of ants were 

 instructed in the songs for rain only. The reason given for this di- 

 vision is that only the first three ants produced irritation or swelling 

 from their bites, the last four being peaceable ants. (Fig. 18). 



The next six societies were those of the birds of the cardinal points, 

 zenith and nadir. — The Ha' -tee. Bird of the North; Shas'-to, Bird of 

 the West; Ma'-pe-uii, Bird of the South; Shu-wa-kai', Bird of the East; 

 Tiii'mi, Bird of the Heavens (the eagle); Chas'-ka, Bird of the Earth 

 (chaparral cock). While these six societies were instructed in the 

 soDgs for rain, the eagle alone learned the medicine songs. It will be 

 noticed that only such animals as were regarded as virulent wei-e given 

 the secrets of the medicine for healing the sick. All of the animals of 

 the world were subordinate to the animal societies ; all of the snakes 

 of the world were submissive to the six snake societies; all the ants 

 and other insects were subject to the seven aut societies, and all the 

 birds of the world to the six bird societies. 



The next society organized was the Ha'kan, fire. Sus'sistinnako, 

 desiring to have fire that their food might be cooked, placed a round 

 flat stone on the floor and attaclied a small sharpened stone to one end 

 of a slender round stick ; he then called together the ho'naaites of the 

 cult societies, and the priestly rulers of the Sia and other Indians, re- 

 questing each one in proper succession to produce fire by rubbing the 

 circular stick between the hands upon the round flat stone. As each 

 one attempted to make the fire, a blanket was thrown over him and the 

 stone that he might work in perfect seclusion. All failing in their 

 efibrts (this work being performed in the daytime) Sus'sistinnako 

 dismissed them. He then passed through three chambers, carrying 

 the fire stone with him, and entering the fourth sat down and thought 

 a. long while, and after a time he attempted to make the fii-e and was 

 successful. Sus'sistinnako then called in tJt'set and her principal 

 otticer (a man of the Sia people), and handing her an ignited fire brand 

 of cedar told her to light a fire, and this fire burned four days and nights. 

 Gt'set, obeying the command of Sus'sistinnako, requested her officer 

 to place a ho'naaite of a snake society at the first door, the ho'naaite of 

 the His'tiaii and his vice (the cougar and a bear) at the second and third 

 doors, and to guard the inner door himself, that no one might enter and 

 see the fire. On the fifth day all the people discovered the smoke, which 

 escaped from the chamber, and they wondered what it could be, for as 

 yet they did not know fire. On the sixth morning Sus'sistinnako said 

 to the ofiicer of tTt'sfit, "I will now organize a fire society and I appoint 

 you the ho'naaite of the society." On this same morning the ho'naaites 

 of the cult societies and the priestly rulers of the Indians were called to 

 the chamber to see the fire and to understand it. Then the ho'naaite 

 of the fire society carried some of the fire to the house of the ruler of 

 the Sia. 



