DENSMORE] CHIPPEWA MUSIC 175 



This singer was an excellent subject, but it was difficult for him to 

 sing so many songs without preparation; thus some of the songs 

 are sung more firmly and repeated more accurately than the others. 



3. GI'NAWIGI'CIG ("EAGLE DAY") 



This singer was an old man who could neither speak nor under- 

 stand English and was almost totally blind. He sang seven songs, 

 six of which were minor and the other merged into minor at the 

 close. He was a typical old Indian and most of his songs are of 

 value. 



Musically these songs differ little from those of Wabezic'. 



4. GAGE'BINES ("THE EVERLASTING BIRD") 



This singer was a young man, a mixed-blood, who had a pleasing 

 voice and a particularly agreeable manner, both in singing and 

 speaking. His features suggested the possibility of some negro 

 ancestry and his songs have a suggestion of the plaintive quality 

 and peculiar swing of negro melodies. 



He sang the })laintive songs so well that he was encouraged to 

 keep to that style; he gave eight songs in all, five of which were love 

 songs and the other three woman's dances. 



It is noteworthy that two of the most plaintive songs were major 

 in tonality. Three of the songs were major, three were minor, 

 and two were duplicates. 



These songs have a wide range, some of them having a compass 

 of a twelfth. The love songs usually begin on a high note and the 

 minor third is much used in the descending progression. 



r,. WILLIAM PRENTISS 



This singer was a young man, one of the best dancers and also 

 considered one of the best singers. He spoke English freely and 

 was very intelligent. He only sang two songs. One (no. 187) 

 was the "begging song" used on the evening of July 4; the other 

 (no. 174) is of interest, as the rhythm so closely resembles that of 

 negro music. Both the songs given by this singer were minor in 

 tonality. 



6. JOHN MARK 



This young man recorded only one song. This shows an inter- 

 esting rhythm and a graceful melody, but as the voice was not 

 adapted to the phonograph no further records were made. The 

 importance of rhythm is shown by the fiict that singers who recorded 

 only a few songs usually gave songs of very peculiar rhythm. Tliis 

 suggests that the rhythm is more readily remembered than the mel- 

 ody. It has alread}^ been noted that in renditions of the same song 

 by different singers the rhythm shows less variation tln.ii the melody. 



