OF THE BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY. XXXIX 



plete instruction in the mythology and s3'mbolism of these 

 rites. 



In the autumn of 1884 he was given an opportunity, under 

 the auspices of the Bureau of Ethnology, to return to the Na- 

 vajo country and devote himself for a considerable time en- 

 tirely to anthropologic studies among the people. 



He first visited the Navajo who dwell in the neighborhood 

 of the San Mateo mountains, the Tsotsildine, or people of the 

 Great Peak, a local division or subtribe living much farther to 

 the east and having longer and more intimate associations with 

 Mexicans and Americans than the main body of the people. 

 While at this place he ascended the peak of San Mateo, or 

 Mount Taylor, a mountain held sacred by the Navajo, to ob- 

 serve the various places on the mountain mentioned in the 

 Navajo myths 



Leaving San Mateo he proceeded to Fort Wingate, and 

 learning that one of the most important of the Navajo rites 

 was about to be celebrated at a 25h^ce called Niqotlizi (Hard 

 Earth), north of Fort Wingate on the Navajo reservation, he re- 

 paired thither without delay. The ceremony which he went to 

 witness was that of dsilyidje-qa^til, or mountain chant. It isalso 

 called Ilnasjingo-qaqkl, or chant in the dark circle of branches, 

 from the great corral of evergreens in which the public rites of 

 the last night are performed. It is known to the white men 

 who live among these Indians as the hoshkawn dance, from 

 one of the public dances of the last night, in which the Indian 

 jugglers pretend to grow and develop tlie hackc\n, or Yucca bac- 

 cata. This last night's performance is varied and interesting 

 and all persons, including whites and Indians of other tribes, 

 are permitted to witness it; but previousl}^, for several days, 

 mystic rites are celebrated in the medicine lodge, to the most 

 of which only the initiated are admitted. Dr. Matthews re- 

 mained ten days in the Indian camp at Niqotlizi, during which 

 time the shamans admitted him into their medicine lodge and 

 allowed him to observe their rites and practices. 



His most interesting discovery on this occasion was that of 

 their system of mythic dry paintings, by which they represent 



