REPORT OF THE SECRETARY 55 



eastern side of the river. These two buttes are interpreted b}- the 

 ancient Indians of the region as being what remains of the doorposts 

 of the house of Matavilya, and Indian tradition has evidently attached 

 itself to this phice for many generations, probably for many centuries. 

 The interesting myth was obtained which recounts the destruction 

 of the house at the time of the cremation of Matavilya. Consider- 

 able time was spent in checking with surviving ancient Indians in 

 regard to the discovery of this important site, Dr. Harrington going as 

 far as Tehachapi, Calif., for this purpose. 



On November 6, 1946, Dr. Harrington returned to Washington, 

 D. C, and the entire remainder of the fiscal year was spent in sorting 

 over and preparing various articles for publication. 



The first of these undertakings was the preparation of an article on 

 the State Names of Mexico. This paper covers not only the state 

 and territory names of Mexico, but also the country names of Central 

 America and South America. Several of the etymologies are new, 

 notably that of the name of the Mexican State of Yucatan, which 

 is here seen to be derived perhaps from a hypothetical form Yucahtan. 

 The next item completed was an article on the Tewa language of 

 New Mexico. A paper on the Province Names of Canada was next 

 finished. Compilation for this work had long been in progress, part 

 of it done in Canada. 



An extensive paper on the Aleutian language was next written, 

 embodying the results of previous field work in Alaska. Another 

 paper was prepared consisting of a detailed ethnogeographic descrip- 

 tion of the projecting rocks and islands off the coast of California. 



A manuscript was completed with the title "Quirix is the Native 

 Name of San Felipe Pueblo." This paper sets forth the unique thesis 

 that Bandelier is wrong in assuming that Quirix, which gives its name 

 to the Keresan linguistic stock, is Bernalillo, or any site in the vicinity 

 of Bernalillo, but that the recorded form is a Spanish spelling of the 

 Indian name of San Felij)e. Tlie Tewa of the Castaiieda account of 

 the Coronado Expedition would then be Isleta, and Isleta is still called 

 Tewa in Keresan. 



A number of short papers were also written, the titles being as 

 follows : 



The Name Yucatan. 



The Name Colorado. 



The Three Earliest Mentions of the Turquoise Mines of New Mexico. 



The Name Chuckwalla. 



Rita, a Short-Cut for Saying Riito. 



De Alarcon has the Name of Zunyi Salt Lake. 



Olivella River, the Old Name of Santa Fe Creek. 



Trail Holder. 



H'aak'o, Original Keresan Name of Acoma. 



777488—48 5 



