692 GAMES OF THE NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS  [8TH. ANN. 24 
runners stand upon the line, facing south, each clan being together, the runner 
at the west end of the line placing the tikwané across his foot, as before noted. 
The Pi‘lashiwanni stands in advance of the runners, and, facing east, prays 
and throws the meal four times eastward, the fourth time, as before, being the 
signal for starting. The same course is followed as that pursued by the people 
of the kiwitsiwe. Each of these races covers only about 4 miles. 
No thought of betting is in the Zuni mind when these races for rains occur. 
While deep interest is exhibited by the women, as well as by the men, in these 
purely reljigious races, the real enthusiasm occurs at the time of the betting 
races, when about 25 miles are covered. 
The betting race is not confined to the kiwitsiwe, nor to any section of the 
Village, although statements to the contrary have been made. A man approaches 
another with his plan for a race, and if it be acceptable to the other a race is 
arranged for. It is heralded from the housetop by a civil officer of the village, 
who shouts, “ To-morrow there will be a race!’ Those to be associated with 
the race gather at the houses of the two managers. The swiftest runners are 
sure to be present. After some discussion the originator of the race visits the 
house of the other manager and learns from him how many runners he will 
have in the contest. He then returns to his house and selects the same number 
for his side. The number varies from three to six on a side, one side repre- 
senting the elder, the other the younger, God of War. 
Bach manager calls at the house of one of the first body of Ah’shiwanni— 
those of the north and the zenith excepted—and announces, “My boys will run 
to-morrow. You will come to my house to-night.” The friends of each party 
gather at the two houses, the runners being on one side of the room, the friends 
on the opposite side. When the Shiwanni (sing. for Ah’shiwanni) bearing a 
basket tray of broken héwe arrives, he takes his seat on his wadded blanket, the 
manager sitting opposite to him. ‘The Shiwanni places the basket upon the floor 
andeasks for corn-husks. Preparing as many husks as there are runners for the 
side, he sprinkles prayer-meal into each husk, and, after adding bits of white 
shell and turkis beads, folds it and lays it on the héwe in the tray. Raising the 
tray with both hands to his face, he prays for success, and, drawing four breaths 
from the contents of the tray, says, “Si” (Ready). The runners approach, 
the Shiwanni deposits a handful of broken héwe from the tray into the blanket 
supported by the left arm of each runner, and hands a corn-husk package to 
each. The body of runners who represent the elder God of War goes to a point 
north of the village; and the other goes south. An excavation the depth of an 
arm is made by an ancient corn-planter at each point, when each runuier opens 
his husk package, deposits the contents in the excavation, and drops in the 
héwe as offerings to the Gods of War and the ancestors. The one who prepares 
the earth to receive the offerings covers the opening, leaving no trace of the 
excavation. 
All now sit perfectly still and listen for sounds from the departed. When 
they hear any noise which they suppose comes from the dead, they are gratified, 
and say, “ Elakwa, nana” “(Thanks, grandfather).” 
After walking a short distance they halt and wait again for some manifesta- 
tion. Should they hear a few notes from the mocking bird, they know the race 
will be in favor first of one side and then of the other—uncertain until the end. 
If the bird sings much, they will meet with failure. If they hear an owl hoot, 
the race will be theirs. 
The runners return to the houses which they left and retire for the remainder 
of the night in a large room, the family having withdrawn to another apart- 
ment. Sometimes a runner goes to an arroyo and deposits offerings of precious 
beads to the Gods of War, or to a locality where some renowned runner of the 
