°6 ' BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [RULL. 75 
around which there was placed a certain degree of mystery. The 
writer was informed that the Utes did not have songs to insure 
success in hunting, and no songs connected with hunting were 
offered for recording. 
Foop.—An old informant said: ‘‘When we lived farther east we 
ate berries, roots, and meat. We dried the meat of the deer, elk, 
and buffalo.” Other native foods are pifon nuts, corn, and fish. 
The pifion nuts, even at the present time, are parched in hot ashes, 
after which the shells are removed-and the nuts pounded on a stone. 
Corn is still ground by placing it on a broad, flat stone and rolling 
over it a rather long, round stone. The resultant meal is mixed with 
water and baked on heated earth, from which the ashes of a fire have 
been removed. According to Mason ‘‘the Ute Indians make use of 
many kinds of seeds in their dietary,” ° gathering them on the plains. 
Inpustries.——Pottery was made by the ancient Utes, but the 
basket bottle with inner coating of pitch is now in general use. The 
basketry of the Utes is designed for utility and includes gathering and 
carrying baskets, trays, bowls, harvesting fans, and women’s hats.'° 
CoMPOSITION OF SONGS.—It was said by several singers that they 
‘heard a song in their sleep,” sang it, and either awoke to find them- 
selves singing it aloud or remembered it and were able to sing it. 
No information was obtained on any other method of producing songs. 
In this connection the writer desires to record an observation on 
musical composition among the Sioux. A song was sung at a gather- 
ing and she remarked: ‘‘That is different from any Sioux song I have 
heard, it has so many peculiarities.” The interpreter replied, ‘“That 
song was composed recently by several men working together. Each 
man suggested something, and they put it all together in the song.” 
This is the only instance of cooperation in the composition of an 
Indian song that has been observed. 
MusIcaL INSTRUMENTS.—The dance songs and war songs of the 
Utes are accompanied by the morache, hand drum, and large drum, 
while the hand game songs are accompanied by beating on a hort 
zontal pole, and certain songs of the camp were formérly accom- 
panied by beating on a stiff rawhide. 
Morache.—This instrument is used to accompany the songs of the 
Bear dance (pp. 58-72). The instrument in various forms has been 
noted among many tribes of Indians, and the Spanish term morache 
has become established by usage. It is, however, classified as 
a ‘notched stick rattle with resonator’? by Mr. E. H. Hawley, 
curator of musical ‘instruments, United States National Museum, 
Washington, D. C. The instrument comprises three units: (1) A 
‘Mason, Otis T. Indian Basketry, vol. 2, p. 439, London, 1905. 
10 Tbid., vol. 1, pp. 71-72; vol. 2, pp. 434-441. 
