The American Indians. Their History, Condition and Prospects, from Original Notes and Manuscripts.

8vo (9 x 5 ½) bound in half dark tan calf and marbled boards, spine tooled in gilt, 495 pp Illustrated with 2 lithographic plates, including a frontispiece portrait of King Hendrick and a portrait of Pocahontas, and two other illustrations. Extremities and joints rubbed, light soiling, lacks spine label, hinges cracking, some foxing and aging to contents, and previous owners signature from 1855 on front free endpaper; otherwise very good. Schoolcraft (1793-1864) first published this work in eight parts between 1844 to 1845, with the title Oneota. The work was actually published under several titles through 1855. The work tends to be more of a literary effort than an anthropological work, and contains many interesting tidbits about trips to the Ozark Mountains and Indian customs. Specifically, he talks about the structure of the Indian family, religion and language. Schoolcraft made his first expedition among the Indians in 1817-1818, and over the years became an important figure in Indian affairs. In 1822 he actually became Indian agent for the tribes of Lake Superior, and negotiated several treaties with the Chippewa. While Schoolcraft clearly has a more sophisticated view of the Indian than people of his time do, this work does present many comments that show he is a man of his times. He claims that Indian women are idle a good deal of the time, and that the plains Indians are more inclined to brutality than the eastern tribes. Appendix contains six stories of Indian captivity. Field 1373. Howes S188. DAB.