CENTENNIAL EXHIBITION. 09 



shoes, hoivsps and (lo<»s, and their traj>piii<^s, iin])le!nents ofhnntinjif itiid 

 tishiii<;, afiiieiiltuial tools, and indeed ever.>thin<;' else that ean be 

 lliouj^ht of. 



Amonfjf the more eonspicnons objects already eolleeted by ]Mr. Swau 

 are a Uaidah canoe, GO i'cet long, S IV'ct wide, and 4 1'ee't hijih, cut from 

 a single log of cedar, profusely ornamented with carvings and paintings 

 in the manner of the natives, with several other canoes 30 feet long; 

 also several carved posts, 00 (eet high, such as are set in front of the 

 dwellings of the IJaiilah chiefs; maltiials lor a complete dwelling, 100 

 feet long by 20 wide, and many other things not necessaiy to enumerate. 



The selection ot ethnological objeets for exhibition at the Centennial 

 has been intrusted to Dr. Charles liau, one of the most eminent of 

 American ethnologists, who is jireparing an elaborate report upon the 

 subject, with numerous illusti-ations, which will shortly be printeii. 



One feature which promised to be of very great interest, but which 

 the reduction of the estimaties for the Government divsi)lay rendered im- 

 practicable, was that of an exhibition of living representatives of the 

 principal Indian tribes, each series to embrace iron) four to eight per- 

 sons, of dift'erent sexes and ages, to be brought to Philadelphia with 

 their native clothing, imiilemeuts, utensils, ap])aratus, and dwellings; 

 tlie whole to be grouped on a reservation of the Centennial grounds, 

 wheie they could carry on their various occupations, including the 

 practice of their aboriginal arts; the Navajoes to show their methods 

 of weaving blankets and belts; the Pueblos, their manufacture of pot- 

 tery; the Piutes, the construction of their stxine implements; other 

 tribes their baskt^twork; the Blackfeet their method of dressing buffalo 

 and other skins, &c. The plan embraced the presentation of some 

 twenty or more tribes, Iroin the Esquimaux of Northwestern Alaska 

 to the Seminole, and fiom the Passamaquoddy Indians of Maine to 

 those of San Diego, California. The expense of such an enterprise 

 would, of course, be very great, involving not only the transportation of 

 the Indians ami an agent and interpreter to and from Philadelphia, 

 but also their subsistence during the exhibition. There is reason, how- 

 ever, to believe that no feature on that occasion would be more inter- 

 esting to our own people and to foreign visitors than the one referred 

 to; and it is to be hoped that authority may be granted by Congress, 

 in season for the purpose. In anticipation of such action the Indian 

 agents have been instru(;ted to make their selections of families and be 

 in readiness to act when notilied by telegraph or otherwise. 



I have thus jireseuted a sketch of the displays that are considered 

 desirable for the Smithsonian Institution and the United Stal<'s Fish 

 Commission to make in the International Exhibition, although, to carry 

 it out to its utmost completeness, so as to be a credit to the nation, 

 v> ill require the a])i)roi)riation by Congress of the remainder of the sum 

 originally estimated as necessary for the pur])Ose. A work of snch 

 magnitude, of course requii'cs the employment ot a great many ])ersons, 



