400 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



Again he took ashes from the tireplace and deposited them as before 

 b}^ the meal line; and ao^ain he sprinkled them to the four regions. 

 After the sprinkling of the ashes, he compelled the girl to drink four 

 times from the medicine bowl, though she almost strangled in the 

 effort. At other times the mother took a mouthful of water and 

 placed her lips to those of the child, thus relieving her feverish 

 thirst. The theurgist, having completed the treatment of the patient, 

 lifted the material supposed to have been extracted from her heart 

 with his two eagle plumes, deposited it in a corn husk, and carried 

 it from the room. As soon as the theurgist left, the accused was 

 made to sit closer to the group of warriors, and the trial began. The 

 first accuser was the grandfather of the invalid, who declared that the 

 bov accosted the child a short distance from her house and that she 

 returned in a demented condition. The boy most earnestly denied 

 the accusation, declai-ing that he knew nothing of witchcraft. The 

 grandfather appealed to the invalid, begging her to tell all she 

 knew, to talk without fear: ''Hota (granddaughter), tell us.'' The 

 cliild, held up by her grandfather, told her story with great difficulty 

 in broken sentences. The spasms made it almost impossible for her 

 to articulate, and her head was not still for an instant. Her story 

 was soon told: ''When a short distance from mv house this boy 

 wanted me to go with him, and when I refused, he grabbed m}" hand. 

 As soon as he touched me, I began to tremble, and 1 ran home." The 

 parents added: "And in a short time our child was craz}', as you see 

 her now."" The fact is, the child was perfectly rational, but her nervous 

 condition induced them to think her mind was not right. Again the 

 grandfather sat before the accused and demanded that he tell what 

 medicine he used on the girl. The boy made no response. Others of 

 the court commanded him to speak, threatening him with punishment 

 if he remained silent. One who was a theurgist of the fraternit}' 

 to which the boy belonged drew near and urged him to speak, using 

 persuasion rather than threats. Again and again he was menaced, 

 but for half an hour no word escaped his lips, and his head was 

 bowed. The writer observed tiiat he was closel^y watching every 

 movement of the girl. Finall}' he spoke in low and measured words: 

 "Once, when I visited the pueblo of Santo Domingo, I was asked 

 b}' the mo'sona (director) of the Galaxy fraternity of that place 

 if I wished to learn the secrets of witchcraft. Then he asked the 

 same of my companion, a Santo Domingo boy. We told him we 

 should like to know his secrets. We followed him at midnight, when 

 all slept, to his house and to an inner room. The director placed 

 two round cases of hide beside him, and from these he took many 

 medicines. He had ever}^ kind of medicine. He asked me what 1 

 most desired. 1 told him love philters, that I might captivate girls 

 as 1 wished. Then the director asked ni}- companion, and he chose 



