64 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 79 



over the breast. The priest takes his stand immediately behind the 

 sJayer, and belli nd them the other warriors ran<re themselves in a 

 row, armed with lances, shields, and firearms. All proceed, slowly 

 and ceremoniously, toward the house, the priest holding his hand 

 upon the shoulder of the slayer. In front of the latter another old 

 Indian goes, holding the chonta stick in his hand. He fixes the stick 

 in the ground a few steps in advance of the slayer. As soon as the 

 latter, walking slowly, has reached the chonta stick the old man 

 removes it, and again fixes it in the ground some steps in front of 

 the slayer, and so on until they reach the door of the house. Dur- 

 ing this march the slayer repeatedly receives juice of tobacco through 

 the nose, administered by the priest. At the door the procession 

 stops. The slayer takes off his old loin cloth and puts on a new 

 one which is held ready. Then, with the aid of the priest, he takes 

 off the trophy, which is tied to a chonta lance. The priest takes 

 the lance, with the trophy tied to it, quickly passes it in through 

 the door, takes it out again, and again passes it inside, fixing it firmly 

 in tlie ground close to the door. 



Meanwhile the other men and the women arrange themselves to 

 receive the victor, whose entrance into the house takes place under 

 the same ceremonial conditions as at the feast numhuhnartinyu. 

 Now, just as on that occasion, the dance ihldmbrama is performed, 

 the wife and daughter of the slayer playing the principal part among 

 the women. The women appear from the interior of the house, ar- 

 ranged in a row, holding each other by the hands, with rattles of 

 snail shells around their waists. Foremost of the women are the 

 wife and daughter of the slayer. On each side of them the men 

 stand in two rows. 



Immediately before the dance ihidmhrama takes place, two war- 

 riors rush into the house from outside, between the rows, brandish- 

 ing lances and shields and giving war cries as if they were charg- 

 ing against an enemy. They are followed by a third warrior bran- 

 dishing a rifle, with which he fires a shot in the air. These war- 

 riors are preparing the way for the victor. The latter now receives 

 juice of tobacco from the priest through the nose, and his wife and 

 daughter receive it through the mouth. The daughter then seizes 

 the slayer from behind at the waist with both hands, while his wife, 

 heading the rest of the women, gives him her right hand. All now 

 dance into the interior of the house to the accompaniment of rat- 

 tles, drums, and flutes, and immediately return to the door. The 

 same maneuver is repeated twice more, but the second and third 

 times the slayer holds the tsantsa in his right hand, with his arm 

 stretched out, while proceeding with the women into the interior 

 of the house. The dance ihidmbrama is thus repeated three times, 

 just as at the previous minor feasts. 



