XXVI ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 
these inscriptions, for the purpose of discovering the character- 
istics of the pictographic method and deciphering the records, 
and the discoveries made by him are of great interest. 
The Bureau has given him clerical assistance and such other 
aid as has been found possible, and a paper by him on this sub- 
ject appears with this volume. 
THE STUDY OF MORTUARY CUSTOMS, BY DR. H. C. YARROW. 
The tribes of North America do not constitute a homoge- 
neous people. In fact, more than seventy distinct linguistic 
stocks are discovered, and these are again divided by important 
distinctions of language. Among these tribes varying stages 
of culture have been reached, and these varying stages are ex- 
hibited in their habits and customs; and in a territory of such 
vast extent the physical environment affecting culture and cus- 
toms is of great variety. Forest lands on the one hand, prairie 
lands on the other, unbroken plains and regions of rugged 
mountains, the cold, naked, desolate shores of sea and lake 
at the north and the dense chaparral of the torrid south, the 
valleys of quiet rivers and the cliffs and gorges of the canon 
land—in all a great diversity of physical features are found, 
imposing diverse conditions for obtaining subsistence, in means 
and methods of house-building, creating diverse wants and fur- 
nishing diverse ways for their supply. Through diversities of 
languages and diversities of environment, diversity of tradi- 
tions and diversity of institutions have been produced; so: that 
in many important respects one tribe is never the counterpart 
of another. 
These diversities have important limitations in the unity of 
the human race and the social, mental, and moral homogeneity 
that has everywhere controlled the progress of culture. The 
way of human progress is one road, though wide. 
From the interesting field of research cultivated by Dr. Yar- 
row an abundant harvest will be gathered. The materials 
already accumulated are large, and are steadily increasing 
through his vigorous work. These materials constitute some- 
