Part 2 (2/2)

Thus, also, it came to be that the Yellow Mountain Lion is the master Prey Being of the north, but his younger brothers, the blue, the red, the white, the spotted, and the black Mountain Lions wander over the other regions of earth. Does not the spotted Mountain Lion (evidently the Ocelot) live among the _high_ mountains of the south?

Thus, too, was it with the Coyote, who is the master of the West, but whose younger brothers wander over all the regions; and thus, too, with the Wild Cat and the Wolf.

In this tradition there is an attempt, not only to explain the special distribution throughout the six regions, of the Prey animals and their prey, but also to account for the occurrence of animals in regions other than those to which, according to this cla.s.sification, they properly belong.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MOUNTAIN LION FETICHES OF THE CHASE--HUNTER G.o.d OF THE NORTH]

THEIR VARIETIES.

We find, therefore, that each one of the six species of Prey animals is again divided into six varieties, according to color, which determines the location of each variety in that one or other of the regions with which its color agrees, yet it is supposed to owe allegiance to its representative, whatsoever this may be or wheresoever placed. For instance, the Mountain Lion is primarily G.o.d of the North, but he is supposed to have a representative (younger brother) in the West (the blue Mountain Lion), another in the South (the Red), in the East (the White), in the Upper regions (the Spotted), and in the Lower regions (the black Mountain Lion).

Hence, also, there are six varieties of the fetich representing any one of these divisions, the variety being determined by the color, as expressed either by the material of which the fetich is formed, or the pigment with which it is painted, or otherwise, as, for example, by inlaying. (Plate III, Fig. 4, and Plate VII, Fig. 2.)

THE MOUNTAIN LION--HUNTER G.o.d OF THE NORTH.

According to this cla.s.sification, which is native, the fetiches of the Mountain Lions are represented on Plate IV. They are invariably distinguished by the tail, which is represented very long, and laid lengthwise of the back from the rump nearly or quite to the shoulders, as well as by the ears, which are quite as uniformly rounded and not prominent.

The fetich of the yellow Mountain Lion (Ha'k-ti ta'sh-a-na thlup-tsi-na), or G.o.d of the North (Plate IV, Fig. 1), is of yellow limestone.[1] It has been smoothly carved, and is evidently of great antiquity, as shown by its polish and patina, the latter partly of blood. The a.n.u.s and eyes are quite marked holes made by drilling. An arrow-point of flint is bound to the back with cordage of cotton, which latter, however, from its newness, seems to have been recently added.

The fetich of the blue Mountain Lion, of the West (Ha'k-ti ta'sh-a-na thli-a-na), is represented in Plate IV, Fig. 2. The original is composed of finely veined azurite or carbonate of copper, which, although specked with harder serpentinous nodules, is almost entirely blue. It has been carefully finished, and the ears, eyes, nostrils, mouth, tail, a.n.u.s, and legs are clearly cut.

The fetich of the white Mountain Lion, of the East (Ha'k-ti ta'sh-a-na k'o-ha-na), is represented by several specimens, two of which are reproduced in Plate IV, Figs. 3 and 4. The former is very small and composed of compact white limestone, the details being p.r.o.nounced, and the whole specimen finished with more than usual elaboration. The latter is unusually large, of compact gypsum or alabaster, and quite carefully carved. The eyes have been inlaid with turkoises, and there is cut around its neck a groove by which the beads of sh.e.l.l, coral, &c., were originally fastened. A large arrow-head of chalcedony has been bound with cords of cotton flatwise along one side of the body.

The only fetich representing the red Mountain Lion, of the South (Ha'k-ti ta'sh-a-na a-ho-na), in the collection was too imperfect for reproduction.

[Footnote 1: I am indebted to Mr. S.F. Emmons, of the Geological Survey, for a.s.sisting me to determine approximately the mineralogical character of these specimens.]

The fetich of the spotted or many-colored Mountain Lion (Ha'k-ti ta'sh-a-na su-pa-no-pa _or_ i-to-pa-nah-na-na), of the Upper regions, is also represented by two specimens (Plate IV, Figs. 5 and 6), both of fibrous aragonite in alternating thin and thick laminae, or bands of grayish yellow, white, and blue. Fig. 5 is by far the more elaborate of the two, and is, indeed, the most perfect fetich in the collection. The legs, ears, eyes, nostrils, mouth, tail, a.n.u.s, and genital organs (of the male) are carefully carved, the eyes being further elaborated by mosaics of minute turkoises. To the right side of the body, ”over the heart,” is bound with blood-blackened cotton cords a delicate flint arrow-point, together with white sh.e.l.l and coral beads, and, at the breast, a small triangular figure of an arrow in haliotus, or abalone.

The fetich of the black Mountain Lion (Ha'k-ti ta'sh-a-na s.h.i.+-k'ia-na) (Pl. IV, Fig. 7) is of gypsum, or white limestone, but has been painted black by pigment, traces of which are still lodged on portions of its surface.

THE COYOTE--HUNTER G.o.d OF THE WEST.

The fetiches of the Coyote, or G.o.d of the West, and his younger brothers, represented on Plate V, are called Tethl-po-k'ia, an archaic form of the modern word Sus-k'i we-ma-we (Coyote fetiches), from _tethl-nan_,=a sacred prayer-plume, and _po-an_,=an object or locality on or toward which anything is placed, a depository, and _k'ia_=the active participle. They are usually distinguished by horizontal or slightly drooping tails, pointed or small snouts, and erect ears.

Although the Coyote of the West is regarded as the master of the Coyotes of the other five regions, yet, in the prayers, songs, and recitations of the Sa-ni-a-k'ia-kwe, and Prey Brother Priesthood, the Coyote of the North is mentioned first. I therefore preserve the same sequence observed in describing the Mountain Lion fetiches.

The fetich of the yellow Coyote (Sus-k'i thlup-tsi-na), of the North, is represented in Plate V, Fig. 1. The original is of compact white limestone stained yellow. The att.i.tude is that of a coyote about to pursue his prey (la-hi-na i-mo-na), which has reference to the intemperate haste on the part of this animal, which usually, as in the foregoing tradition, results in failure.

The fetich of the blue Coyote, of the West (Sus-k'i lo-k'ia-na--signifying in reality blue gray, the color of the coyote, instead of blue=thli-a-na), is shown, in Plate V, Fig. 2. This fetich is also of compact white limestone, of a yellowish gray color, although traces of blue paint and large turkois eyes indicate that it was intended, like Plate III, Fig. 3, to represent the G.o.d of the West.

The fetich of the red Coyote (Sus-k'i a-ho-na), of the South, is represented by Plate V, Fig. 4, which, although of white semi-translucent calcite, has been deeply stained with red paint.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE COYOTE FETICHES OF THE CHASE--HUNTER G.o.d OF THE WEST.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: WILD CAT FETICHES OF THE CHASE--HUNTER G.o.d OF THE SOUTH.]

Two examples of the fetich of the white Coyote (Sus-k'i k'o-ha-na), of the East, are shown in Plate V, Figs. 4 and 5. They are both of compact white limestone. The first is evidently a natural fragment, the feet being but slightly indicated by grinding, the mouth by a deep cut straight across the snout, and the eyes by deeply drilled depressions, the deep groove around, the neck being designed merely to receive the necklace. The second, however, is more elaborate, the pointed chin, horizontal tail, and p.r.i.c.ked-up ears being distinctly carved, and yet in form the specimen resembles more a weasel than a coyote.

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