354 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



plants" are cured for winter use, most of them being- tied in bunches 

 and hung- in the storage rooms, as are also the medicinal plants. 



Peaches are raised in the foothills, where there is more moisture 

 than below. The trees are low, mau}^ of them not over 3 feet in 

 height, some even less. Their spreading- limbs are laden with fruit 

 when the season is favorable, but the crop is plentiful onh^ every other 

 year. When the fruit is ripe, all families that have orchards, or some 

 of the members of each famil}-, move to the orchards and I'emain in 

 temporar}^ huts or permanent structures until the fruit is gathered, in 

 many instances until it js dried. Though the fresh fruit is greatly 

 enjoyed, and even green peaches stewed and sweetened are a treat, care 

 is taken to dr}^ large quantities for the winter. The Palle family, 

 the richest in Zuni, dry their fruit on the top of a great rock which 

 appears to be inaccessible to any but an Indian. A man of this family, 

 now deceased, who wore female attire placed the peaches on this rock 

 at the time when the w^riter visited the orchard. This is a delightful 

 season for the Zunis, and especially for the children, who spend their 

 days eating peaches and rolling over the sand hills. 



SALT GATHERING 



The annual journey to the Zufii salt lake* for the purpose of gather- 

 ing salt is an important event with the Zunis, as it is with the other 

 pueblos, and is accompanied b}^ elaborate ceremonies. In Jul}' the 

 first body of A'shiwanni (rain priests) gather together in the ancestral 

 chamber of the Kia'kwemosi (rain priest of the North and high priest 

 of Zuni) to arrange for the annual journey, and early the following- 

 morning the elder brother Bow priest announces from the house top 

 that those in need of salt must be ready to start in four days, inclu- 

 sive of that day, for the home of the Salt Mother.'" The women 

 never go. On this occasion each man of the first body of rain priests'^ 

 takes his turn in regular order in leading the party. He is accom- 



n In 1902 the writer collected a large number of edible and medicinal plants, which were placed in 

 the hands of Dr F. V. Coville, curator of botany, National Museum, for classification, and will be 

 described in a later publication. 



6The following facts regarding this lake are kindly furnished by Mr N. H. Darton. of the United 

 States Geological Survey: 



The Zuni salt lake is situated on the south slopes of the valley of Carrizo Creek, 42 miles south by 

 east from Zuiii pueblo. Sinking abruptly below the sloping plain of the surrounding valley is a round, 

 crater-like depression about a mile broad and 200 feet deep. In its center ri.se two symmetrical vol- 

 canic cinder cones about 1.50 feet high, to the north of which is the salt lake, and to the south a 

 nearly smooth plain floored with wash from the slopes. The lake is an oblong body of water extend- 

 ing east and west across the northern end of the depression, with a length of about 4,0C0 feet and a 

 breadth somewhat less. Apparently the lake occupied the entire floor of the depression at onetime, 

 but by evaporation and the deposition of mud it has greatly diminished in .size. The waters of the 

 lake are saturated with common salt, containing 20 per cent, according to Profes.sor C. L. Herrick. 

 As the natural evaporation progresses salt is deposited. Although no deep borings have been made 

 the depression appears to contain a salt deposit of considerable thickness, mixed with a small amount 

 of mud washed from the surrounding slopes and dust carried by the wind. 



cSee Zuni version of Origin of the salt lake, p. 58. 



dThe first body of rain priests comprises the rain priests of the six regions, the elder and younger 

 brother Bow priests, and the Priestess of fecundity. 



