STEVENSON. 



THEURGISTIC RITES. 75 



order is essential. One must pass througli three degrees before being 

 permitted to handle the snakes. In the case of minors they can not be 

 initiated into the third degree until, in the ho'na.aite's judgment, they 

 are amenable to the rigid rules. A person may belong to two or more 

 of these societies. 



Women may be members of the various orders, excepting in the 

 societies of the Snake, Cougar, or Hunters and Warriors. The Snake 

 division of the Snake Society has no female members, and the societies 

 of the Cougar or Hunters and Warriors are composed entirely of men. 

 When one makes known his desire to enter a society he states to the 

 theurgist which division he wishes to join. 



The objection to handling the snakes keeps the Snake division of this 

 society limited, though the honor is much greater in belonging to this 

 division. Upon enteiing the medicine order of any society the new 

 member is presented with the fetich ya'ya by the theurgist, who must 

 practice continency four days previous to preparing the fetich. 



The cult societies observe two modes in curing disease: One is by 

 sucking, and the other by brushing the body with straws and eagle 

 plumes. The former mode is practiced when Ka-nat-kai-ya (witches) 

 have caused the malady by casting into the body worms, stones, yarn, 

 etc. ; the latter mode is observed when one is afflicted through angry 

 ants or other insects, which are thus drawn to the surface aud bruslied 

 off. 



The medicine ceremonials of the cult societies are quite distinct from 

 their ceremonials for rain. 



The only compensation made the theurgist for his practice upon 

 invalids either in the ceremonial chamber or dwelling is the sacred 

 shell mixture. It is quite the reverse with all other Indians with whom 

 the writer is acquainted. The healing of the sick in the ceremonial 

 chamber is with some of the peublos gratuitous, but generous compen- 

 sation is re(iuired when the theurgist visits the house of the invalid. 



Continency is observed four days previous to a ceremonial, and an 

 emetic is taken each morning for purification from conjugal relations. 

 On the fourth day the married members bathe (the men going into the 

 river) aud have their heads washed in yucca suds. This is for phys- 

 ical purification. The exempting of those who have not been married 

 and those who have lost a spouse seems a strange and unreasonable 

 edict in a coinmuiiity where there is an indiscriminate living together 

 of the people. 



The ceremonials here noted occurred after the planting of the grain. 

 Several of the ordinances had been held previous to the arrival of the 

 writer. She collected sufdcieut data, however, to demonstrate the 

 analogy between the rain ceremonials of the secret cult societies, their 

 songs bearing the one burden — supplication for rain. 



