ork, in which the dream of a life has at last begun its realization.
Before, however, turning to the close of my report, which will embody
scraps of history gathered about the place, remarks on the customs and
arts of its former inhabitants, and general reflections, I must express
my thanks here to a few gentlemen not yet named in this "personal
narrative." Besides Mr. J. D. C. Thurston, who kindly assisted me for
the first two days, Mr. G. C. Bennet, the skilful photographer, of whose
ability his work is telling, has been for two days a pleasant and
welcome companion. Last, but certainly not least, I thank Mr. John D.
McRae, not only for his assistance free of expense to the Institute in
many important mechanical matters, but especially for the solicitude
with which he has watched my work and looked to my comforts, and for the
great store of information I have gathered from his conversation.

HISTORY.

My survey of the grounds occupied by the aboriginal ruins in the valley
of the Pecos indicates, as I have already stated, three epochs,
successive probably in time, in which they have been occupied by man;
that is, I have noticed these, and beyond these I have not been able to
go as yet. Subsequent explorers may be more fortunate. This distinction,
or rather classification, is very imperfect in the two earlier stages,
and even arbitrary; but between the second and the last there is a
marked break,--not in time, but in ethnological development. I shall
term the three epochs as follows:--

1. Pre-traditional. (Indicated by the presence of the corrugated and
indented pottery as its most conspicuous "land-mark.")

2. Traditional and documentary. (Documents in the sense of written
records.)

3. Documentary period.

THE PRE-TRADITIONAL PERIOD.

I have not been able to detect as yet among the confused traditions
current about the pueblo of Pecos any tale concerning occupation of
their grounds by human beings prior to the settlement of which the ruins
now bear testimony. It is true that the proper traditions of the tribe
of Pecos are now preserved only at the pueblo of Jemez, about eighty
miles N.W. of Pecos and fifty miles W. of Santa Fe, and that I have not
as yet visited that place.[131] But it must be remembered that I now
report "up to date," and that subsequent information will, or at least
should, come in time.

My reason for admitting a pre-traditional period is, then, simply that I
have found human remains