Page:Journal of American Folklore vol. 12.djvu/484
ten animal myths are given, together with several short songs.—Appendix III. to the Twelfth (and final) Report of the Committee on the Northwestern Tribes of Canada (Rep. Brit. Assoc, for 1898, London, 1899) consists of a valuable and interesting discussion of the "Social Organization of the Haida." The greater importance of the "village community" in earlier times is pointed out, and an instance of totem borrowing noted.
Iroquoian. General. In the Ontario "Archæological Report " for 1899 (Toronto, 1900) appears (pp. 124–151) a translation, by Mrs. Mary E. Rose Holden, of M. Benjamin Suite's article on "La Guerre des Iroquois" ("The Iroquois War" of the seventeenth century with the French).
Seneca. (Music and Song). The same "Report" contains (pp. 166–189) a valuable paper (with an introduction by Mr. Boyle) by Alex. T. Cringan, of Toronto, on the "Music of the Pagan Iroquois," the "Pagan Dance Songs of the Iroquois" in particular. The dance-songs in question are all of Seneca origin, sung by two native singers, Kanishandon and Dahkahhedondyeh, and graphophone records were taken. The graphophone experiment was so successful that 47 "authentic records of typical Indian melodies" were taken. The musical notation of these 47 songs is given (pp. 176–189). These songs consist of: Hunting songs (2), scalping songs (2), chiefs' songs (2), discovery dance-songs (3), wake songs (3), four nights' dance songs (8), women's dance song, war-dance songs (2), hit stick song, change body song, bean song, death-feast song, joining dance song, ahdonwah, or "Songs of Joy" (5), making chief songs (2), lonesome woman's songs (3), joining hands' dance song, green-corn dance song (old and new forms), naked dance songs (3), old man's favorite song, young man's favorite song, and naming of the boy. Among the points noted by the author are: The simplicity of the song-themes; the conspicuous absence of the "leading note;" commencement on the upper and ending on the lower tones of the scale; the frequency of the vibrato or tremolo, etc. As Mr. Cringan observes (p. 170): "The majority of Indian songs are employed as an essential adjunct to the various ceremonies so intimately interwoven into the life-fabric of these primitive people." Another remark of the author is worth noting (p. 175): "When it is considered that these songs have been produced by a people among whom musical notation is utterly unknown, the unprejudiced investigator must be surprised at the nascent musical ability which they exhibit." It is just possible that the Indian woman is "possessed of a finer musical instinct" than is the man. Mr. Cringan's work has been most carefully and thoroughly done.
Onomatology. The final paper in the Ontario "Archæological