In the illustration of this painting, [Pl. CXXIII], Hasjelti will be recognized as the leader. He carries a fawn skin filled with sacred meal; the spots on the skin are seven and in the form of a great bear. The fawn skin indicates him as the chief of all game. It was Hasjelti who created game. The first six figures following Hasjelti are the Ethsethle. The next six figures are their wives. Toneennili, the water sprinkler (to, water, and yonily, to sprinkle), follows carrying a water jug, from which he sprinkles the earth. The Ethsethle wear leggings of corn pollen and the forearms of the gods are covered with pollen. Their wives have their arms and bodies covered with the same. The skirts of the Ethsethle are elaborately ornamented and their pouches at their sides are decorated with many beads, feathers, and fringes. The gods are walking upon black clouds and mist (the yellow denoting mist), the women upon blue clouds and mist.

During the ceremony an Apache basket containing meal was brought in and placed at the feet of the rainbow goddess. The invalid entered the lodge, which had become quite filled with privileged spectators, and receiving the basket of meal, sprinkled the figures from left to right; he then removed all his clothing except his breech cloth and stood east of the painting. Hostjoghon stepped to the head of the rainbow goddess and taking the small gourd of medicine water dipped the cedar twig into the water and sprinkled the figures, then touched the twig to the feet, heart, and head of each figure, commencing at the male figure to the north and passing south, then beginning with the female figures to the north and passing south. The invalid took his seat in the center of the painting with his knees drawn to his chin. Hostjoghon held the medicine gourd over each figure and passed it to the invalid, who took four sips, Hostjoghon hooting each time he passed the gourd to the invalid. After returning the gourd and twig to their former position he placed the palms of his hands to the feet and head of each figure and then placed his palms on the corresponding parts of the invalid’s body, and pressed his head several times between his hands. After touching any part of the invalid, Hostjoghon threw his hands upward and gave one of his characteristic hoots. The song-priest placed coals in front of the invalid and herbs upon them, as he had done the day before, and then retired. The coals were afterwards thrown out of the fire opening and the crowd rushed to the painting to rub their bodies with the sand. The painting was obliterated in the usual manner and the sand carried out and deposited at the base of a piñon tree some 200 yards from the lodge.

Plate CXXII. THIRD SAND PAINTING.
[Larger View]

[ EIGHTH DAY.]

The grinding of the paint began at daylight, and just at sunrise the artists commenced their work. When any mistake occurred, which was very seldom, it was obliterated by sifting the ground color over it. Each artist endeavored to finish his special design first, and there was considerable betting as to who would succeed. The rapidity with which these paints are handled is quite remarkable, particularly as most of the lines are drawn entirely by the eye. After the completion of the painting, each figure being three and a half feet long, corn pollen was sprinkled over the whole by the song priest. (See illustration, [Pl. CXXIII].)

The corn stalk in the picture signifies the main subsistence of life; the square base and triangle are clouds, and the three white lines at the base of the corn stalk denote the roots of the corn. The figures of this picture are each 3½ feet in length. These are the Zenichi (people of the white rock with a red streak through it) and their wives. Their homes are high in the canyon wall. The black parallelogram to the west of the painting designates a red streak in the rock in which are their homes. The delicate white lines indicate their houses, which are in the interior or depths of the rock, and can not be seen from the surface. This canyon wall is located north of the Ute Mountain. These people of the rocks move in the air like birds. The red portion of the bodies of the Zenichi denote red corn; the black portion black clouds. The red half of the face represents also the red corn; the blue of the bodies of the others denote vegetation in general, and the yellow, pollen of all vegetation. The zigzag lines of the bodies is lightning; the black lines around the head, zigzagged with white, are cloud baskets that hold red corn, which is stacked in pyramidal form and capped with three eagle plumes. There are five feathers of the red and black shafted flicker (Colapteo cafer) on either side of the head. A lightning bow is held in the left hand, the right holds a rattle ornamented with feathers. The females carry in their hands decorated baskets and sprigs of piñon, and they wear white leggings and beaded moccasins. The Zenichi never dance. These gods are also called Zaadoljaii, meaning rough mouth, or anything that protrudes roughly from the mouth. (The mouth and eyes of these gods protrude.) The rainbow goddess is represented at the north and south end of the painting. The corn stalk has two ears of corn, while the original stalk had 12 ears. Two of these ears the gods gave to the younger brother of the Tolchini when they commanded him to return to the Navajo and instruct them how to represent the gods in sand painting and in masks. The four corner figures will be recognized as the Naashiddi (hunchback, or mountain sheep).