XL, ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 



various legends or traditions with dry pigments on the sanded 

 floor of the medicine lodge. A full account of the ceremonies 

 and of the myth on which they are based was prejiared by Dr. 

 Matthews and appeared in the Fifth Annual Report of this 

 Bureau. 



When the ceremony at Niqotlizi was over he proceeded to 

 a locality in Arizona called by the whites The Haystacks, 

 from the peculiar appearance of the rock formations there. 

 At The Haystacks another great ceremony, probably the sec- 

 ond in importance of the Navajo rites, was to take place. 

 Here he again encamped with the Indians and remained until 

 the work of the shamans was done. 



The ceremonial observances witnessed on this occasion are, 

 collectively, called by the Navajo Kledji-qa^til, or chant of the 

 night. They are called by the whites the Yi'iybichy dance, 

 from the name of the principal masked character, Yebitcai or 

 Gebitcai, the granduncle of the gods. Like the hoshkawn 

 dance, it has several days of secret rites with elaborate sym- 

 bolic sand pictures and one night of public dances, less varied 

 and interesting than those of the hoshkawn. Dr. Matthews 

 was permitted to witness the whole performance and to take 

 as many notes and sketches as were necessary. 



From The Haystacks Dr. Matthews went to the Indian 

 agency at Fort Defiance, Arizona, where he secured the serv- 

 ices of one of the oldest and most learned (in their own pecul- 

 iar lore) of the Navajo priests, and from him he obtained full 

 explanations of all these rites and of the symbolism of the 

 pictm'es and masked characters, with a complete recital of the 

 long and elaborate myths on which the ceremonies depend, and 

 the texts and translations of the very numerous songs which 

 form the ritual of the ceremonies. 



WORK OF DR. H. C. YARROW. 



Dr. H. C. Yarrow, acting assistant surgeon U. S. Army, 

 with the assistance of military details and supplies, in addi- 

 tion to the instruction and facilities provided by this Bureau, 

 started, August 8, 1884, on an expedition into the Territory of 



