30 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



pictography aud sigu language, liuguistics, mythology, psychology, 

 and bibliography, and the results obtained during the year have 

 never been exceeded in value. 



Exploratory work has been carried on in the western part of the 

 continent by several parties. The most extended exploration was made 

 in connection with an archaiologic survey of portions of New Mexico 

 and Arizona, where a i)arty examined the valleys of the Little Colorado 

 aud San Juan rivers, as well as Canyon de Chelly and the vicinity of 

 San Francisco "wash." In the first-named valley but few relics of 

 the aborigines were found, and reason was disclosed for believing that 

 this poverty in relics was due to the high velocity of the stream and 

 the rnggeduess of its channel and valley bottom, by which irrigation 

 was rendered impracticable. Certain ruins of considerable interest 

 were, however, located and surveyed. In Canyon de Chelly more than 

 60 ruins were examined and ground plans of many of them were made, 

 while a large series of photographs were taken. TLe San Juan Valley 

 also was found rich in remains of structures of the general type found 

 in Canyon de Chelly and elsewhere in the arid southwestern region. 

 The relative abundance of ruins, indicating a numerous ancient i)opu- 

 lation in Canyon de Chelly and San Juan Valley, is ascribed by 

 the arclui'ologist to the facility witli which the respective rivers may 

 be controlled for irrigation purposes, and abundant remains of the 

 irrigation works were found. 



Another party spent several months in Indian Territory and Okla- 

 homa collecting information concerning the habits and customs of the 

 Kiowa, Arapahoe, and Cheyenne Indians, as well as material objects 

 illustrating their arts and modes of life. This i)arty was provided 

 with a graphophone, by means of which a number of aboriginal songs, 

 both with and without instrumental accompaniment, were recorded. 

 Other collaborators of the Bureau visited the Indians of northern 

 Wisconsin and northeastern Minnesota and the Kwapa lieservation in 

 Indian Territory, where they were able to collect valuable material 

 relating to the habits, customs, social organization, myths, traditions, 

 and languages of the aborigines. 



The arclueologic investigations already begun in eastern United 

 States were contiiuied in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Maryland, 

 Virginia, central Ohio, and Tennessee. The researches in Delaware 

 Valley, in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, are considered by the officers 

 of the Bureau as of special interest in tlieir bearing on <iuestions con- 

 cerning the arts of the prehistoric peoples of eastern North America, 

 while the investigations in Virginia are regarded as throwing useful 

 light on the arts of the aborigines at a time more iuuncdiately anterior 

 to the white invasion. Several reports on different archwologic sub- 

 jects were i)repared for publication during the year. The director 

 notes with regret that Prof. W. H. Holmes, who has for some years 

 been in charge of this archteologic work, has severed his connection 



