NO. 2 SMITHSOXIAX EXPLORATIONS, I918 IO3 



native religion. Its use in both connections among; the tribes of 

 Mexico was noted by the earhest Spanish writers after the Conquest 

 and by such later investig'ators as Lumholtz and Fuchs. It was noted 

 in Texas as early as 1760. 



In continuation of his study begun years ago, before the Peyote 

 relig'ion had reached its present high development or territorial ex- 

 tension. ~Slr. Mooney. on invitation of the tribes, transmitted by 

 delegates from the Councils, made observation of the ceremony and 

 of the medical use of the plant, and had filled out a number of 

 individual questionnaires relating to the same subject, among the 

 Kiowa, Comanche, Apache, Caddo, Cheyenne, and Arapaho, being 

 everywhere received with the most g"enerous hospitality and given 

 every opportunity for observation and investigation, by reason of his 

 long-standing friendship with the tribes and his known interest in 

 the ?ul)ject. 



FIELD-WORK AMONG THE IROQUOIS 

 yiv. ]. X. B. Hewitt, ethnologist, of the Bureau of American Eth- 

 nology, resumed his work in Ontario, Canada, on the textual and 

 literary criticism of the many texts which he had previously recorded 

 relating to the establishment of the Federation or League of the 

 Five Tribes (or Xations) of the Iroquois, and especially to the 

 organic institutions of this league. By the accession of the Tusca- 

 rora in 1722 these Indians became the Six Xations of the Iroquois. 

 Tlie larger and more detailed ])art of these texts was dictated ])y 

 his late friend, the blind Seneca federal chief, John Arthur ( iibson, 

 one of the best-informed ritualists and ex]:)Ounders of the ])rinci])les 

 and the institutions of the so-called League of the Iro(|U()is: the 

 remainder, consisting of dififering versions of the matter just men- 

 tioned and also of much additional and su])])lemental material in the 

 form of texts, was recorded from the dictation of other c()ni])ciciU 

 inforn'-anls. among whom may be mentioned tlie late ( Jnondaga 

 federal chief, Jolm I'.uck. who wa^ at the time of his deatli the 

 federal Fire-Keeper: the present Cayuga federal chiel emeritus, 

 .Xbrani Charles; and Chief I'rophet Joshua I'.iuk. all \er>ed in the 

 var\ing traditions of tbe motive^ and ])lan-> ol tlie toundir-^ ol the 

 League or I-'ederation and the decrees and onlinanee- proniul- 

 gated by them for its establishment. 



