NO. 12 



SMITHSONIAN EXPLORATIONS, I917 



103 



Gulf about 1909. A few notes, relating chiefly to the material culture 

 of the people, were made and a number of photographs were taken, 

 but only a single expression in the old Houma language could be 

 secured, and it is evident that the vocabulary obtained in 1907 from 

 an old woman belonging to the western settlements of these Indians 

 is all relating to their language that can now be expected from them. 



Fig. 108.- 



-Estelle Sandress, one of the four survivins 

 speakers of Chitimacha. 



Before setting out on this trip Dr. S wanton spent a few days 

 in New Orleans examining some of the manuscripts belonging" to 

 the Louisiana Historical Society now preserved in the Cabildo, and 

 was able to add several items to his material on the hi.story of the 

 southeastern Indians. His success in this work was much aided 

 by Miss Carrie S. Freret, who has immediate charge of the manu- 

 scripts. 



