CHAP.
CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS.
X.]
371
There is but one of their solemn religious ceremonies of which any record exists.
The cacique proclaimed a day when a kind
of festival was to be held in honor of his Zemes.
His subjects
assembled from all parts, and formed a solemn procession; the married men and women decorated with their most precious ornaments, the young females entirely naked.
The cacique, or
the principal personage, marched at their head, beating a kind of drum.
In this way they proceeded to the consecrated house
or temple, in which were set up the images of the Zemes.
Ar
rived at the door, the cacique seated himself on the outside, continuing to beat his drum while the procession entered, the females carrying baskets of cakes ornamented with flowers, and singing as they advanced.
These offerings were received by the
Butios with loud cries, or rather howlings.
They broke the
cakes, after they had been offered to the Zemes, and distributed the portions to the heads of families, who preserved them care fully throughout the year, as preventive of all adverse accidents. This done, the females danced, at a given signal, singing songs in honor of the Zemes, or in praise of the heroic actions of their ancient caciques.
The whole ceremony finished by invoking the
Zemes to watch over and protect the nation.* Besides the Zemes, each cacique had three idols or talismans, which were mere stones, but which were held in great reverence by themselves and their subjects.
One they supposed had the
power to produce abundant harvests, another to remove all pain from women in travail, and the third to call forth rain or sunshine. Three of these were sent home by Columbus to the sovereigns.† The ideas of the natives with respect to the creation were vague * Charlevoix, Hist. St. Domingo, lib. i. p. 56. †Hist. del. Almirante. cap. 61.
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