The morning news., 1897-07-18
A DYING RACE.
Results of an Important EthnOIigi-
cal Expedition.

Results of an Important EthnOIigi-
cal Expedition.
From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
Chicago, Ill.-Prof. Frederick A. Starr,
head of the anthropological department of
the University of Chicago. has just re-
turned from New Mexico, where he has
been working for several weeks with an
assistant preparing a new and valuable
contribution to chronological science. As a
result of his enterprise and research Wal
ker museum on the university campus.
will soon have the most comprehensive
and accurate collection of data relative
to the Pueblo Indians in existence. The
following account of the expedition will
appear exclusively in to-morrow's Tri-
bune:
The trip was made primarily to obtain
/ life masks of Pueblo Indians, while II was
yet possible to get them in such numbers
and from such individuals that the casts
would be characteristic of the race. which
Is rapidly dying out or losing its digtinc-
tive features, and to secure exact meas
urements OF one or more of the Pueblo vii
lages of each of the different types of con
struction for the purpose of rerroducins
these unique places of abode In plaster
models
hp
seen from the fact that Prof. Starr has
practically seen about a third of the Co
emit, among whom much Of his work on
the recent trip was done, die off When he
hrst visited their pueblo they numbered
ABOUT 800 souls. Three months later on re-
V!SltIhg tnem he found only about $50. The
villages, II may be remarked like their
inhabitants. are fast becoming a mere sug-
geston OF what they once were, many of
them to-day existing only in ruins.
Inc outcome of the project surpassed
expectations Prof. Starr hoped TO secure
ntteen llfe masks. He actually secured
sixteen, the casts being about equally di-
vided between men from u to 72 wears of
age and wonlen from 16 to 50 years OF age
Every essential measurement has been or
will be taken, Prof r. B. Melville. the as
slstant, being still in New Mexico prose-
cutting the work which Prof Starr was
Obliged to leave In order to resume his
class duties for the summer term at the
university-of four separate and distinct
types Of Pueblo, COchiti, San Feline
Laguna and Acoma. In addition TO the
work originally planned the investigat tors
were led to make side trips and much of
interest and of value that was rapidly
yielding to time and vandalism was res
cued from oblivion to be preserved in
Walker museum. Among these remains
are the strange drawings IN the celebrated
Curva Pintada, or painted cave, and the
mutilated mountain lions of the Potero de
Las Vegas.
Prof. starr's Undertaking was carried
out with the grentest difficulty The field
of work Is only about twenty-eight miles
from Santa Fe, but It has only rarely been
visited by white men, ana the natives are
little used to Intercourse with civilized
people. Further. they are intensely and
jealousy religious. timid, and reserved.
and prone to resent Intrusion. and, above
all hax
almost put an end to the mask making. II
is altogether likely that II It were not for
the hardihood of a brave who wanted to
show that he wasn't woman" Prof.
Starr would have had his trouble for his
pains and would have returned without a
life mask.
There are twenty-six inhabited pue-
bios" said Prof. Starr. but many OF them
are unlmportant. The Cochit from their
migratons-they have moved seven
times-fron the part they have taken in
the history Of the race, and from their
great loss IN numbers, are about the most
interesting. II was this that led me To do
as much work as possible among them.
Besides. the governor, or civil head OF the
community, is an old man OF more than
average intelligence, and II was compara-
lively easy to get him to sanction my
plans and assist me. II II were not for him
I'm afraid my project would have been a
leo"
The full results Of Prof. starr's re-
searches he will not give out.
II dropped on something absolutely new
about the people" said he, but am not
willing TO speak OF Il until / have had
fuller opportunity TO carry on my lnvesti-
cations. intend TO go back to New Mex
leo this fall, probably In September. and
shall follow up my discovery Then Il will
be time enough TO make II public. I am
going TO write two articles on my trip my
self, and J shall not discuss or even me n
ton my discovery IN them. TIL / have
made ample research ! shall deem the Sc
curing OF 50 many life masks, typicaL not
OF an Isolated individual or two, but OF "a
people. the obtaining of data for tho ex-
act reproductions OF different kints OF
pueblos. and the acquisition OF Artistic
work that will soon DE washed or broken
away and lost the features Of my trip.
II consider the masks ! obtained Of the
greatest value 20 ethnoioEy. Nothing like
70 was ever accomplished before. In my
opinion. the mask work that has been
done has largely been "a failure from the
standpoint OF science. FOR the reason that
the casts secured have been for the most
part Of the nature of curioslties, mere In.
dividual cases In no wise characteristics
OF a people. The maHlcg 7 secured were
an taken under my direct supervision.
They include both SEXES and all ages, ana
the subjects were IN every Gaze chosen
With "a special view to preserving some
type OF racial Characteristic The masks