88 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



in the upper house, fourth terrace, while in other cases the wealthier 

 classes usually live on the first story. The Governor's house was 

 not by any means in the finest quarter of the town. 



Mr. Bigelow asked whether the Zufiis make formal wills, and 

 also how children are cared for. * 



Prof. Gore replied that wills were merely verbal, and that the 

 wish of the deceased, however expressed, was conformed to when- 

 ever it was known. He was conversant with one contested will 

 case. He also stated that in their anomalous marriage relations 

 it did not always fall to the parents to take care of their own 

 children. 



Mr. Gatschet spoke of an annual festivity celebrated on Mt. 

 Taylor, near Zufii. He also inquired whether the usual division 

 into gentes and phratries prevailed, and relative to the clans spoken 

 of, whether they attempt to prove their origin. 



Prof. Gore said there were fifteen clans among the Zufiis, which 

 are organized chiefly for amusement and social intercourse, but were 

 permanent and of very ancient origin. These have no connection 

 with the usual division of the people into gentes. The gens merely 

 determines the line of marriage ; all must marry without their gentes. 

 Descent was in the female line. He then spoke of the various 

 ceremonies of the different clans, and gave a detailed account of a 

 feast of the Corn-clan which he witnessed. He said that the 

 music was sung in a language to a great extent unintelligible to 

 living Zunis, and which seemed to be a sort of sacred or classic 

 tongue handed down from remote antiquity, which no one dared 

 to change. 



In reply to a question by Mr. Gilbert, he said this language 

 somewhat resembled the present Zufii language, but seemed to 

 be a sacerdotal, archaic form of it. 



Prof. Mason said that the Creeks and Choctaws also have an 

 oratorical language having an elevated diction for state occasions. 



