380 THE ZUNI INDIANS [eth. ann. 23 



sometimes the ax alone being used. Shingles made bj the Ziifii car- 

 penter take the place of the willow boughs across the beams of the 

 ceiling, and the rooms are much larger. The women still do much of 

 the work in the construction of houses. 



Large, sometimes double, windows with curtains, doors with locks, 

 and china closets are much in fashion at present. Enameled iron bed- 

 steads are to be found in a few houses, while a number of families 

 have chairs and tables. The table is introduced rather as an ornament, 

 as they prefer to serve their meals in the old-fashioned way on the 

 floor. The writer has observed but two families eating from tables. 

 A number of small heating and cooking stoves are in use, and j^east- 

 powder bread baked in the stove is fast taking the place of bread 

 prepared in the native manner. 



Soap was introduced in 1879 in the hope that the Zufiis would wash 

 their cotton clothes, and the writer undertook the task of instruction. 

 She selected as a pupil a man who had adopted woman's dress and who 

 was known to be the strongest, most active, and most progressive 

 Indian in the tribe; but he was averse to the work, and at tirst refused 

 to wash. He looked on in silence for a time while the writer worked. 

 Never having had any experience in that work herself, she soon had 

 ?.* most of the water from the tub on the floor and was drenched to the skin. 



The pupil exclaimed: "You do not understand that which you would 

 teach. You do not understand as much as the missionary's wife; she 

 keeps the water in the tub and does not make a river on the floor. Let 

 me take j'our place." Ironing time came, onl}^ to find the pupil still 

 more averse. He declared he had learned enough and would never 

 learn to iron. But he was linally persuaded to go on with the work. 

 Many weeks passed, however, before he would wash and iron without 

 constant urging. Finally he began to realize that he was accumulating 

 silver dollars from the members of the expedition. Then he declared 

 that he would become a good laundryman and would go to Fort Win- 

 gate and wash for the captains' families. This man ultimately became 

 as celebrated as a Chinese laundryman, his own cleanly apparel being 

 his advertising card, and was called upon not only by the officers' 

 families at the garrison, but ])V the white settlers near and far. Others 

 of the tribe concluded that they, too, would wash their clothes, and 

 consequently a great change for the better took place. 



Laundering, which is carried on extensively" at the present time, is 

 not confined to either sex; the men wash their own clothes, and the 

 women launder for their children and themselves. Only a few work 

 for the whites, the men wearing female attire being preferred to the 

 women on account of their strength and endurance. 



The Zunis sell their wool and buy blankets and quilts, so that the 

 bed blankets so extensive!}' woven b}^ them in past years are no longer 

 to be seen. Weaving needles made of tin cans are used instead of the 

 bone needle of earlier days. 



