STEVKNsoN] SOCIAL (TSTOMS ' 815 



doctres.s bo^itin :i viok'iit kiieadiiin' of tlie sioiiiiicli to :i>>ist tlio spirit 

 to free itself from the l)ody, and still another doctress and Nina h('t>an 

 pressing the lips and eyelids. It was horrible to observe the tortures 

 intlicted upon the dyino- man. who struggled for breath. The wi-iter 

 Avas powerless to contend with such numl)ers as were present. Finally, 

 seeing an Indian who was visiting the pueblo pass the house, she 

 hurried him for the physician, who came in time to aid her to force the 

 torturers away by his stern demeanor and physical force, and the last 

 sparks of life were permitted to pass (juietly awa}'. • The special crock- 

 ery used by Nai'uchi was l)roken and deposited upon the coals which 

 were afterwards gathered into a bowl b\- In'nocita. a st(»i)daughter of 

 Nai'uchi. and carried out and set close beside the house, and upon 

 returning In'nocita made a fresh tire and threw Nai'uciii's war 

 club into the Hames. Then Nina brought to tiie tii'ej)hu'(^ a vessel 

 containing pinon gum which had been boiled; taking a (juantity with 

 a spoon, she deposited it on a ))it of wood in the tireplace. Ilii'lian, 

 Xai'uchi's son, lighted the gum and held his hands over the smoke, 

 and then rubbed them over his face and his breast that he might not be 

 touched by the spirit. Others were meantime preparing the remains 

 for burial. The l)ody was stripped of its clothes, bathed, and rubl)ed 

 with meal. A pair of new white cotton trousers and a red calico shirt 

 Avere put on it. It is usual for burial clothes to be new, and the red 

 calico for the present occasion was selected liecause of Xai'uchi's fond- 

 ness for that color. A lock of haii- was cut from the head and laiil 

 away. Four Idankets, two black and two red, gifts of the son, the 

 son-in-law, and the writer, were |)laced one upon the other, first a 

 black one, then the red ones, and again a black one, the gift of the 

 wa-iter, which was placed next to the remains as an expression of 

 Nai'uchi\s close ties with her. A corner of the blanket, which was 

 placed within 2 feet of the north ledge of the room, pointed to the 

 east.- The body was lifted and gently laid upon the l)lankets, the head 

 sufficiently far from the corner to admit of the blanket being turned 

 over the face. Ilii'lian and Nai'uciii's nephew Mu>asured the corpse 

 for the grave by extending a rope by the side of it. They then went 

 in company with another man to dig the grave, which recpiired but a 

 short time. 



Me'she, younger brother Bow priest, came in after Nai'uchi was 

 prepared for the grave and tied his warrior's wristlet on his right 

 wrist and arranged his beads around his neck. It was most artecting 

 to see Me'she kneeling beside the remains of the man with whom he 

 had been intimately associated for years. The associate rain priests 

 of the Nadir gathered around the head of their beloved late superior, 

 sitting perfectly still while men, women, and children sprinkled meal 

 on the remains'and prayed. It was necessary for the daughter to be 

 supported while she stood by the remains. 1'he blind grandson, too. 

 was led to the l)odv of the gi-andfath(M-. who had ev.M- be(>n devot(>d to 



