MATTHEWS. | CEREMONIES: PREPARING IMPLEMENTS. 431 
hard twig of cliff rose; the other half was formed of some pithy suf- 
fruticose herb which I could not determine satisfactorily, as I saw only 
the cut sections and was not permitted to handle these. The pith was 
removed so as to allow the wooden part to move into the herby part 
with a telescopic mechanism. The herbaceous portion was so covered 
with feathers that nothing could be seen of its surface. A large stone 
arrowhead was attached to the wooden shaft. When the actor pre- 
tended to swallow this he merely held the stone point firmly between 
his teeth and forced the upper or plumed shaft down on the lower or 
wooden shaft. It was an excellent deception, and presented to the or- 
dinary observer all the appearance of genuine arrow swallowing. 
122. The pinon saplings, which the dancers also pretended to swallow, 
had no deceptive arrangement. They were slender little trees trimmed 
at the butt into a broad, thin, wedge shaped point, which was carefully 
smoothed by rubbing it with sandstone, so that no offensive splinters 
should present themselves to the lips of the dancers. The smooth end 
was painted red, probably to make the spectators, at night, by the un- 
certain firelight, suppose that the dissemblers had torn their throats in 
their great efforts. Sometimes the saplings have all their branches 
removed, and are then trimmed with cross pieces and circles of ever- 
green sprays. In most cases, however, I have seen the sapling used in 
its natural condition. 
123. As each set of implements was completed there was a ceremony 
with singing and rattling, the men who were to use them at night 
partook of powdered medicines on their extended tongues, from the 
hands of the chanter, and then practiced themselves in the use of the 
implements. Although they well knew the deceptive nature of these 
articles and fully understood the frauds they were preparing to per- 
petrate on the public, these young men seemed to view the whole work 
with high reverence aud treat it with the greatest seriousness. For 
instance, when, in the secrecy of the lodge, they went through the 
motions of swallowing the trees they showed indubitable signs of fear: 
all looked anxious, some trembled quite perceptibly, and one looked as 
pale as a live Indian can look. They probably dreaded the displeasure 
of the gods if all were not done well. 
124, LAST NIGHT. Just after sunset the old chanter posted himself 
some paces to the east of the great woodpile, on the spot where the gate 
of the corral was to be, and began a song. Simultaneous with the begin- 
ning of the song was the commencement of the building of the dark 
circle. All the young and middleaged men in camp assisted. They 
dragged the branches from where they had been cut down in the neigh- 
boring woods and put them in position in the cirele with great celerity. 
The work was all done in less than an hour, during which time the 
chanter ceased not for an instant his songand rattle. When the fence 
was finished to his satisfaction he stopped his song and the labors of 
the workmen ceased with thesound. When finished the corral averaged 
