STEVENSON] SUMMER SOLSTICE CEREMONIES 155 



fear. Just then a Mexican youth appeared, and the writer inquired of lu.n if a 

 lake was near. He replying in the affirmative, the old Indian whispered- "And 

 you have seen it?" "Yes." "And you haye looked into it?" " Yes " replied the 

 Mexican, looking up with surprise. "And you were not afraid?" "No- whv 

 should I be afraid?" The youth was still more puzzled when the old man skid to 

 the writer: "He has looked into the waters of the Kok^ko A^van and he di<l not 

 die." The superstitious notion is that anyone who looks on the waters of this lake 

 unless by special permission of the Ko'mosonu, will die in four days 



In deference to the wishes of the old guide the party camped half a mile from 

 Ko thhl^vala^va. When they remounted to visit the lake no amount of persuasion 

 could induce the Indian to accompany them, but some time later, when they had 

 completed the circuit of the lake, they discovered the old man as near the water as 

 the marshy ground would permit, engaged in prayer. The headkerchief had been 

 removed, a custom usually observed by these people when taking part in anv reli- 

 gious ceremony. He stood erect, his hair blowing in the breeze. His ri-ht hand was 

 extended toward the setting sun, and with it he was scattering praver meal toward 

 the lake. He gave no evidence of being aware of the approach of others until his 

 prayer was completed, then turning with the old smile upon his face and his eyes 

 again bright, he exclaimed: "I am very happy, and yet, I know I must die. I shall 

 be contented to die, for I have looked upon the waters of the house of mv departed 

 fathers." He had approached the lake on foot, as this sacred ground must not be 

 desecrated by the tread of beasts. The old Indian desired to remain behind after camp 

 was broken, but the writer determined not to be separated from him. Several times 

 he urged her to follow the party, but she insisted upon waiting for him. Finally he 

 said: "Well, I suppose you must see all." Whereupon he took a large .juantity of 

 bread, which he had secreted behind a tree, and consigned it to the camp fire, with 

 a prayer to the dead that they would intercede with the Sun Father and the Kok^ko 

 A^yan for his people and all the world. The old man had observed a strict fast 

 during his^stay in this camp for the purpose of saving his food to offer to the departed 

 In crossing a low mountain not far from the lake several pieces of pinkish clay 

 were collected. This is greatly prized by the Zuni, who believe that if the smallest 

 portion should be parted with no rain would again fall upon the land. The priests 

 claim that this clay comes directly from the house of the Council of the Gods in the 

 depths of the lake. The Indian guide could not be persuaded to touch a piece, and 

 when he found that he could not make the party desist from gathering it he begged 

 that they would not let it be seen in Zuni. 



The main road had scarcely been reached when two Zuni Indians appeare.l, return- 

 ing from a visit to Camp Apache. They expressed surprise at the meeting, mid the 

 guide was not long in informing them that Mr Stevenson had been to St John to 

 see a collection of ancient pottery which had been found in a cave by a Mexican, 

 and he adroitly endeavored to have the Indian travelers continue their journey.' 

 His efforts to ward off any suspicion of the party having visited Ko^thlnwala^va was 

 dramatic. He kept the attention of the visitors so riveted upon his lictitious narra- 

 tion of the visit to St John, describing the bowls of tunpioise and other precious 

 beads found with the pottery, that there was no time for inquiry on the part of the 

 visitors. He recited many anecdotes of his trip, ail originating within his brain. 

 His hearty laughter became contagious, and so the night passed without his permit- 

 ting the others to sleep or even to lie down; they must have no time for thought or 

 dreams. 



The punishment for visiting the lake without the permission of the Ko'mosona is 

 not only death within four days by the anger of the gods, but severe corporal i)un- 

 ishment and perhaps death by the order of the Ko^mosona. 



