mMaTrHEWs.] CEREMONIES: FIRE DANCE AND OTHER DANCES. 443 
have seen many fire scenes on the stage, many acts of fire eating and 
fire handling by civilized jugglers, and many fire dances by other In- 
dian tribes, but nothing quite comparable to this in all its scenic 
effects. 
150. The closing ceremonies I did not witness on this occasion, but 
I saw them at subsequent dances. Shortly before sunrise an assistant 
passed around the fire four times and sprinkled a little water on the 
mass of smoldering embers, while the medicine man chanted the ap- 
propriate song. Later, three gaps were torn jn the circle of branches— 
one in the south, ove in the west, and one in the north—making, with 
the original gate in the east, four entrances to the corral. (See Plate 
XIV.) Just after sunrise the entire circle of branches was razed, but 
the branches were not carried away. The traveler through the Navajo 
country often encounters withered remains of these circles. In the 
ceremony of October, 1884, the chanter, having another engagement 
which was pressing, packed up his sacred utensils and left soon after 
sunrise. The patient, it was said, was not permitted to sleep until after 
sunset. 
151. Other dances. In subsequent dances I saw exhibitions which did 
not occur in the ceremony of November 5, 1882, just described, and I 
have learned of other shows produced on the last night, which I have 
never had an opportunity to witness. All the alilis may be modified. 
I have rarely seen two performances of the same dance which were just 
alike. 
152. On two occasions I have witnessed a very pretty dance, in which 
an eagle plume was stuck upright in a basket and by means of some 
well hidden mechanism caused to dance in good time to the song, the 
beat of the drum, and the motions of the single Indian who danced at 
the same time; not only this, but the feather followed the motions of 
the Indian: if he danced toward the north, the feather leaned to the 
north while making its rhythmical motions; if he moved to the south, it 
bent its white head in the same direction, and so on. On one occasion 
it was a little boy, five yearsold, son of the chief Manuelito, who 
danced with the eagle plume. He was dressed and painted much like 
the akdninili, or the arrow swallowers (Figs. 54, 55), on a diminutive 
scale, The sash of scarlet velvet around his hips was beautifully 
trimmed with feathers. They said he had been several weeks in train- 
ing for the dance, and he certainly went through his varied motions 
with great skill. I have rarely seen a terpsichorean spectacle that 
struck my faney more than that of the little Indian child and his 
partner, the eagle plume. 
153. It might be thought that the word “ thohay,” so often used to make 
inanimate objects pay attention, wasone of verysacred import. So it is, 
no doubt; yet I haveseen it broadly burlesqued. It was on the occasion 
of the last “ chant” which I attended. A number of boys, from twelve 
to fifteen years of age they seemed, led by a pleasant looking old man 
