STEVENSON] 



a'pi^'lashiwanni 585 



embraces the elder brother. The arms are placed around one another. 

 The two then reverse places and are embraced. P^ach time long- 

 pra3'ers are repeated b}' the two priests, and the victor and the elder 

 brother pray and are afterward einbraced by the remaining A'shi- 

 wanni. The two i'tatononakwe place their left arms through the 

 right of the victor and the elder brother. The victor and an i'tato- 

 nona visit one ant-hill, the other couple another ant-hill, both hills 

 being near the meal mounds, and plant their prayer plumes at the 

 apexes of the hills. The sticks of the women are colored black and 

 are offered to the rain-makers, while those of the men are red and are 

 ottered to the Gods of War for the destruction of the enemy. Each 

 woman divides the prayer meal she carries with her companion and 

 the two sprinkle it over the plumes and ant-hills. The women do not 

 speak, as a woman not past the child-bearing age must not speak at 

 the house of the ants on this occasion. The men pray aloud and 

 deposit the prayer plumes. The elder brother Bow priest is the third 

 to proceed up the meal line, and by his request the writer follows 

 him. When all the warriors have passed over the meal line and under 

 the hands, the populace follow, the equestrians dismounting for the 

 purpose. "They step over the sacred road of meal to the home of the 

 ants, that they may keep their lives when passing about the country 

 or contending with the enemy." The first body of A'shiwanni and 

 priest of the pa'ettowe are exempt from this feature of the ceremo- 

 nial, as their place is at home and not amid the dangers of travel and 

 war. When all have passed over the meal line, the pa'mosoiia 

 deposits he'we (wafer bread) as a food offering to the ants in the exca- 

 vation, and destroys the mounds by running his left foot over them 

 and drawing the earth into the opening. 



After the deposition of the pUune offerings on the ant-hills the party 

 returns to the group and all pass on to the village. The i'tatononakwe, 

 who nuist not look to the right or the left, start the scalps with the 

 left foot and so keep them before them, never using the right foot for 

 this purpose. The victor and the elder brother follow after the i'tato- 

 nonakwe, and the elder brother Bow priest precedes the Ant fraternity 

 and the A'pi'Mashiwanni, who follow a short distance m the rear. 

 The scalp custodian, his aid, and the vice pa'mosono''kia come next, 

 and after them the populace, some on foot and others mounted, making 

 the air ring with rifle and pistol shots and the war whoop. Kach 

 person, except the scalp-kickers, carries a bit of cedar bark in the left 

 hand.' 



The worst element in their barbaric nature seems to l)e aroused. If 

 the mere dramatization produces such frenzy, what must have been the 

 scenes when the victor in reality returned from battle with scalps of 

 the hated Navaho! 



