STEVENSON] GAMES 337 



to come from the far south), and black turquoise (so named ])ecause 

 this black stone is found in the locality of the turquoise), which the}' 

 mix with corn meal and corn pollen. This mixture is placed in a corn 

 husk with small feathers from a bird secured from the neighborhood 

 of Santa Anna. This package is afterward cai-ried to the large plaza 

 where the game is pla3'ed. 



Later in the morning the koVhi (rat) man returns to the house of the 

 head player for the corn-husk package given him the previous evening 

 and carries it to the house of the wood rat (Neotoma). After deposit- 

 ing his offerings, with prayers to the rat to aid his side in winning 

 the straw counters by collecting many twigs and stems, he proceeds 

 to the shrine of the younger God of War on the sununit of Corn 

 mountain, where he makes offerings and prays for success in the game. 

 Descending tlie mountain, he goes to the cactus bed belonging to the 

 Cactus fraternity and secures a piece of cactus (Opuntia arborescens) 

 about 12 inches in length and prays: "'When 1 place you in the plaza 

 do not let anyone touch you. Give us good luck in the game: give us 

 much rain and all things."' Then he deposits bits of precious l)eads 

 and pi'ayer meul at the base of the plant whicli is known as the fath(>r 

 of the cactus bed. He afterward visits a l)ed of flat-leaf cactus (Opun- 

 tia tilipendula) and collects several pieces, saying: ''When I place you 

 in the plaza do not let an3'one touch you. (rive us nuich rain, ail 

 things to eat, all things to wear." He then goes to a yucca glauca 

 plant and pulling a central stalk says: '* Give me good luck in the game; 

 give me much rain, all things to eat, etc." A plant of kiapuli (not 

 classified) is then visited, and he repeats the prayers and breaks off a 

 small twig with several branches. All the plants are wrapped together 

 in a cloth and carried to the house of the leader, where he joins the 

 watchers and phuers. On entering the house the rat man says: ''May 

 the day go well with y ou. " The others reply : ' "All good come to you." 

 The leader advances to meet him and receives the bundle of plants, 

 depositing it on a ledge in a corner of the room where it will ])e secure 

 from view. He then calls the three players and retpiests them to help him 

 arrange the plants, which are grouped together. Tunpioise, ko'hakwa, 

 abalone, meal and corn pollen, and a (juail feather, to whicli is attached 

 a cotton string with one black archaic bead strung on it, are bound to the 

 base of the bouquet with buckskin, which is carefully tied over the end 

 and wrapped with a buckskin thong. While the plants are being pre- 

 pared the four watchers each l)ind an arrow to the center of the sole 

 of his foot with a cotton cloth (either foot may be used), the arrow 

 pointing toward the toes, and the moccasin is drawn on. No secrecy 

 is observed in l)inding on the arrow. A tine meal is then served by 

 the leader's wife and family, who are assisted by female members of 

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