The Washington times., 1894-12-29

/ The Fok-L Lorists delved deeply and widely
| yesterday into the apcient history of all races
and creeds The cxhumation of interesting
and amusing things was in progress for six
hours, the tomhs mounds, eatacombs, rocks
and caves investigated being in America,
Europe. Asia and Africa.
There was a briei return from the prehis-
toric past, when the society at 2 p. m. went
into an election of officers, and chose some
of the liyest and most modernly progressive
OF their membership as presiding and exeeu-
tive officers. The following officers were
| chosen:
President, DR.. Washington Matthews; vice
president, DR.. ]. Owen Dorsey; second vice
president, Capt. John G. Bourke, United
States Army
Councillors Cto fill vacancies) = W. NJ.
Beauchamp, DR.. d. J. Brinton. Miss Alice c..
Fletcher. G. r. Stickney and DR.. B. Grinnell,
of New York.
James Childs, Of Cambridge, Mass. Angelo
Torquati, of Rome, Italy, and James T.
Fraser, OF Cambridge, England, were elected
honorary members.
Phiiadelp phia was selected as the place for
the next annual session.
During the morning DR.. Dorsey entertained
the audience with paper on the folk lore OF
the quaint kwapas. 1t appears that all the
( folk tales bear some resemblance to other
folk tales, and they only differ in the manner
OF treatment and the addition OF local feat
uras.
DR.. Cushing spoke on the ritualistic and
caleniaric nature of the Central American
codiees This WIS al essentially instructive
paper, as it furnished the means by written
or Inscribed characters with
SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS OF OTHER PEOPLE.
The burial and toiidav customs and beliefs
of the Irish peasantry was the basis OF a paper
by Mrs. Fanny D. Bergen. The author here
had rich subject which was developed in a
very interesting manner, and especially as to
that part OF the essay which dealt with the
traditions or folk tales of the peasaDtry. Very
close attention was paid 10 the reading.
Dr. Thomas Wilson'S theme was the "Swas-
tika.' Il Sanscrit word meaning Cross and
giving distinctive character to the hero
glyphics. pic oriai representations and decor
atiye art OF the ancient East Indians. DR..
Wilson exhibited n "Swastika image which
was exbumed in the West Of North America.
Il fact which seemed 10 show a Bnddhistic
influence in the piece OF work discovered
here 1t bore u close resemblance to the
original Buddhstie figures with crossed legs.
The little image was source of great infor-
nation and especially in connection with DR..
Wilson's talk on tho general subject of the
uses of the ''Swastika.
A very interesting discourse on the methods
OF the Interpretation of the folk lore was de-
! liyerei bV Prof J W Powell. He empha-
sized the principle that there was no borrow
ing OF arts from people 10 people before the
invention of written speech. He announced
FIaour methods of Interpretation, '.imputation.
,u"parsonifeation. and "fecifieation. -
+ DR.. II. Carrington Bolton spoke on the
"Game OF Goosc.N rs played in all the coun-
tries of the wenid. with illustrations Of the
notifications Oh tie game.
Prof. d. G. Brinton spoke on tho lnterpre-
taiion of analogies in iolk lore, pointing out
the best method in cases where there were
simiarities whEchindicateda an apparent unit.
of origin.
Capt. john e. fBourke read a part of al
essay on the fblk food OF Mexico and Mr.
Marshall H. Sstilfe pointed ont the fertilit,
of the folk loresfield in Yucatan.
MEETlNGi IN THE EVENING.
The society convened again at o'clock last
evening. when the paper by Mr.. Horner H
Kidder. the Two Ojitway tales was reaC
by DIR. j. Owen Dorsey These tales wer
entitled 1.-The skunk and The bear
This was followed by n most interesting
and instructive talk by DR.. j. Walter Fewke
on the 'Cortez codeX." In connection Will
this subject he exhibited seven drawings o
ancient gods. OF these he said there wer
20S represented in the eodex. but most o
them were mere repettions. The drawing
represented: First The death god whieI
appears twenty-four times in the collection
of 20S; second, 1.-The long nose or rain god: :
third, The plumed or old man god and ole
woman goddess fourth. 1.-The bird god; ;
fifth, North star god' sixth. "scorpior
god and seventh, 'Shepta, the Mexican
war god.''
At the close OF this talk Mr. Frank II
Cushing and DR.. W l. Hoffman asked to b.
excused from reading their papers to ALLOW
time for discussion on DR.. Fewkes' remarks
BY general request DR.. Brinton discussed tht
subject. as he said merely 20 show how
: nearly he agreed with and how far he differed
from DR.. Fewkes in some of his conclusions
Mr.. Gushing also made few very interestin!
: and instructive remarks, introducing man
{ new ideas and theories about the heather
gods.
An interesting paper entitled "Iroquoia
consepts OF the SOUL" by a1r. Huiett, wa
read by DR.. J. H. Mccormick. This pape
dealt with the theory or superstition of th
, Iroquois. that after death the soul still re
mains with the bones.
A ter passing the customary resolution o
thanks to the presiding officer and the secre
l tarv and also their kind reception by the cit
zens the meeting adjourned.
REGARDING THE INCOME TAX