PREY GODS OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE BOW. THE KNIFE-FEATHERED MONSTER, THE MOUNTAIN LION, AND THE GREAT WHITE BEAR.

The Priesthood of the Bow possesses three fetiches, two of which are of the We-ma-Á-hÂ-i, (Plate X, Fig. 2, and Plate XI, Fig. 2.) The other is sometimes classed with these, sometimes with the higher beings, and may be safely said to form a connecting link between the idolatry proper of the ZuÑis and their fetichism. These three beings are, the Mountain Lion (Plate X, Pig. 2), the great White Bear (Plate XI, Fig. 2), (Áiŋ-shi k'Ó-ha-na—the god of the scalp-taking ceremonials), and the Knife-feathered Monster (Á-tchi-a lÄ-to-pa), (Plate X, Fig. 1).

This curious god is the hero of hundreds of folklore tales, and the tutelar deity of several of the societies of ZuÑi. He is represented as possessing a human form, furnished with flint knife-feathered pinions, and tail. His dress consists of the conventional terraced cap(representative of his dwelling-place among the clouds), and the ornaments, badge, and garments of the KÂ-kÂ. His weapons are the Great Flint-Knife of War, the Bow of the Skies (the Rain-bow), and the Arrow of Lightning, and his guardians or warriors are the Great Mountain Lion of the North and that of the Upper regions.

He was doubtless the original War God of the ZuÑis, although now secondary, in the order of war, to the two children of the Sun mentioned at the outset.

Anciently he was inimical to man, stealing and carrying away to his city in the skies the women of all nations, until subdued by other gods and men of magic powers. At present he is friendly to them, rather in the sense of an animal whose food temporarily satisfies him than in the beneficent character of most of the gods of ZuÑi.

Both the Great White Bear and the Mountain Lion of the War Priesthood are, as well as the Knife-feathered Demon, beings of the skies. For this reason the fetich of the Mountain Lion of the skies (of aragonite) is preferred by a Priest of the Bow above all other kinds or colors. Unfortunately, none of the fetiches of this priesthood are to be found in the collections of the Bureau, and but one, with its pouch, has been reproduced from the original, which is in my possession. It was not presented to me with my other paraphernalia on the night of the final ceremonials of my initiation into the Priesthood of the Bow, but some months afterward when I was about to start on a dangerous expedition. At this time I was charged with carefully preserving it during life as my special fetich, and instructed in the various usages connected with it. The other was drawn from a sketch made by myself of a fetich in ZuÑi.

These fetiches—more usually of the Mountain Lion than of the others; very rarely of the Knife-feathered Demon—are constantly carried by the warriors when abroad in pouches like those of the Hunters, and in a similar manner. They are, however, not returned to the headquarters of the society when not in use; but, being regarded, with the other paraphernalia of their possessor, as parts of his SÁ-wa-ni-k'ia, are always kept near him.

RESEMBLANCE TO THE PREY GODS OF THE HUNT.

The perfect fetich of this order differs but little from those of the Hunters, save that it is more elaborate and is sometimes supplied with a minute heart of turkois bound to the side of the figure with sinew of the Mountain Lion, with which, also, the arrow-point is invariably attached, usually to the back or belly. The precious beads of shell, turkois, coral, or black stone, varied occasionally with small univalves from the ocean, are bound over all with a cotton cord. These univalves, theoliva (tsu-i-ke-i-nan-ne=heartshell), are, above all other shells, sacred; and each is emblematic of a god of the order. The wrist badges of the members are also made of these shells, strung on a thong of buckskin taken from the enemy. The arrow-point, when placed on the back of the fetich, is emblematic of the Knife of War (SÁ-wa-ni-k'ia Ä-tchi-Ën-nÉ), and is supposed, through the power of SÁ-wa-ni-k'ia or the "magic medicine of war" (?) to protect the wearer from the enemy from behind or from other unexpected quarters. When placed "under the feet" or belly, it is, through the same power, considered capable of effacing the tracks of the wearer, that his trail may not be followed by the enemy.

THE RITES OF THEIR WORSHIP.

The ceremonial observed by a Priest of the Bow, when traveling alone in a country where danger is to be apprehended from the enemy, may be taken as most illustrative of the regard in which the fetiches of his order are held.

Under such circumstances the warrior takes out his fetich from the pouch, and, scattering a pinch or two of sacred flour toward each of the four quarters with his right hand, holds it in his left hand over his breast, and kneels or squats on the ground while uttering the accompanying prayer:

Si!

LÚ-k'ia

yÄt-ton-nÉ,

hom

a-tÄ-tchÚ

K'ia-pin-Á-hÂ-i

lÉ-we

Í-na-kwe

pÓ-ti-tap-tÉ

hom

ton

tÉ-hi-a-na-wÉ.

Ethl

tel-i-kwËn-te

thlothl

Si!

This

day,

my

Fathers,

Animal Beings,

(all) thus much

(by) enemies

filled through

me

ye

precious render (all do).

Not

that (in any) way unexpected

soever

tchu-a	Í-na-kwe	hom	kwa'-hothl	a-k'iÁ	a-tsu-ma-na-wam-i-k'ia-nÁ.	LÚ-k'ia	yÄt-ton-nÉ	hom	to	lÉ'-na
whom (of the)	enemy	my	whatsoever	with	daring (existence) (pl.) shall.	This	day	to me	ye	thus

[At this point, while-still continuing the prayer, he scratches or cuts in the earth or sands with the edge of the arrow-point, which is lashed to the back or feet of the fetich, a line about five or six inches in length].

ai-yÄl-la-na-wÁ.	Ethl	thlothl-tchu-Á	Í-na-kwe	Í-pi-kwai-nam-tun	a-k'iÁ	hom	ton	aÍ-yÄl-la-na-wÁ.	[Here he scratches a second line.]
shelter (pl.) shall give. shield	Not that	whomsoever	(of the) enemy	pass themselves through to	hence	to me	ye	shelter shield (pl.) shall (give),

HÂk-ti-tÄsh-a-nÁ,	[scratches a third line.]	Ä-tchi-a-lÄ-to-pÁ,	[scratches a fourth line]	hom	ton	Í-ke-i-nan	aÍ-yÄl-la-na-wÁ.
Tail-long (Mountain Lion),		Knife-feathered,		my	ye	heart	shelter shield(pl.) shall give.

[These lines, although made immediately in front of the speaker, relate to the four points of the compass, the other two regions not being taken into account, since it is impossible for the enemy to bring harm from either above or below the plane on which the subject moves. It may be well to add, also, that four (the number of the true fingers) is the sacred numeral of the ZuÑis, as with most all Indian tribes and many other lower races.]

FREE TRANSLATION.

Si! This day, my fathers, ye animal gods, although this country be filled with enemies, render me precious. That my existence may not be in any way so ever unexpectedly dared by the enemy, thus, O! shelter give ye to me (from them). (In order) that none of the enemy may pass through (this line) hence, O! shelter give ye to me (from them). Long Tail [Mountain Lion], Knife-feathered [God of the Knife Wings], O! give ye shelter of my heart from them.

On the conclusion of this prayer the fetich is breathed upon and replaced, or sometimes withheld until after the completion of the war-song and other chants in which the three gods mentioned above are, with others, named and exhorted, thereby, in the native belief, rendering protection doubly certain. I am of course thoroughly familiar with these war chants, rituals, etc. They abound in archaic terms and are fraught with great interest, but belong more properly to another department of ZuÑi worship than that of the mere fetichism; as, indeed, do most other recitations, chants, etc., of the War society, in any way connected with this worship.

Before following the trail of an enemy, on rinding his camp, or on overtaking and destroying him, many ceremonials are performed, many prayers are uttered, much the same as those described relative to the chase, save that they are more elaborate and more irrelevant to the subject in hand. As with the Hunter, so with the Warrior, the fetich is fed on the life-blood of the slain.

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