LXX REPORT OF THE BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY 



and (3) publication, together with the requisite administrative 

 work and ancillary operations. 



EXPLORATION 



The most extended explorator}' work of the year was that 

 of Mr Cosmos Mindeleif in connection with archeologic sur- 

 veys in the Pueblo country of New Mexico and Arizona. He 

 left Washington early in July, 1893, and, outfitting at Hol- 

 brook, proceeded to the Ho])i villages of Tusayan, and toward 

 the end of August to the valle}' of the Little Colorado, which 

 he explored in some detail. Contrary to expectations, tliis 

 region was found to be poor in relics of the aborigines; only 

 a few small and unimportant ruins are scattered over the 

 valley, and the sites were apparently occupied for short peri- 

 ods only. It is noteworthy that, according to Hopi tradition, 

 it was along a valley tributary to the Little Colorado that the 

 large timbers used in the construction of the Spanish churches 

 and mission buildings prior to 1680 were transported on the 

 backs of Indians from San Francisco mountains, nearly 100 

 miles away; and this tradition appears to find corroboration 

 in Mr Mindeleff's observation of a party of Tusayan Indians 

 transporting poles from the foot-hills of the same mountains 

 over the same route by the use of burros. The reason for the 

 dearth of ruins gradually l)ecame apparent as the exploi-ations 

 were continued; the topography about the Little Colorado 

 and the character of the stream itself are such that irs waters 

 could not be controlled for purposes of irrigation by any 

 means at the connnand of ancient ])ueblo builders; even mod- 

 ern engineering skill has thus far failed to control the stream, 

 although many efforts in this direction have been made. 



Only at intervals are there floodplain lands suitable for 

 primitive cultivation and within easy reach of irrigation de- 

 vices, and in such places ruins are usually found. This is 

 notably the case near the old Sunset crossing, where, perched 

 on the hills overlooking the floodplain, can be seen the ruins of 

 ten or more \allages, the largest of whicli would have accom- 

 modated a population of 200. The ground plan of this vil- 

 lage shows a niunber of rectangular rooms, the whole bearing 



