OF THE BUREAU OF ETHNOLOGY. XXXIII 
WORK OF MR. W. J. HOFFMAN. 
Mr. Hoffman proceeded to the White Earth and Red Lake 
reservations, Minnesota, and remained for three months, making 
researches among the Ojibwa. He found that the most im- 
portant birch-bark records are those relating to the Ojibwa cos- 
mogony, the institution of the Midéwiwin or Grand Medicine 
Society, and the songs used in connection with the ritual and 
ceremony pertaining to the initiation of candidates into that 
society. 
The pictographic charts are, as a rule, in the possession of 
the Midé or Grand Medicine men, though records relating to 
hunting and personal exploits, as well as directions for killing 
game, gathering fruits, and making journeys, and even per- 
sonal letters, are made by other members of the tribe who 
possess more than the average intelligence. 
The great mass of charts consists of mnemonic songs per- 
taining to incantations, exorcism, and other ceremonies, and a 
considerable number of them were obtained, together with 
their interpretations. Sketches of tattooed Indians were also 
made, but the custom of tattooing is almost extinct, the only 
modern markings being those applied to various portions of 
the face for the exorcism of evil spirits which are supposed to 
cause neuralgia, headache, and other pains. Hasty sketches 
were obtained also of an old Grand Medicine chart at Red Lake, 
a protracted examination of it not being permitted by the 
keeper of the record. 
In addition to the pictographic material, a quantity of myth- 
ologic data was collected, all or nearly all of which was in- 
timately connected with the rites of the secret society of the 
Midéwiwin, or Grand Medicine. 
WORK OF COL. GARRICK MALLERY. 
Col. Mallery at first directed his attention to the exami- 
nation of the Ojibwa on the La Pointe and Red Cliff reser- 
vations in Wisconsin, and, although that proved to be a less 
favorable field for ethnologic research than those in Minne- 
sota, above mentioned, owing to the stronger local influence 
9 ETH——III 
