16 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



on the wall. Such evidences of maidenly vanit}' are still to be seen in 

 pueblo houses of the present time. 



Near one end of the town were the remains of two circular walls, 

 which have been described by some writers as estufas, or lire houses, 

 and are supposed to have been used for religious purposes by the 

 former inhabitants of the pueblo. Careful observation indicated that 

 these particular inclosures were probably designed as reservoirs and 

 were used for the storage of snow, to be consumed during the long- 

 droughts of that arid country. Subsequentl}' in the same 5^ear it was 

 found that the Laguna Indians used similar stores of snow. The 

 Laguna women, in carrying water from distant springs when the 

 reservoirs were exhausted, have worn a path 6 or 8 inches deep in the 

 sandstone. How pathetic is the story graven in the winding footway; 

 what pages might be filled with this "'testimony of the rocks.'' 



The journey from the terminus of the railroad at Las Vegas to 

 Zuni was long and tedious, and the party felt deeply grateful to 

 General Edward Hatch, then in command of the district of New 

 Mexico, and to General J. J. Dane, district quartermaster, for their 

 cordial compliance with the request of General Sherman to afford 

 every facilit}^ in the way of transportation and otherwise. Had it not 

 been for the enthusiastic interest in ethnologic research of the General 

 of the Army, the limited allotment for the expedition would necessarily 

 have been largely expended for transportation and labor, and the 

 scientific work greatly hampered. 



Ten days were consumed in the journey from Santa Fe to Fort 

 Wingate over the old Fort Wingate road, a thing of the past since the 

 introduction of the railroad. Every foot of the way bore evidence of 

 former settlement. When not visible on the surface, walls, stone 

 implements, or fragments of pottery were readily revealed by a little 

 work with the pick and shovel. 



The warm welcome extended by General George P. Buell, then in 

 conuuand of Fort Wingate, was appreciated by the travelers, Avho had 

 been constantly exposed to the burning sun of New Mexico for ten 

 da3\s. After a short time spent in outfitting, the party proceeded to 

 Zuni, 45 miles distant. Here they were made welcome by the native 

 priests and other officials of the pueblo; and later, when a council was 

 held and Mr Stevenson told them the object of his visit, they promised 

 him every possible aid, a promise which they have sacredly kept. 



Six months were spent in studying the religion and sociology of the 

 Zufiis, in making a survey of the town and immediate vicinity, in 

 securing photographs of the pueblo and the people showing various 

 phases of their daily life, and in making a collection of ceremonial 

 objects including a large number of fetishes, and of stone implements, 

 fabrics, foodstuffs, and pottery. Two images of saints and portions 



