64 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



material for maps, in Micbigau and Wisconsin. He remained at Car- 

 bondale until the last of December. 



General field studies, — While engaged in making a geological recon- 

 naissance of the Tewau Mountains, the Director was enabled to study 

 on the ground a large field of archaeology. This is an extensive district 

 of country drained by the Ghama and Jemez, and other tributaries of 

 the Eio Grande del Norte. In prehistoric and early historic times the 

 region was mainly occupied by tribes of the Tewan stock. The peoi)le 

 lived in villages or pueblos, many of which were built of the rude stone 

 that abounds in convenient forms for such structures. The cliffs of the 

 canons carved by the many streams that drain the mountain area are 

 often composed of volcanic tufa so soft that it can be easily worked with 

 rude stone tools, and many of the people had learned to hew it into 

 convenient shapes for architectural purposes. 



Some of the tribes at different periods in their history left their stone 

 pueblos and constructed homes for themselves by excavating chambers 

 in the tufa cliffs. These cavate dwellings, now abandoned and in ruins, 

 and the ruins of many other jijucient dwellings, are scattered through- 

 out this entire country. 



On the northern flank of the Tewan Mountains, near the river Chama 

 and about 3 miles below Abiquiu, an extensive ruin was visited, the 

 walls of which were constructed of clay built up in a mass. By what 

 mechanical devices they were built was not discovered, but it is evident 

 that the clay was not made into adobes. During the study of all these 

 ruins interesting archseologic collections were made, especially of articles 

 in stone and clay. 



Mr. James Stevenson, who had accompanied the Director in the above- 

 mentioned explorations, proceeded, at the beginning of October, 1887, 

 to the pueblo of Silla, about 8 miles south of Jemez, and spent six weeks 

 engaged, with remarkable success, in making a collection and studying 

 the customs, sociology, and mythology of the people. 



The Silla retain their ancient religion in great purity in spite of the 

 efforts of Christian priests which have been continued for centuries. 

 Their ceremonial chambers contained brightly-colored altars of wood, 

 before which many idols and other sacred objects were placed, while the 

 walls were hung with various mythologic emblems of great delicacy and 

 beauty. Mr. Stevenson was invited to inspect all these freely. The 

 fact was disclosed that the people had a finer variety of idols than even 

 the Zuni. Their stone idols in human form presented a special feature, 

 the carving being of a higher type than any before seen in the region. 



From one of the large ceremonial chambers he was passed through a 

 concealed opening into a much smaller room literally filled with masks 

 made in imitation of their idols, all of which he was permitted to examine 

 at leisure, a most unusual privilege, as these i)eople have a superstitious 

 dread of their masks being seen when off the i)erson. This collection of 

 masks is not only large but interesting in variety. Sketches were made 

 of many of them. 



