REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 23 



a large collection of interesting objects were obtained and much archae- 

 ological and ethnological data acquired. The difficult ascent of the 

 summit of the Mesa Encantada, near Aconia, was accomplished, and 

 from relics found there the essential features of the Acoma tradition 

 have been substantiated. Explorations were also extended across the 

 frontier into Mexico, resulting in the acquirement of information tending 

 to throw much light on the little-known customs of the border tribes. 

 The" objects collected during these various explorations have been 

 placed in the National Museum and the new information acquired has 

 been added to the archives of the Bureau and incorporated in memoirs 

 now in preparation or completed for publication. 



The study and arrangement of the collections of aboriginal handi- 

 work obtained in Florida has been continued and progress made in the 

 preparation of a report on the prehistoric key dwellers on the eastern 

 shore of the Gulf of Mexico. 



The study of decorations and researches into their symbolic uses 

 have been continued. 



Interesting observations on the development of institutions among 

 the Papago and other American tribes and satisfactory progress in 

 the researches in linguistics, particularly in the preparation of a com- 

 parative vocabulary of Algonquian dialects, as well as in studies of 

 the Iroquoian languages, the dialects of the Mescalero and Jicarilla 

 Apaches, and of the Cherokee myths, have been made. Researches in 

 Indian sign language have been resumed. The director has continued 

 the development of a system of classification designed to indicate the 

 place of the the American Indians among the peoples of the earth. 



Satisfactory progress has been made in the revision of the proofs of 

 the seventeenth and eighteenth annual reports and in editorial work 

 on the manuscript of the nineteenth annual report. The demand for 

 these reports in advance of their publication is great, while the supply 

 of those of previous years is practically exhausted. 



Further details concerning the operations of the Bureau may be 

 found in Director Powell's report, forming Appendix II. 



INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGES. 



I need hardly repeat what I have already said in previous reports — 

 that the growth of the operations of the exchange service testifies to 

 its good management and general acceptability, even with the disad- 

 vantages under which its labors, are carried on. In 1887 it sent out 71 

 tons of documents and had 2,165 correspondents in this country and 

 7,396 correspondents abroad; during the past year it transmitted 151 

 tons aud had 6,915 correspondents at home and 22,543 abroad. There 

 is no part of the Smithsonian Institution which more efficiently carries 

 out the large purpose of its founder, to diffuse knowledge among men, 

 aud it is through this, as much as through any other branch, that its 

 name is known throughout the world. 



