560 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



a praj^er, at the same time sprinkling the sacred meal. After the men 

 are through, the women advance in a body and pray and sprinkle meal 

 upon the altar. One mother, holding a naked infant, guides the little 

 hand to take the meal from the pottery basket before the altar and 

 sprinkle it. 



The women now return to their homes, Avhile the men and the nov- 

 ices sleep, as before, in the ceremonial room. The meal sprinkled 

 about the altar is carefully swept away and the mi'wachi are taken out 

 and the meal blown off the feathers, when they are again placed in 

 position. 



Fourth day. During the afternoon several men are busy in the 

 ceremonial room preparing the dry painting, shown in plate cxxvii, 

 which is some 5 feet in front and south of the altar. The disk, which 

 is about 3 feet in diameter, is surrounded by an elevation of 4 or 5 

 inches, forming a basin. The wall, which symbolizes the galaxy, is of 

 ordinary sand, and when it is perfectly smooth, the red, white, and 

 black varieties are sprinkled over the ground color. The red and 

 white sands are ground from the red and white sandstone; the black 

 is charcoal. 



Previous to the evening ceremony the scene is weird. The candles 

 have not yet been lighted, and the tawny faces of the Indians are tirst 

 in light, then in shadow, according to the freak of the fire that burns 

 in the quaint fireplace. A circle of men, with two in the center, sit 

 in the middle of th" floor. The north and south ledges are filled with 

 men. A few women in half -reclining positions are in their end of the 

 room apparently tired out. The novices occup}^ their former posi- 

 tions. Another ^oung girl, who has not appeared on the previous 

 occasions, sits sleeping to the right of the juvenile novice. The flute 

 player is in position behind the altar. The elder brother Bow priest 

 enters and takes his seat in the center of the circle, and all of this 

 group, except five, smoke cigarettes. Though constant smoking is 

 indulged in, there is but little conversation, which is carried on in a 

 ver}" low tone. The men in the circle are busy splitting yucca and 

 preparing wreaths, wristlets, armlets, and garters. While this work 

 is in progress, the elder brother Bow priest leaves his position, takes 

 a bowl of the medicine prepared the previous afternoon, and pass- 

 ing through the crowd gives each person a portion, each one being 

 provided with bits of corn husk in which to place the medicine. 

 Having some of the medicine left after all are helped, he again Y)asses 

 aroinid and deals out the remainder, each one receiving it in a pouch 

 of dressed deerskin." The sunflower powder, which is now distributed 

 by the elder brother Bow priest to male members only, is used for a 



« This medicine is taken for a variety of maladies. It is placed in tiie mouth and ejected, generally 

 on the palm of the hand, and the hand is then rubbed over the afflicted part of the body. It is 

 .wmetimes mixed with a little water and drunk. 



