The ceremonials last throughout the latter two-thirds of a night. Each member on entering approaches the altar, and with prayer-meal in hand addresses a long prayer to the assembly of fetiches, at the close of which he scatters the prayer-meal over them, breathes on and from his hand, and takes his place in the council. An opening prayer-chant, lasting from one to three hours, is then sung at intervals, in which various members dance to the sound of the constant rattles, imitating at the close of each stanza the cries of the beasts represented by the fetiches.
At the conclusion of the song, the "Keeper of the Deer Medicine," who is master priest of the occasion, leads off in the recitation of a long metrical ritual, in which he is followed by the two warrior priests with shorter recitations, and by a prayer from another priest (of uncertain rank). During these recitations, responses like those of the litany in the Church of England may be heard from the whole assembly, and at their close, at or after sunrise, all members flock around the altar and repeat, prayer-meal in hand, a concluding invocation. This is followed by a liberal feast, principally of game, which is brought in and served by the women, with additional recitations and ceremonials. At this feast, portions of each kind of food are taken out by every member for the Prey gods, which portions are sacrificed by the priests, together with the prayer plume-sticks, several of which are supplied by each member.
CEREMONIALS OF THE HUNT.
Similar midnight ceremonials, but briefer, are observed on the occasion of the great midwinter tribal hunts, the times for which are fixed by the Keeper of the Deer Medicine, the master and warrior priests of the Sá-ni-a-k'ia-kwe; and the religious observances accompanying and following which would form one of the most interesting chapters connected with the fetich worship of the Zuñi's.
These ceremonials and tribal hunts are more and more rarely observed, on account of the scarcity of game and of the death a few years since of the warrior priest above mentioned, without whose assistance they cannot be performed. This position has been recently refilled, and I hope during the coming winter to be enabled, not only to witness one of these observances, but also to join in it; a privilege which will be granted to me on account of my membership in the order of the Priesthood of the Bow.
Any hunter, provided he be one privileged to participate in the above described ceremonials—namely, a Prey brother—supplies himself, when preparing for the chase, not only with his weapons, &c., but also with a favorite or appropriate prey fetich. In order to procure the latter he proceeds, sooner or later before starting, to the House of the Deer Medicine (Nál-e-ton ï′n-kwïn), where the vessel containing the fetiches is brought forth by the Keeper or some substitute, and placed before him. Pacing in the direction of the region to which belongs the particular fetich which he designs to use, he sprinkles into and over the vessel sacred prayer or medicine meal. Then holding a small quantity of the meal in his left hand, over the region of his heart, he removes his head-band and utters the following prayer:
| Ma: | Lú-k'ia | yät-ton-né, | hom | tä-tchú, | hom | tsi-tá, | tom | lithl | hâ | té-kwïn-te | té-ä-tip, | o-ná | ël-le-te-k'iá. | Hothl | yam | á-tä-tchú |
| Why! | This | day, | my | father, | my | mother, | (to) thee | here | I | unexpectedly | have | trail (by) road | overtaken. | Soever | for my | Fathers |
| Kâ-kâ | A′-shi-wa-ní, | wé-ma | á-shi-wa-ní, | K'ia-pin-a-hâ-í | awën | hâ | lithl | yam | te-li-ki-ná | yel-le-te-u-k'o-ná |
| sacred dance | priest-(gods), | Prey | priest-(gods) | the animal, gods beings | theirs | I | here | my, for them | sacred things (plumes, etc., | made ready (which) |
| literally relatives of the species) |
| te-li-ki-ná | i-thle-a-nán | tom | lithl | hâ | o-ná | ël-le-te-k'iá; | tom | lithl | hâ | häl-lo-wa-ti-nán | thle-a-ú | tom | an | té-ap-k'o-nan |
| sacred things | with (me) bringing | unto thee | here | I | road, by trail | overtaken (have); | unto thee | here | I | good fortune | (ad)dress | thy | own | wherewith (thou hast being) |