46 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



in civilized communities, that they had generally proved failures, 

 and would in his opinion continue to prove such. Those persons 

 thus educated usually become worthless citizens either of their own 

 or of civilized communities. He claimed that the facts, and his 

 conclusions drawn from them, were based on broad ethnological 

 principles, and the movement was conducted in ignorance or dis- 

 regard of those principles. He had at one time contemplated 

 giving publicity to his views on the subject, but was dissuaded from 

 so doing by a consideration of the worthy and philanthropic 

 motives from which these efforts proceed. He urged that if they 

 are to be continued it is important that the subjects for such educa- 

 tion be selected from the most advanced tribes, and those which 

 had been longest in immediate communication with the whites. 

 He thought, however, that the Indians were really becoming 

 rapidly civilized, especially in reservations where they come into 

 constant contact with the whites. They are learning how to dress, 

 to do business, to use money, and to travel, and the schools estab- 

 lished among themselves are doing great good. He further stated 

 that on visiting the Numas he had been surprised at finding two 

 distinct kinds or sets of governments coexisting among them at the 

 same time, and two chiefs, each apparently supreme. On investi- 

 gation he learned that the regular chief or medicine-man had little 

 or nothing to do with the practical affairs of the tribe, and that 

 the virtual chief had slowly been developed from the condition of 

 interpreter or "talker," who at first was selected for his ability in 

 conducting the business of the people with the surrounding whites; 

 and as this business became more and more important, his powers 

 became greater and greater until he has at length come to be* 

 regarded as the real chief of the tribe. 



Dr. Welling corroborated the remarks of Major Powell, and 

 instanced the case of an African missionary who, after a lengthy 

 sojourn among the lower tribes, returned convinced that missionary 

 work among them must remain next to useless until the practical 

 civilizing agencies, such as the mechanic arts and the schoolmaster, 



