A very

express what we in our language can with one. primitive form of picture-writing upon the inner and paperlike bark of trees was practiced by some few tribes.

The North American Indian has often been wrongly pictured as having a sublime faith in one God, Great Spirit, or Manitou. In truth his religion was but a bundle of superstitions, erroneously comprehended by those who came in early contact with him. Certain animals were reverenced by him, and he believed in good and evil spirits, the latter of whom received the greater part of his worship; for, according to his mode of reasoning, the good never did him harm, the evil injured him upon all occasions unless appeased. This appeasing constituted the greater part of his religious ceremonies, and consisted in sacrifices, grotesque dances, chantings, playing upon sacred and noisy instruments, and voluble promise-makings. He had great faith in the efficacy of charms, or totems, to shield him from evil influences.

To him who died there was a hereafter, in which all the pleasures of this life were intensified and enjoyed in continuous repetition. So when a warrior died his weapons and other favorite possessions, including sometimes his dog, were buried with him, to add to his happiness when he reached the "Happy Hunting Ground."

Some tribes buried their dead in sitting posture, a covering of stones and earth forming a mound above the remains. Among many of the western tribes the custom existed of depositing the dead upon high platforms, erected for the purpose out on the prairie, away from the village. Here would the widow daily come to mourn her husband, to bring to him the food that only the fowls of the air devoured, to speak to him and in return receive no answer.

With the advance of the white man the red race is rapidly

passing away, in accordance with a well-established law of nature, that causes an inferior race to yield to a superior

when one

comes in con

tact with the other. Rem

nants are found far out in the West, where even now the emigrant and the

ranchman are encroaching upon their

domain; or at

agencies sub

sisting as pen

sioners on the

bounty of the United States

government. A fortunate few, descend

ants of the

once power

ful Cherokee,

Chickasaw,

Choctaw and

other tribes, Occupy lands

reserved to

them in the

INDIAN BURIAL.

Indian Territory, where education and acquired enlightenment are enabling them to cope successfully against extinction.

QUESTIONS.

According to language how are most of the Indian tribes classified? Locate each. Mention some of the tribal subdivisions of the Algonquins. Dakotas. Name the subdivisions of the Mobilian group. What can you say of the Iroquois ? Name some tribes other than those already mentioned. Why were the Natchez remarkable? What are the principal traits of Indian character? What about their habitations? What can you say of the dwellings of the Iroquois? The Natchez and Pueblos? The Mandans? What duties devolved upon the squaws? Of what were garments made? Decorated? What were the principal articles of food? For what did the men have a passion? What weapons did they employ before the coming of the whites? How did they associate themselves? Who was the sachem? The war-chief? What was the council? How were matters passed upon by the council? What was the nature of the Indian language? What about its vocabulary? What form of writing was practiced? What was the nature of the Indian religion? What did they worship? Reverence? How did they endeavor to appease evil spirits? In what did they have great faith? What do you know of the medicine man? What were some of his duties? What power was he supposed to have? Describe the ceremony of curing the sick. What hereafter did the Indian anticipate? What were the different methods of burial? To what has the red race yielded? Where are remnants of this race to be found to-day? What Indians are found in the Indian Territory? What is their condition?

CHAPTER XV.

Prehistoric America.

The question of how America was originally peopled is of fascinating interest to students of a speculative turn of mind. Many wild theories have been fabricated upon the subject. It has been advanced that the Indians are perhaps the descendants of the ten tribes of Israel, of whom it is recorded in Biblical history that they wandered away and were lost; and that time, climatic conditions, and changed modes of life have altered their original appearance and characteristics.

The nearness of Asia and America at the Behring Strait; the Aleutian Islands arranged, stepping-stone-like, between