REPORT OF THP: SECRETARY. 49 



cially those in Havana and Santiago; he also visited Matanzas, Santa Clara, and Puerto 

 Principe, and made excursions fnun the city of Santiago to settlements where a few 

 Indians still lived. The small collections of prehistoric objects obtained in eastern 

 Cuba were found to resemble those of the neighboring island of Santo Domingo, but 

 to differ distinctly from those of the western extremity of the island. From Santiago 

 he proceeded by the way of Jamaica to Trinidad, where he remained three weeks 

 and gathered a small collection of archeological and ethnological objects and obtained 

 data regarding the former inhabitants of the island and the present condition of sur- 

 vivors now living in the town of Arinia. Here he obtained some information regard- 

 ing the "fire walk," or the "fire pass," of the cooly residents of the island. From 

 Trinidad he proceeded along the Lesser Antilles to Porto Rico, remaining, respec- 

 tively, one or more days at Barbados, (ircnada, St. Vincent, and St. Thomas, and 

 obtaining prehistoric objects at several of these islands. 



March and April were mainly spent by Doctor Fewkes on the southern side of the 

 island of Porto Rico, visiting caves and shell heaps and other sites of prehistoric 

 occupation. Extensive shell heaps were found at Cayito, near Salinas, and at the 

 Coamo baths on the estate of Seflor Usera. Several caves showing evidence of former 

 occupation were found near Ponce. He purchased in Ponce the important collection 

 of Senor Neumann, containing several stone collars, rare idols, complete pieces of jiot- 

 tery, and other objects. The whole collection made by Doctor Fewkes, including 

 ethnological and archeological objects, numbers 630 specimens. 



Since his return to Washington in JNIay, Doctor Fewkes has been occupied with 

 the jireparation of a final report of his expeditions to the West Indies during the last 

 three years. 



Mrs. M. C. Stevenson, ethnologist, was engaged during the first six months of the year 

 in completing her monograph of the Zuni Indians and in preparing it for the press. 

 In January she set out for New Mexico with the view of contiiuiing her researches 

 in certain directions, especially with respect to the relation of the Zuni peoi)Ie to 

 other tribes of the general region. Chief attention was given to the mythological 

 system and to the ceremonial dances, which followed in ({uick succession during the 

 late winter and the early spring months. 



Mrs. Stevenson found the people of Zuni much changed in recent years. The 

 former gentleness of character and the marked courtesy of the primitive aborigines 

 has entirelj'" disappeared, save with a few of the older men and women, the desire 

 of sordid gain engendered by contact with the whites outweighing every other 

 motive. 



Mrs. Stevenson was commissioned to collect material illustrative of her researches 

 in Zuni, to form part of the Bureau's exhibit at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition, 

 the special topic being the religious syndwlism embodied in the various arts, such 

 as pottery, textiles, basketry, in costumes, altars, images, and other ceremonial objects. 

 Her study of this subject, heretofore much neglected, w^as thorough, and the signifi- 

 cance of nearly every symbol now used by the Zuni was obtained. She observed 

 that, while the officers of the secret fraternities have a thorough understanding of the 

 symbolism associated with their altars, few persons know the meanings of the designs 

 employed in pottery and the other useful arts, the artists themselves having little 

 appreciation of the poetic imagery associated with the various figures. Mrs. Steven- 

 son believes that the original significance of the decorative motives of the Zufii 

 people will soon be lost l)y them. 



Aside from her systematic researches, a number of special subjects were investi- 

 gated by Mrs. Stevenson, including the irrigating system of the Zufii at Ojo Caliente, 

 the manufacture and use of the native dyeing materials, the preparation of pig- 

 ments, etc. 



Early in August Dr. John R. Swanton, ethnologist, handed in a typewritten copy 

 of the Haida texts obtained at Skidegate, Queen Charlotte Islands, during the winter 

 SM 1904 4 



