OFFICE WORK.
The work upon a synonymy of the Indian tribes of North America, which has been mentioned to some extent in former reports, has been continued with increased energy.
Every tribe of Indians of any size and importance has been treated of by historians under a variety of names. The sources of these different appellations are manifold. In very many instances the names of tribes or other bodies of Indians communicated by themselves have been imperfectly understood and erroneously recorded; misspelled names and typographical errors have been perpetuated.
Traders, priests, and colonists have called the same tribes by different names and the historian has often added to the confusion by handing down these synonyms as the names of other and different tribes. Not a few tribes well known under established names have received new names upon a change of residence, especially when they have removed to a great distance or have coalesced or allied with other tribes. Added to these and to other sources of confusion are the loose and dissimilar applications of the terms clan, band, tribe, confederacy, and league, the same term having been used with various meanings by different authors.
As a consequence the student of Indian languages and customs finds himself in a tangle, as regards tribal names, which it is beyond the power of the individual worker, unaided, to unravel. The scope of the work in question includes the attempt to trace the several names back to their sources and to ascertain their original and proper application, to define their meaning when possible, and to relegate each tribe under its proper title to the linguistic family to which it belongs. In the completion of this work the whole force of the Bureau assists.
The need of a volume giving the results mentioned has long been felt, and it is believed that it will prove to be one of the most important contributions to the accurate study of Indian history ever made. The classification of the languages of the North American Indians is closely connected with the synonymyof tribal names, each work assisting the other. During recent years the number of students who have directed their attention more or less exclusively to the study of Indian languages has been constantly augmented, and as a result of their labors the number of vocabularies has been correspondingly increased; hence the demand for a more comprehensive and satisfactory classification than now exists.
Prior to Gallatin's time little or nothing had been done in the direction of a systematic classification of Indian languages. In 1836 Gallatin issued his treatise in which he classified all the languages which he was able to study by a direct comparison of vocabularies. His classification was an immense advance over anything previously done and has proved a boon for scholars, having served, indeed, practically as the basis for most of the work in the same line performed since his time. No fixed rules of nomenclature, however, have ever been adopted by linguistic writers, and authors have named and renamed linguistic groups without regard to the names imposed upon the same or similar groups by earlier writers. As a result great confusion has followed not only respecting the status of the various linguistic families, but also respecting the identity of the languages which have served as a basis for the several groups proposed. The remedy for this state of affairs is the adoption, with strict adherence thereto, of a code of nomenclatural rules similar in scope to those prevailing among zoölogists.
There would appear to be no good reason why the rule of priority of name, for instance, should not be followed in linguistic as well as in zoölogic classification, or why the same beneficial result of fixity of nomenclature should not be expected to result from the adoption of this rule in the one case as in the other. Students who may attempt to unravel the many perplexing nomenclatural problems arising from unnecessary change of names will certainly agree that such a rule is no less desirable in linguistics than in zoölogy.
Accordingly, the rule of priority of name, within certain limitations, together with some other rules, has been adopted by the Bureau. These limitations and rules, together with a discussionof the subject, which would still be premature, may be presented by the Director in his next annual report.
Mr.H. W. Henshaw, when not in the field, was specially engaged in the organization and details of the office work upon tribal synonymy and linguistic classification above described. A careful examination of all the literature pertaining to these correlated subjects was necessary and also the preparation of tentative tables of synonymy. He has prepared such tables and made in connection with them a brief historicalrésuméof the literature. Much longer time and the work of the whole official force will, however, be needed for the completion for publication of the results of this vast and complicated undertaking.
Mrs.Erminnie A. Smithwas occupied, while not engaged in the field as reported above, in the revision for publication of her Tuscarora dictionary, the material for which had been collected during several years.
Col.Garrick Mallerycontinued the collection and classification of material on the two correlated subjects of sign language and pictographs. His two preliminary papers on those subjects have appeared in former annual reports. It is intended, while increasing the data obtained from the Indian tribes of North America, bearing upon these subjects, to supplement and illustrate the mass of information collected from those tribes by comparison with everything of a similar character to be found in other parts of the world and to publish the results of the collection and study in the form of monographs.
Dr. W. J. Hoffman, when not in the field, continued to assist in the work mentioned.
Mr.James C. Pilling'spreparation of the Bibliography of North American Languages continued during the year. In October and November he visited several libraries in Boston and Providence, for the purpose of clearing up a number of doubtful points. During the year pages 839-1135 were received from the printer, which completed the volume. In the spring a limited number of copies were struck off by the Public Printer, and these have been sent to various libraries, public institutions, and to individuals interested in the subject, forthe purpose of obtaining additions and corrections, with the intention, if these should prove to be numerous, of resetting the matter.
Mr.Frank H. Cushingwas stationed at Washington at the commencement of the fiscal year and was engaged in the classification of his field material in preparation for its publication. During the fall he completed a short paper on Zuñi culture growth as evidenced by studies of Pueblo ceramics, which was published in the Fourth Annual Report of the Bureau. In this paper he maintains, with a large amount of linguistic evidence, that the Zuñi culture is mainly autochthonous, and that its growth, especially the growth of architectural, agricultural, ceramic, and other arts and industries pertaining to it, has been largely accomplished within the desert areas of America which still form the habitat of the Pueblo Indians, and probably, also, within a period more limited than has usually been supposed essential to such development.
He prepared also a paper on the "Ancient province of Cibola and the seven lost cities," in which he not only identifies the seven cities of Cibola above referred to with seven ruins near the present Zuñi village, but also furnishes interesting examples of the permanence of Indian tradition and of its value, when properly used, as a factor, in ethnographic and historic research.
Among the later and perhaps more important results of his studies during the year are investigations of the myths and folk tales abundantly recorded by him during previous years among the Zuñi.
By the extended comparison which he is able to make between these folk tales and myths, now first brought together as a whole, and by the application to their study of the linguistic method employed by him in the preparation of the two papers already mentioned, he is able to trace the growth of mere ideas or of primitive conceptions of natural or biotic phenomena and of physical or animal function into the personæ and incidents which go to make up myths, as well as to trace the influence of these growths on the worship of the Zuñi.
Early in 1885 Mr. Cushing furnished the Director with a schedule of his manuscript, notes, and sketches, and from an examination of this it was deemed advisable that he should continue putting his linguistic material into permanent shape, in order that it might be used as a check on ensuing studies of the sociology and mythology of the Zuñi, as well as for its suggestive value towards the explanation of obscure passages in those departments of study. This work had progressed but little, however, when a severe illness necessitated its temporary abandonment.
Prof.Cyrus Thomas, in addition to his administrative duties in charge of the division of mound exploration, was engaged in preparing for publication the results of the operations of that division. The constant arrangement, comparison, and study of the material objects and facts ascertained required his close application. He also commenced the paper presented by him in this volume.
Mr.Victor Mindeleff, in the first part of the fiscal year, completed models of the seven villages of the ancient Province of Tusayan, together with a relief model illustrating the topographical character of the province. The model of Walpi, of this series, was carried out in such a manner as to show on a large scale the character of the rocky mesa on which the town is built. Several types of cliff ruins were also modeled for this series, among them the White House ruin of Cañon de Chelly and the mummy cave of Cañon de la Muerte. After August 1 this work was carried on under the supervision of Mr. Cosmos Mindeleff, who also prepared a model of the great Etowah mound from the data of Mr. V. Mindeleff's survey; he also furnished several other examples of mounds, with sections, under the direction of Prof. Cyrus Thomas. This work was carried on without interruption until December 7, when Mr. Cosmos Mindeleff was ordered to New Orleans, to take charge of the combined exhibits of the U. S. Geological Survey and the Bureau of Ethnology, and was instructed to look after the proper installation of the same in the Government building. He returned to Washington about February 1. During the ensuing four months the small force in themodeling room was engaged in making models of the ancient pueblos of the Chaco, from the plans secured during the preceding summer, as referred to in the report of field work. This work continued until early June, when Mr. C. Mindeleff was again ordered to New Orleans to take charge of the packing and shipment of the exhibits of the Geological Survey and Bureau of Ethnology for their return to Washington and for the installation of a portion of the material at the Louisville Exposition. During the interval from February 1 to June 15 Mr. Victor Mindeleff was engaged in the preparation of a report on the architecture of the ancient provinces of Cibola and Tusayan, together with the plans and diagrams necessary for its illustration. This study was based on the large amount of data that had been secured during former field seasons for modeling purposes.
Rev.J. Owen Dorsey, when not in the field, made nearly 10,000 entries for the Ȼegiha-English dictionary, and prepared Ponka and Omaha native texts, with free and interlinear translations, in addition to those found in part 1 of vol. 6, Contributions to North American Ethnology. After December 1, 1884, he collated the following vocabularies obtained by him in Oregon, viz: Takelma, Shasti, Applegate Creek, Chastā Costa, Galice Creek, Mulluk, Siuslaw, Lower Umpqua, Yaquina, Klikitat, and one on Smith River, California. He also prepared a list of the villages obtained from the tribes at the Siletz Agency, Oregon.
Mr.Albert S. Gatschetwas engaged at the beginning of the fiscal year in revising and perfecting his grammar of the Klamath language of southern Oregon. The phonology was completed and stereotyped, extending from page 200 to 245. He was engaged in correcting proofs of the subsequent section on morphology when he proceeded to the Southwest, as elsewhere reported, to investigate several languages spoken there, the affinities of which had not before been ascertained.
Mr.W. H. Holmes, as in previous years, has supervised the illustrations of the Bureau publications. He also continued his archæologic studies, chiefly in the department of ceramics, the character of which is shown by his papers in this volume.He was in charge of the preparation of exhibits for the expositions at New Orleans, Louisville, and Cincinnati; but, owing to the pressure of other duties, much of this work was intrusted to Mr. Cosmos Mindeleff, who was assisted materially by Mr. Victor Mindeleff. The most important feature of the exhibits consisted of models of plaster andpapier mâchéof the pueblo towns and cliff houses of New Mexico and Arizona.
Aside from the models, exhibits of ethnologic and archæologic materials were made. A large and important collection of objects of pueblo art was obtained by Mr. James Stevenson, but much of it failed to reach Washington in time for exhibition purposes, and a series of similar objects, already classified and labeled, was selected from the National Museum and forwarded to New Orleans. A valuable collection of the ancient fictile products of Tusayan belonging to Mr. Thomas Keam was also utilized in perfecting the exhibits of Pueblo art.
Archæologic materials from other sections of the country were placed on exhibition, notably a superb collection of prehistoric relics from the province of Chiriqui, Panama, which was purchased for the purpose.
The collections of ethnologic and archæologic material made during the year are of unusual importance and magnitude. This is chiefly due to the facilities afforded by the New Orleans Exposition fund, a liberal portion of which was devoted to the collection and purchase of objects of permanent value to the Government and to science. The collections made by Mr. Stevenson in Zuñi and Acoma comprise upward of four thousand pieces, chiefly objects of clay, but including other classes of products. The collection of prehistoric relics obtained by Mr. J. A. McNiel from the tombs of Chiriqui is one of the most important and complete series of ancient American products to be found in any country, and must prove of great value to students.
Mr. Victor Mindeleff secured a small series of relics from the ancient ruins of northern New Mexico and Arizona, and Dr. H. C. Yarrow added some objects of archæologic and ethnologic interest from central Utah. Mrs. Erminnie A. Smith procured a number of articles of shell, illustrating themodern manufacture of wampum in New Jersey; a small collection of fragmentary pottery from the eastern shore of Maryland was presented by Mr. Joseph D. McGuire, of Ellicott City; and Mr. Holmes secured a series of articles, including arrowheads, shell implements, and pottery, from the island of Nantucket. Mound explorations, conducted by Dr. Cyrus Thomas, yielded a valuable series of objects of stone and clay. An unusually interesting series of the earthen vessels of the ancient pueblo races was secured by Mr. E. W. Nelson in eastern central Arizona. The greater part of the abovementioned material has already been catalogued and turned over to the U. S. National Museum.
Dr.H. C. Yarrow, acting assistant surgeon, U. S. Army, besides his field explorations described, continued to collect information relative to the mortuary customs of North American Indians. Of the material gathered, a considerable portion has been forwarded by various persons throughout the country in answer to the circular sent out early in the last year, but much has also been derived from the published works on anthropologic subjects, including scientific journals and reports. Numerous authorities have been consulted and much time has been devoted to the consideration of the many theories advanced to account for certain peculiar rites and customs.
Mr.Charles C. Roycecontinued during the year the preparation of a historical atlas of Indian cessions. The boundaries of the various cessions of land by the different Indian tribes were traced out and located upon the maps of the States and Territories left uncompleted at the date of the last annual report. All that remains to be done in completing the atlas for publication is to transcribe, with considerable elaboration, the historical and descriptive notes pertaining to the various cessions, and to make, from the rough working sheets, legible copies of the maps showing the boundaries of the cessions within the States of California, Oregon, Nevada, and Texas and the Territories of Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, and Dakota. Most of these States and Territories will each require two maps, showing respectivelythe primary and secondary cessions. The work will be finished as rapidly as possible.