46 REPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



ments, and these plans were connected in plats which were in turn combined into 

 maps. Whenever practicable the plans were supplemented by drawings in elevation 

 and perspective, and by photographs; and the photographic and other illustrations 

 present vividly the characteristics of the region examined and the conditions under 

 which the ancient cliff dwellers lived, moved, worshiped their mysteries, defended 

 themselves against enemies, died, and were buried Many explorations have been 

 made in the Southwestern region, and many students have collected material relat- 

 ing to the peculiarly intelligent aborigines of this district ; but none of the explora- 

 tions have been more thorough, none of the records more faithful, than that just 

 completed by Cosmos Mindeleff, and it is thought that his report will make Canyon 

 de Chelly classic ground for the archeologist. 



Although conducted primarily for other purposes, the expedition directed by Mr. 

 McGee resulted in a number of interesting archasologic discoveries. Among these 

 may be mentioned : (1) "Las Trincheras," a class of temporary fortifications about 

 isolated buttes or peaks near habitable valleys, forming a new archseologic type for 

 this country; (2) a considerable number of prehistoric village sites, irrigation works, 

 etc., in a region heretofore supposed to be barren archseologically ;. (3) extended 

 village sites, each dominated by one or more ceremonial or other ground structures, 

 sometimes accompanied by inclosures suggesting the domestication of animals ; and 

 (4) great acequias, carried farther up the valley sides than the present irrigation 

 works, indicating more complete conquest of the waters during prehistoric times 

 than at present. The archasologic material collected during the expedition has not 

 been prepared for extended publication, but is withheld for further research in the 

 same region. 



Although the collections in the National Museum made by members of the Bureau 

 in former years for the purpose of illustrating the life of the Pueblo tribes since the 

 Spanish advent is exceedingly rich, comparatively few objects representative of the 

 prehistoric arts of these interesting people have been collected. Opportunity having 

 at last been afforded for excavation among the remains of the ancient cliff-dwellings 

 and pueblo peoples of the Southwest, the Bureau was fortunate enough to enlist the 

 services of the late director of the Hemenway Expedition, Dr. J. Walter Fewkes, 

 the results of whose researches among the Hopi Indians of Tusayan, Ariz., are well 

 known. Dr. Fewkes proceeded, late in May, to the unfrequented locality known as 

 the Red Rock country, southwest of Flagstaff, Ariz., where he had the good fortune 

 to find a group of extensive cliff ruins hitherto unknown to archaeologists and not 

 despoiled by white men. Excavation was prosecuted among these aboriginal remains 

 during June with considerable success, and a number of excellent photographs were 

 made. At the end of the month Dr. Fewkes returned to Flagstaff with a view of 

 reoutfitting for a thorough exploration of some of the extensive and presumably 

 rich ruins in the Tusayan country of northeastern part of the territory. 



DESCRIPTIVE ETHNOLOGY. 



Ever since the discovery of the American continent explorers have been impressed 

 by the characteristics of the aborigines, and many of them have recorded their obser- 

 vations and impressions in reports, letters, diaries, and treatises, and great numbers 

 of these records have been printed and published to the world. In this way a great 

 body of literature, sometimes styled Americana, has been produced. A great part 

 of this body of literature relates partly or wholly to the American Indians. Usually 

 the records were based on superficial observation and frequently they are vitiated 

 by misapprehension and hasty generalization. Nevertheless much of the literature 

 represents actual observation of the Indians while yet they retained primitive char- 

 acteristics. Thus, although the early records are diverse in value, the body of the 

 literature of this class contains a large store of information concerning the physical 

 characteristics, mental attributes, habits, customs, arts, beliefs, and institutions of 

 the native Americans. Moreover, research concerning primitive peoples has shown 



