matrnews.| CEREMONIES: DANCE OF THE STANDING ARCS 439 
the whole party gathered in the west in a close circle, which completely 
excluded from the sight of the audience the operations of tke actors. 
Singing, rattling, and cries of ‘*Thohay!” were heard. Ina few minutes 
the circle opened and the hewn plank, standing upright on a small Nav- 
ajo blanket, without any apparent prop or support, was disclosed to view. 
At the base of the plank was the basket holding the figure of the sun. 
Singing was continued and so were the uproarious cries of  Thohay ”— 
cries anxious, cries appealing, cries commanding — while the bearer of 
the rattle stood facing the pole and rattling vigorously atit. At length, 
seemingly in obedience to all this clamor, the solar image left the 
basket and slowly, falteringly, totteringly, ascended the plank to 
within a few incles of the top. Here it stopped a moment and then 
descended in the same manner in which it rose. Once more was it 
made to rise and set, when the circle of dancers again closed, the plank, 
sun, and basket were taken in custody, and the dancers departed. Tak- 
ing into consideration the limited knowledge and rude implements of 
the originators (for this alili is not of modern origin), this was a well 
performed trick. The means used for supporting the pole and pulling 
up the sun could not be detected. The dancers formed a semicircle 
nearly ten feet distant from the pole and the light of the central fire shone 
brightly upon all. 
143. Ninth dance. It was after 1 o’clock in the morning when the dance 
of the hoshkawn ( Yecea baccata) began. (Fig. 57. See paragraph 3.) 
The ceremony was conducted in the first part by twenty-two persons in 
ordinary dress. One bore, exposed to view, a natural root of yucca, 
crowned with its cluster of root leaves, which remain green all winter, 
The rest bore in their hands wands of pinon. What other properties 
they may have had concealed under their blankets the reader will soon 
be able te conjecture. On their third journey around the fire they halted 
in the west and formed a close circle for the purpose of concealing their 
operations, such as was made in the eighth dance. After a minute spent 
in singing and many repetitions of “ Thohay,” the circle opened, disclosing 
to our view the yucea root planted in thesand. Again the circle closed; 
again the song, the rattle, and the chorus of “Thohay” were heard, 
and when the circle was opened the second time an excellent counter- 
feit of the small budding flower stalk was seen amid the fascicle of 
leaves. A third time the dancers formed their ring of occultation; 
after the song and din had continued for a few seconds the circle parted 
for the third time, when, all out of season, the great panicle of creamy 
yueca flowers gleamed in the firelight. The previous transformatious 
of the yucca had been greeted with approving shouts and laughter; 
the blossoms were hailed with storms of applause. For the fourth and 
last time the circle closed, and when again it opened the blossoms had 
disappeared and the great, dark green fruit hung in abundance from 
the pedicels. When the last transformation was completed the dancers 
