Always a hushed gasp of admiration greets their entrance,--an admiration
mixed with a shudder of awe. Again the standard bearer, with his whizzer
or thunder-maker, leads, followed by the asperger, and we hear the sound
of thunder, as the whizzer (sometimes called the bull-roarer) is whirled
rapidly over the priest's head. The chapleted asperger sprinkles his
charm liquid in the four directions, first north, then west, south, and
east.

They circle the plaza four times, each stamping mightily upon the cover
of the sipapu as they pass the Kisa. Surely, the spirits of the
underworld are thus made aware of the presence of the Snake Brotherhood
engaged in the traditional ritual. Incidentally, this Snake Dance is
carried on in the underworld on a known date in December, and at that
time the Hopi Snake men set up their altar and let the spirits know that
they are aware of their ceremony and in sympathy with them.

[Illustration: Figure 10.--Snake Priests in Front of Kisa.

--Courtesy Arizona State Museum.]

Now the procession lines up facing the Antelope priests in front of the
Kisa, (See Figure 10), and the rattles of both lines of priests begin a
low whirr not unlike the rattle of snakes. All is perfectly rhythmic and
the Snake priests, with locked fingers, sway back and forth to the
music, bodies as well as feet keeping time, while the Antelopes mark
time with a rhythmic shuffle. At last they break into a low chant, which
increases in volume, and rising and falling goes on interminably.

At last there is a pause and the Snake priests form into groups of
three, a carrier, an attendant, and a gatherer.