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"Without some system or order in the investigation of nature's
works and nature's laws, the mind is puzzled and confounded,
wandering, like Noah's dove, over the face of the deep, without
finding a resting-place. What a pity that human knowledge and human
powers are so limited!"
Indian Symbolic Figures.--Professor Douglass (March 17th) writes,
making some inquiries about certain symbolic figures on the Sioux
bark letter, found above Sank River.
Expedition to the Yellow Stone.--I fancy those western expeditions
intend to beat us all hollow, in tough yarn, as the sailors have
it; for it seems the Indian affair has got into the form of a
newspaper controversy already: vide Aurora and National Gazette.
Mineralogy of Georgia.--J. T. Johnston, Esq., of New York, writes
(March 23d) that he has made an arrangement for procuring minerals
for me from this part of the Union.
Scientific Subjects.--Mr. McNabb writes (March 27th): "I deeply
regret that so little attention is bestowed by our legislatures
(State and National) on objects of such importance as those which
engage your thoughts, while so much time, breath, and treasure are
wasted on frivolous subjects and party objects. How long must the
patriot and philanthropist sigh for the termination of such
driveling and delusion!"
After a labor at my table of about fourteen weeks, the manuscript
was all delivered to my printers; and I returned to New York, and
took up my abode in my old quarters at 71 Courtland. The work was
brought out on the 20th of May, making an octavo volume of 419
pages, with six plates, a map, and engraved title-page. Marks of the
haste with which it was run through the press were manifest, and not
a few typographical errors. Nobody was more sensible of this than
myself, and of the value that more time and attention would have
imparted. But the public received it with avidity, and the whole
edition was disposed of in a short time. Approbatory notices
appeared in the principal papers and journals. The New York
Columbian says:--
"The author has before given the public a valuable work upon the
Lead Mines of Missouri, and, if we mistake not, a book of
instructions upon the manufacture of glass. He is advantageously
known as a man of science and literary research, and well qualified
to turn to beneficial account the mass of information he must have
collected in his tour through that interesting part of the country,
which has attracted universal attention, though our knowledge of it
has hitherto been extremely limited. We think there is no fear that
the just expectations of the public will be disappointed; but that
the book will be found to furnish all the valuable and interesting
information that the subject and acquirements of the writer
promised, conveyed in a chaste and easy style appropriate for the
journalist--occasionally enlivened by animating descriptions of
scenery. The author has not suffered his imagination to run wild
from a foolish vanity to win applause as a fine writer, when the
great object should be to give the reader a view of what he
describes, as far as language will permit, in the same light in
which he beheld it himself. He aims to give you a just and true
account of what he has seen and heard, and his book will be referred
to as a record of facts by the learned and scientific at home and
abroad. It is a production honorable to the country, and, if we
mistake not, will advance her reputation in the opinion of the
fastidious reviewers of Scotland and England, in spite of their
deep-rooted prejudices."
Mr. Walsh, of the National Gazette, deems it a valuable addition
to this class of literature.
"Public attention," he remarks, "was much excited last year by the
prospectus of the expedition, of which Mr. Schoolcraft formed a part
as mineralogist, and whose journey he has now described. He remarks,
in his introduction, with truth, that but little detailed
information was before possessed of the extreme north-western region
of the Union--of the great chain of lakes--and of the sources of the
Mississippi River, which continued to be a subject of dispute
between geographical writers. In the autumn of 1819 Governor Cass,
of Michigan Territory, projected an expedition for exploring what
was so imperfectly known, and yet so worthy of being industriously
surveyed.
"The Secretary of War--to whom Mr. Schoolcraft's book is
appropriately dedicated, with a just testimony to the liberal and
enlightened character of his official administration--not only
admitted the plan of Governor Cass, but furnished him with the means
of carrying it into full effect by providing an escort of soldiers
and directing the commandants of the frontier garrisons to furnish
every aid, of whatever description, which the party might require.
To the Governor, as chief of the expedition, he associated several
gentlemen qualified to accomplish its objects; which were--a more
correct knowledge of the names, numbers, customs, history, mode of
subsistence, and dispositions of the Indian tribes--the collection
of materials for an accurate map of the country--the investigation
of the subject of the north-western copper and lead mines, and
gypsum quarries; and the acquisition, from the Indians, of such
tracts as might be necessary to secure the benefit of them to the
United States.
"In the course of last March, we published a letter of Governor Cass
to the Secretary of War, describing in a happy manner some of the
scenes and occurrences which fell within the observation or inquiry
of the expedition. Mr. Schoolcraft states, at the end of his
introductory remarks, that he does not profess to communicate all
the topographical information collected, and that a special
topographical report and map may be expected, together with other
reports and the scientific observations of the expedition in
general. We anticipate, therefore, an ample and valuable accession
to our stock of knowledge respecting so important a portion of the
American territory; and such evidence of the utility of enterprises
of the kind, as will inspire every branch of the government with a
desire to see them repeated with equipments and facilities adapted
to the most comprehensive research, and fitted to render them
creditable in their fruits to the national character abroad.
"The present narrative does not exhibit the author in his capacity
of mineralogist alone. In this he appears indeed more distinctively,
and to particular advantage; but he writes also as a general
describer and relater, and has furnished lively and ample accounts
of the natural objects, and novel, magnificent scenery which he
witnessed; and of the history, character, condition, and habits of
the various Indian bands whom he encountered in his route, or who
belong especially to our north-western territories."
I was deeply sensible of the exalted feelings and enlarged
sentiments with which these and other notices were written. The
effect on my mind was a sense of literary humility, and a desire to
prove myself in any future attempts of the kind in some measure
worthy of them. Literary candidates are not ever, perhaps, so much
pleased or gratified by those who render them exact justice, of
which there is always some notion, as by warm, liberal, or
high-minded thoughts and commendations, which are incentives to
future labors.
May 22d.--General Cass had, before leaving Detroit, offered me the
situation of Secretary to the Commissioners appointed to confer with
the Indians at Chicago in the summer of 1821, with a view,
primarily, to the interesting and circuitous journey which it was
his intention to make, in order to reach the place of meeting. This
offer, as the time drew on, he now put in the shape of a letter,
which I determined at once to accept, and made my arrangements to
leave the city without loss of time.
It was proposed to be at Detroit the 1st of July. The tour would lie
through the valleys of the Miami of the lakes, and the Wabash, which
interlock at the Fort Wayne summit; then across the Grand Prairie of
the Illinois to St. Louis, and up the Illinois River from its mouth
to its source. This would give me a personal knowledge of three
great valleys, which I had not before explored, and connect my
former southern explorations in Arkansas and Missouri with those of
the great lake basins and the upper Mississippi. I had been at the
sources and the mouth of that great river, and I had now the
opportunity to complete the knowledge of its central portions. It
was with the utmost avidity, therefore, that I turned my face again
towards the West.
Mr. Calhoun, who was written to on the subject, concurred in this
plan, and extended the time for the completion of my geological
report.
Joint Work on the Scientific Results of the Expedition of
1820.--General Cass, who had been written to, thus expresses
himself on this subject:--
"Captain Douglass has informed me that you and he meditate a joint
work, which shall comprise those objects, literary and scientific,
which could not properly find a place in a diurnal narrative. At
what time is this work to appear, and what are its plan and objects?
My observations and inquiries respecting the Indians will lead me
much further than I intended or expected. If I can prepare anything
upon that subject prior to the appearance of the work, I shall be
happy to do it."
Geological Survey of Dutchess County.--Dr. Benjamin Allen, of Hyde
Park, writes to me (June 4th) on this subject, urging me to
undertake the survey; but the necessity of closing my engagements in
the West rendered it impossible.
Expedition of 1820.--Dr. Mitchell furnishes me opinions upon some
of the scientific objects collected by me and my associates in the
north-west in 1820:--
"The Squirrel sent by General Cass is a species not heretofore
described, and has been named by Dr. Mitchell the federation
squirrel, or sciurus tredecem striatus.
"The Pouched Rat, or mus bursarius, has been seen but once in
Europe. This was a specimen sent to the British Museum from Canada,
and described by Dr. Shaw. But its existence is rather questioned by
Charles Cuvier.
"Both animals have been described and the descriptions published in
the 21st Vol. of the Medical Repository of New York, p. 248
et seq. The specimens are both preserved in my museum. Drawings have
been executed by the distinguished artist Milbert, and forwarded by
him at my request to the administrators of the King's Museum, at
Paris, of which he is a corresponding member. My descriptions
accompany them. The originals are retained as too valuable to be
sent out of the country.
"The Paddle Fish is the spatularia of Shaw and polyodon of Lacepede. It lives in the Mississippi only, and the skeleton, though
incomplete, is better than any other person here possesses. It is
carefully preserved in my collection.
"The Serpent is a species of the Linnaean genus Anguis, the orveto
of the French, and the blind worm of the English. The loss of
the tail of this fragile creature may render an opinion a little
dubious, but it is supposed to be an ophias aureus of Dandin,
corresponding to the Anguis ventralis of Linn, figured by Catesby.
"The shells afford a rich amount of undescribed species. The whole
of the univalves and bivalves received from Messrs. Schoolcraft and
Douglass, have been assembled, and examined with all I possessed
before, and with Mr. Stacy Collins's molluscas brought from Ohio.
Mr. Barnes is charged with describing and delineating all the
species not contained in Mr. Say's memoir on these productions of
the land and fresh waters of North America. The finished work will
be laid before the Lyceum, and finally be printed in Silliman's New
Haven Journal. The species with which zoology will be enriched
will amount probably to nine or ten. We shall endeavor to be just to
our friends and benefactors.
"The pipe adorns my mantelpiece, and is much admired by
connoisseurs."
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materials that may imply negative stereotypes reflecting the culture or language
of a particular period or place. These items are presented as part of the
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Personal Memoirs of a Residence of Thirty Years with the
Indian Tribes on the American Frontiers, 1851
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Years with the Indians
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