STEVEUeON.l 



THEURGISTIC RITES. 73 



fire, and, lightiug the cedar brand which was attached to his taU, hur- 

 ried out. Sus'sistiuuako awoke, rubbiug his eyes, just in time to be cou- 

 scious that some one was leaving the room. "Who is there?" he cried; 

 " some one lias been here," but before he could arouse those who 

 guarded the entrance the coyote was far on his way to the upper world. 

 After the organization of the cult societies the ti'timoni, influenced by 

 Ct'set, commanded the cougar to make his home for all time in the 

 north; the bear was likewise sent to the west, the badger to the south, 

 the wolf to the east, the eagle to the heavens, and the shrew to the 

 earth. 



THEURGISTIC RITES. 



It is only upon acquaintance with the secret cult societies that one 

 may glean something of the Indians' conception of disease, its cause 

 and cure. It is supposed to be produced almost wholly through one or 

 two agencies — the occult powers of wizards and witches, and the anger 

 of certain animals, often insects. Therefore, though some plant medi- 

 cines are known to these Indians, their materia medica may be said to 

 be purely fetichistic; for when anything of a medicinal character is 

 iised by the theurgist it must be supplemented with fetich medicine 

 and magical craft. 



While there are thirteen secret cult societies with the Zuni, there are 

 but eight in Sia, some of these being reduced to a membership of two, 

 and iu one instance to one. While the Zuni and Sia each has its 

 society of warriors, tlie functions of these societies are somewhat dif- 

 ferent. 



The cult societies of the Sia, as well as those of Zuni, have their 

 altars and sand paintings ; but while each Zuni altar, with its medicines 

 and fetiches, is guarded during ceremonials by two members of the 

 Society of Warriors, this entitling the members of this society to be 

 present at the meetings of all the cult societies, the Sia have no such 

 customs. Their altars and fetiches are not protected by others than 

 the theurgists and vice-theurgists of their respective societies. At the 

 present time, owing to the depleted numbers of the Society of Warriors 

 of the Zuni, some of their altars have but one guardian. 



The Society of Warriors has for its director and vicar, like the ZuQi 

 and the other pueblos, the representatives of the mythologic war 

 heroes, who, though small in stature, are invulnerable. " Their hearts 

 are large, for they have the heart of the sun." The head or director of 

 a society is termed the elder brother ; the vicar, younger brother. 



When the cult societies invoke the cloud people to water the earth, 

 the presence of certain anthropomorphic and zoomorphic beings having 

 potent influence over the cloud people is assured by the drawing of a 

 line of meal from the altar to the entrance of the ceremonial chamber, 



