88 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY 
the Yuma, Mohave, and Papago. One of the manuscripts 
submitted this year deals with the cremation ceremony of 
the Yuma, witnessed by Miss Densmore in 1922. ‘The cere- 
monial songs of this rite were recorded: and information 
given by the oldest man, who has the hereditary right to sing 
these songs. It is the custom of the Yuma Indians to hold 
a memorial ceremony within a year after a death, at which 
an image of the deceased is burned. After this ceremony 
the name of the dead is never spoken. A full description of 
this ceremony was submitted, together with transcriptions 
of its songs. 
The treatment of the sick by these tribes was aiso studied 
and healing songs of each tribe were submitted. Among 
these were the songs of a Yuma medicine man, who claims 
the power to cure persons suffering from wounds in the chest, 
accompanied by hemorrhage. This shaman said that he did 
this by the aid of four insects and birds, one of which has 
power over the fluids of the body. His songs are cheerful 
and soothing in character, and it is interesting to note that 
he forbade the people to weep during his treatment, requiring 
that they “appear cheerful and act in a natural manner.” 
Four manuscripts were submitted by Miss Densmore dur- 
ing the year, bearing the following titles: “ Papago Medicine 
and Dancing Songs,” “ Dream and War Songs of the Papago 
Indians,” “Cremation and Memorial Ceremonies of the 
Yuma Indians, with Related Songs,” and “Lightning and 
Medicine Songs of the Yuma and Mohave Indians.” This 
material comprised 93 pages of manuscript and 84 transcrip- 
tions of songs, together with the original phonographiec 
records and tabulated and descriptive analyses of the songs. 
The two most interesting musicial discoveries made in this 
work are the presence in these tribes of songs which may be 
termed “ pure melody without tonality,” and the independ- 
ent and elaborate rhythm of the accompanying instrument, 
either a gourd rattle or a basket drum. In many instances 
the accompanying instrument is transcribed separately from 
the melody in order to show its peculiarities. 
During the summer of 1922 Miss Densmore visited the 
Chippewa reservations at Lac Court Oreilles, Wis., and 
