LVr ANNUAL REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR 



and laborious comparisons, together with the trial of succes- 

 sive hypotheses, will be necessary to the decipherment of our 

 aboriginal manuscripts, and but few competent persons are 

 actively engaged in the work. It becomes, therefore, the duty 

 of any one whose discoveries tend to clear up even minor 

 points of the great problem to furnish them to his fellow 

 laborers, and thereby limit the remaining field of investigation. 

 In this paper Professor Thomas supplements his former work. 



OSAGE TRADITIONS, BY REV. J. OWEN DORSEY. 



This paper contains an account of a secret society of seven 

 degrees, still existing among the Osage, in which the traditions 

 of the people liave been preserved. The author, by his skill 

 and personal influence, has obtained and now furnishes two of 

 these traditions in the original language, with an interlinear 

 and a free translation of each and with explanatory remarks. 



The traditions are both cosmologic and sociologic, and are 

 admirable examples of Indian philosophy. The existence of 

 secret associations, periodically celebrating religious mysteries, 

 and of shamanistic orders, which, by ceremonies, pictographs, 

 and chants, have preserved in more or less purity the tradi- 

 tions of their ancestors, has been vaguely known for some 

 years, but until lately no accurate or indeed intelligent ac- 

 count of them has been secured. 



The exertions of several of the officers of this Bureau have 

 been successful in obtaining full details and clear explanations 

 both of the traditions and the ceremonials of several of the 

 Indian tribes, notably those of the Zuni and the Navajo, pub- 

 lished in former annual reports. The present paper by Mr. 

 Dorsey takes an important place in this new collection of ma- 

 terials for the study of Indian philosophy, from which valuable 

 results have been already acquired. 



THE CENTRAL ESKIMO, BY DR. FRANZ BOAS. 



For the express purpose of personal exploration and exami- 

 nation, the author of this important paper spent a considerable 

 time iu the region of which he treats. His course of travel 



