In the meantime the dancing goes on with undiminished force.  Nearly every night during the dry season, for nobody knows how many centuries, the Morning Star has been looking down upon his sons, the Tarahumares, as they dance in the heart of the sierra, casting his last rays upon the weird scene around their dying fires before he flees from the approaching keeper of the day.  Just before the first beam of the rosy light announces the coming of Father Sun, the dancing ceases, and the rattles are added to the sacrificial offerings on the blanket.  Everybody now is ready to do homage to the deity about to appear above the horizon.  The shaman greets him with the words, “Behold, Nonorugami is coming!” and then solemnly proceeds toward the cross, while the people form a line behind him and preserve a respectful silence throughout the ensuing ceremony.  He fills a large drinking-gourd with tesvino, and, holding it in his left hand, throws a small dipperful of the liquor with his right hand into the air, three times to each cardinal point, making the ceremonial circuit.  Then the meat and the tortillas are sacrificed in the following way:  The shaman takes up from the ground the vessel in front of him, and lifts it three times toward heaven.  Then with his fingers he takes up a little meat, offers it to the cross with the word “Koa!” (Eat), and throws it up into the air.  Next he breaks off a small piece of tortilla, and repeats the same ceremony.  Thus he sacrifices to all the cardinal points.  The two assistants of the shaman follow their principal in every act he performs.

The solemnity of the scene is by no means impaired by the numerous dogs, which are gathering to see what they can snatch up.  Of course, the people drive them away, but in the end they always get Nonorugami’s share of the food, while the god is supposed to eat only the nourishing substance.

What is left in the jars or bowls after the sacrifice is placed back on the blanket under the cross.  The broth of the meat, too, is sacrificed, and so is the blood of the animal that has been killed for the feast.

Whenever the shaman returns to the people after performing the sacrifice, he says, “This was done on behalf of Nonorugami,” and all the people respond:  “Matetrava!  Matetrava!  Kalahupo!” (Thank you!  Thank you!  It is all right!)

When the gods have had their share of the tesvino and the food, the curing begins.  The medicines are cold infusions of different medicinal plants.  The shaman standing directly in front of the middle cross, takes up the jar containing the chief medicine, palo hediondo; his assistant to the north takes up the bowl containing a root called ohnoa; and the one on the south maguey water.  After having duly sacrificed to the gods, the great shaman himself takes three spoonfuls of the medicine, and gives the same quantity to his assistant to the north, who in turn first takes his remedy and then gives some to the