Many, however,
lingered at a spring some fifteen miles west of Zuni, and there
established the village Tk[=a]p-qu[=e]-n[=a] (Hot Spring).
The K[=o]-y[=e]-m[=e]-shi and K[=o]-m[=o]-k[)e]t-si passed down
through the interior of the mountain into the depths of the lake, the
waters of everlasting happiness. In the passageway are four chambers,
where the couple tarried on their way and where at the present time
the two priests of the K[=o]k-k[=o] rest in their journey to the
sacred waters. So credulous are the people that the priests delude
them into the belief that they actually pass through the mountain to
the lake.
Having heard of the wonderful cave in this mountain, our little party
visited the place, prepared to explore it. Mr. Stevenson and Mr.
H.L. Turner entered the fissure in the rock and squeezed through the
crevice for sixteen or eighteen feet to where the rock was so solid
that they both determined no human creature could penetrate farther.
They examined the place most carefully by means of an artificial
light. Through a small aperture stones could be thrown to a depth from
which no sound returned, but excepting this solitary opening all was
solid, immovable rock. In this cave many plume sticks were gathered.
Near the opening of the cave, or fissure, is a shrine to the
K[=o]k-k[=o], which must be very old, and over and around it are
hundreds of the plume sticks and turquoise and shell beads.
I would mention here a little incident illustrative of the
superstitious dread these Indians entertain of violating the priestly
commands.
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