.STEVENSON] ARTS AND INDUSTRIES 865 



shapes, such as animals and birds, and sonic of the old wonicii dcliuht 

 in making- portions of their douoh into obscene characters. 



The oven (see plate xc) is mound-shaped, built of stone, and plastered 

 on the exterior and interior, and when not in use for baking- purposes 

 serves as a kennel for dogs. The opening through which the l)rcad is 

 passed is rectangular and near the base, while the vent for the smoke 

 is near the top on the opposite side. A fire of cedar wood is made 

 and the lower opening is securel}^ closed until the oven is thoroughly 

 heated and the wood reduced to coals. The coals and ashes are 

 sprinkled with water and removed with long-handled wooden shovels 

 made for the purpose. Some of these shovels arc decorated with 

 symbols of the ancient ladder made of a notched log. The lloor of the 

 oven is carefully swept and afterward washed with a mop of cedar 

 twigs supplied with a long handle. This work must be done rapidly 

 that the oven may not become cooled. The heat of the oven is tested 

 b\' scattering bran over the bottom. One or two pieces of the dough 

 are placed upon a Avooden shovel and deposited in the oven with 

 great accuracy' so that there shall l)e no waste room. When the 

 oven is quite filled, the doorway is covered with a piece of sheep- 

 skin, the wool outside, held in place by a stone slab. A numl^er of 

 bakings can be done with one heating of the o\en. Economy is 

 observed in the use of wood because it comes from a distance. It is 

 brought in wagons l)v those who are the happy possessors of them, 

 otherwise on the backs of ])urros or of men; the women rarely act 

 as beasts of burden, and only occasionall}'^ has the writer observed 

 a woman bringing' wood to the village (see plate xci). Wood us(k1 

 in ceremonials is usuall}' transported on burros. 



He'palokia is made from wheat or corn, a quantity of wheat is placed 

 in a bowl and cold water poured over it. It is then left to stand twenty- 

 four hours, when it is washed and placed in a l)asket tray, sprinkled 

 with water, and covered with a cotton clotii. 'Vhv tray stands in the 

 sun during the day and is set in a warm place during the inght. This 

 process of sprinkling and placing- the wheat in the sun is repeated 

 until the wheat has sprouted and become sweet. A handful of the 

 sprouted wheat is ground and added to a soft batter of wheat Hour, 

 and the mixture is worked w^ith a stick made for the pui-pose; some- 

 times a bunch of slender sticks is used. Nine or ten slabs, about 

 10 by 10 inches, are stood on end in an excavation in the same tire- 

 place used for baking the he'we, and cedar wood is placed Ix^tween 

 them. The wood is then lighted; when it is reduced to coals, and the 

 excavation is properly heated, the slal)s are laid to one side, while the 

 coals are removed, and the surface where they rested is thoroughly 

 swept. A nuni])er of dried corn husks, sufficient to cover the space 

 occupied by a slal), are dampened and flattened, and the mixture is 

 spread over them. Husks are now hud around the edge of the stiti' 



