260 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



excavation T, where he deposits a te'likinane and crosses to excava- 

 tion 8, where he plants another. He is no sooner started for exca- 

 vation 8 than the 8ha'lako from Up'*sannaAva runs to excavation 11, 

 where he plants his offering, and, running- to excavation 12, he deposits 

 another. Before he is fairly on his wa}' for excavation 12 the alter- 

 nate of the Sha'lako from He'iwa ki'wi*sine proceeds to excavation 3, 

 where a te'likinane is deposited, and he runs to excavation 4 to 

 deposit another. The changing of places by the Sha'lako and their 

 alternates to and from the efhgies is most dexterously managed. 

 The planting of the te'likinawe is repeated bj' each alternate in the 

 regular order mentioned above. When the fellow^ from Up'*sannawa 

 starts for excavation 14, the personator of the Sha'lako of He'iwa 

 ki'wi*sine, having taken charge of his effigy, runs to excavation 3 and 

 sprinkles the te'likinawe with meal, w^hich he also carries in his belt, 

 and, crossing, he sprinkles the te'likinawe in excavation 4. The sprii k- 

 ling of the plume offerings with meal is. conducted in the same manner 

 in which the plumes are deposited. All the Sha'lako now appear on 

 the field at once (see plate lxiv), running as rapidly as possible, 

 after which they leave the field in single file to return to their 

 dressing room above referred to. Each Sha'lako is accompanied by 

 his wor'li and alternate. The groups from the ki'wi'siwe and the 

 flutists return to the village.. The Sha'lako are followed by a number 

 of gaily dressed young men, and when these gods are a distance from 

 the village they run as rapidly as possible and are pursued b}^ the 

 3^oung men. When a Sha'lako is caught, the bearer of the effigy 

 throws it upon the ground amid great excitement. The one who 

 catches the effigy exclaims: "I have killed the deer.'' He sprinkles 

 it with meal, praying that he may be successful in the hunt. The 

 catching of the effigy is indicative of success in the coming hunt, and 

 great efforts are made to get ahead of one another to capture the 

 'so-called deer. 



Each personator of a Sha'lako and his alternate deposit te'likinawe 

 in the same excavation in which the Council of the Gods planted offer- 

 ings. This opening is filled in by the Sha'lako wor'we, who proceed 

 to the cabin a little farther off' where the effigies are taken apart and 

 the masks and paraphernalia are brought to the village by them under 

 a covering of blankets. 



This elaborate ceremonial is to bring rains to fructify the earth. 

 The rapid running from one excavation to another is a dramatiza- 

 tion of the services performed by the Sha'lako, the couriers of the 

 A'shiwanni u'wannami (priest rain-makers) of the six regions, who, 

 when wishing to communicate with one another, employ couriers for 

 the purpose. The A'shiwanni u'wannami of the North, wishing to 

 send rains upon some particular land, communicate with their younger 



