48 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



among the islands. This series is without question the most complete yet brought 

 together to represent the pre-Columl>ian c-ulture of the Carib and Arawak peoples, 

 who were practically exterminated by the Spanish invaders. Mr. Mooney, who is 

 engaged in the study of the heraldry system of the Great Plains tribes, undertook to 

 prepare a series of exhibits illustrating this heretofore undeveloped branch of 

 research. The exhibit consists of shields and models of shields and tipis embel- 

 lished with the heraldic symbols of the native owners, skins showing elaborate 

 designs in Ijrilliant colors executed by native artists, and numerous other specimens 

 having a l)earing on this phase of the culture of the Great Plains tribes. 



The preparation of an extended exliibit for the National Museum gave the Chief 

 the opportunity of assembling a large series of exhibits illustrating the higher 

 achievements of the American race in various branches of art, including architecture, 

 sculpture, plastic art, carving, basketry, featherwork, and weaving. A leading fea- 

 ture of the work consisted of restorations of a number of the great ruined buildings 

 of Mexico and Yucatan. Five models of buildings were made: One on a scale of 

 one-twelfth, one on a scale of one-eighteenth, and three on a scale of one twenty- 

 fourth, and much time and research were expended in collecting data and in deter- 

 mining the details of construction and embellishment. Working plans for use in 

 the building of these models were prepared by Mr. De Lancey Gill, and the models 

 were constructed by Mr. H. W. Hendley and Mr. W. H. Gill. 



FIELD WORK. 



Mr. James Mooney, ethnologist, remained in the field during nearly the entire fis- 

 cal year, dividing his time between the Kiowa and the Cheyenne, with their asso- 

 ciated tribes in western Oklahoma, in accordance with the existing joint agreement 

 between the Bureau and the Field Columbian Museum. The two tribes refeired to 

 occupy adjoining reservations recently opened to white settlement, with agencies 

 about 100 miles apart. 



During July, 1903, Mr. Mooney was operating chiefly in the Cheyenne camp, 

 spending a week in attendance at the great annual sun dance, where he succeeded 

 in obtaining the first photographs ever made of the skull-dragging ceremony, and 

 obtained for the National Museum the sacred buffalo skull used on the altar of 

 the dance. Shortly afterward he was recalled to Washington, where he remained 

 until October, returning to the field in time to witness the tomahawk dance of the 

 Arapaho — an interesting ceremony held only at intervals of several years on the 

 occasion of the promotion of the young men of a certain military society from a 

 lower to a higher degree. Headquarters having been temporarily established at 

 Darlington, the Cheyenne- Arapaho Agency, the winter months were spent in gath- 

 ering additional Cheyenne information and in putting the final touches on a series 

 of Kiowa models to be included in the Bureau's exhibit at the Louisiana Purchase 

 Exposition. Early in March Mr. Mooney removed to his permanent headquarters 

 at Mount Scott, in the Kiowa country. Work was continued on the exposition 

 exhibit, which was shipped to St. Louis before the close of the month. About the 

 middle of June he was instructed to proceed to St. Louis to complete the installation 

 of this material; and, after spending a number of days in the study of the al)original 

 exhibits of the exposition, he returned to the Kiowa country to continue his 

 researches there. 



Dr. J. W. Fewkes, ethnologist, remained in Washington during the first half of 

 the year, engaged in the completion of his report on the previous winter's field work 

 in Porto Rico and Santo Domingo, and in January, 1904, he again proceeded to the 

 West Indies with instructions to make a reconnaissance of the great chain of islands 

 connecting Florida Mith the eastern shore of Venezuela for the purpose of obtaining 

 a general view of the antiquities and remaining tribal remnants. In January Doctor 

 Fewkes reached Cuba, wbere he spent six weeks examining local collections, espe- 



