STEVENSON] ma'^^kp: "^san nakwk 557 



rejoins the dancers, continuing- the orowling. After dancing al>out 

 thirt}' minutes he orders the old woman guarding the tire to stir up tiie 

 embers, and at the same time he r(niioves his war pouch and heads, 

 and places them beside the altar. He la^'s the plume from his head and 

 his two eagle-wing plumes in front of the altar. When the coals are 

 well alive he dances forward and runs his right arm to the elbow into 

 the coals, and, taking a large bunch of corn husks in each hand and 

 lighting them from the coals, he rushes wildly to the choir, scattering 

 the sparks over the nude l)odies of the men. Relighting the husks, he 

 goes to all the women, fairh' showering- them with the sparks. The 

 babies look up in mild wonderment when a spark falls upon them, but 

 no sound comes from the little ones. The men and women are struck 

 over their faces as well as their bodies with the burning husks. Sev- 

 eral times during- the performance the elder brother Bow priest calls 

 upon his assistant warrior and others to whip him with the burning 

 husks, he at the same time running them over his nude hod}-. An old 

 woman who refuses the elder brother Bow priest's request to whip 

 him with the firebrands, preferring to receive rather than to inflict the 

 punishment, has her face and head pelted by him. This weird scene 

 closes with the elder brother Bow priest's putting the burning husks 

 into his mouth and chewing them. He now procures a rod about 3 

 feet in length and 1^ inches in diameter and calls upon one of the men 

 to strike him with it, the rod having been first wet with medicine water. 

 Those who anticipate strokes have the entire body bathed with the 

 water. The man on refusing to strike the elder brother Bow priest 

 receives from him a ])low across the back, when the man who is struck 

 procures a similar rod and strikes the elder brother Bow priest, who 

 stands erect, extending both arms, and requests the man to strike him 

 across the chest. The rod is used with such force that it ])reaks into 

 three pieces. 



A large bunch of yucca baccata is now l)rought out by the second 

 warrior, who deals several of the men severe blows, the elder brother 

 Bow priest receiving the stroke of the yucca across his extended right 

 arm, which does not bend from the stroke, although the yucca is held in 

 both hands and much force is used in striking; then across the left arm 

 with the same result, and across the chest. After each blow is given 

 the man holding the 3'ucca places his hand over his mouth and gives an 

 animal-like call. After the yucca is laid away the elder brother Bow 

 priest takes a bear's foot skin from the altar, and drawing it over his 

 right hand he rushes toward his brother warrior and. holdiitg him 

 closeh% rims the claws up and down his body; then, returning it to the 

 altar, he resumes his place in the dance, which continues two hours, 

 the dancers stop))ing every thirtv minutes for a rest of a moment or 

 two. After the elder brother Bow priest and his associate warrior 



