LAPLBSCHE] RITE OF VIGIL FREE TRANSLATION. 257 



ge-mo°-i° replied that no explanation was ever given as to why it is 

 done but the Tsi'-zhu Wa-shta'-ge always gave the wi'-gi-e in this 

 manner. 



When the shell gorget had been put upon the Xo'-ka the candidate 

 takes up the wristbands and holds them in readiness. Then the 

 A'-ki-ho" Xo'-ka says: "Here sits a captive upon whom are to be 

 put these bonds, it has been said." The candidate then ties each 

 wrist of the Xo'-ka with one of the woven bands. 



The candidate takes up the woven girdle and holds that in readi- 

 ness and the A'-ki-ho° Xo'-ka says: "Here sits a captive upon whom 

 is to be put this girdle. It is a captive's girdle that they shall put 

 upon him, it has been said." 



The candidate then puts the piuna skin aroimd the body of the 

 Xo'-ka so that the head is at his shoulder and the tail at his ankles 

 as the girdle is put over the puma skin and tied around his waist. 



The symbolic moccasins (Fig. 1) are then taken up by the candidate 

 and held in readiness and the A'-ki-ho"^ Xo'-ka says: "Here sits a 

 captive upon whose feet shall be put the moccasins, it has been 

 said." (For explanation as to the meaning of the term captive see 

 pages 74-75 given by Wa-xthi'-zhi in his description of the Ho°'-ga 

 version of this ceremony.) 



Ceremonial Approach to the House of Mystery. 



When the Xo'-ka has been thus decorated (PI. 4) with the life sym- 

 bols and clothed in his sacerdotal attire the Sho'-ka places in the left 

 hand of the Xo'-ka the ceremonial pipe filled with tobacco, then, 

 grasping him by the arm, helps him to rise and conducts him out of 

 the house, the candidate walking by the side of the Xo'-ka. When 

 the three men, the candidate, the Xo'-ka, and the Sho'-ka, have 

 gone several paces from the door they stop and the Sho'-ka passes 

 on to a short distance ahead, where he stops. The A'-ki-ho° Xo'-ka 

 advances, carrying the Wa-xo'-be and a gourd rattle and takes his 

 place at the side of the Xo'-ka. This is the first of fom- stops that 

 are to be made when approaching the place chosen for the final 

 ceremonies which represent the House of Mystery. At each one of 

 the stops the Xo'-ka sings the following song and recites that section 

 of the wi'-gi-e which tells of the House of Mystery which is being 

 approached. The song with the section of the wi'-gi-e are called 

 "Tsi Ta'-pe Wa-tho°," Song of Approach to the House. After each 

 song and recital the Xo'-ka takes from the bowl of the ceremonial 

 pipe a pinch of tobacco and drops it upon his feet, he then takes a 

 second pinch which he throws backward over his right shoulder, 

 after which he takes a third pinch and throws it backward over his 

 3594°— 25 1 17 



