120 



THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



viduality in the formative period of the country." This book 

 abounds with evidence of Mr. Schoolcraft's scientific and literary 

 activity, as well as of his efficiency in work in whatever field. 

 As early as 1820 we find a letter from Amos Eaton, asking him 

 for information for the second edition of his Index to Geology, 

 respecting the secondary and alluvial formations and the strata 

 of the Rocky Mountains. Dr. Samuel Mitchell writes him, in 

 1821, about the shells and other specimens he has sent, including 

 a " sandy fungus," and inviting specimens for the cabinet of the 

 Emperor of Austria. Profs. Silliman and Hall acknowledge the 

 value of his examination of the mining regions of Missouri ; Prof. 

 Silliman asks for articles for his journal ; and Sir Humphry Davy 

 thinks his book would sell well in England. Prof. Cleaveland 

 writes him, in 1827, that he is about preparing a new edition of 

 his work on mineralogy, and solicits the communication of new 

 localities. In the same year Mr. Schoolcraft himself writes that 

 the collection he made in Missouri, etc., in 1819, appears to have 

 had an effect on the prevalent taste for those subjects, " and at 

 least it has fixed the eyes of naturalists on my position on the 

 frontiers." Mr. Peter S. Duponceau addresses him, in 1834, on 

 the structure of the Indian languages, " in terms which are very 

 complimentary, coming, as they do, as a voluntary tribute from a 

 person whom I never saw, and who has taken the lead in investi- 

 gations on this abstruse topic in America." He pronounces Mr. 

 Schoolcraft's book on the Chippewa languages one of the most 

 philosophical works on the Indian languages which he has ever 

 read. In another letter Mr. Duponceau acknowledges having 

 used Mr. Schoolcraft's grammar, giving due credit, in preparing a 

 prize essay for the Institute of France, on the grammatical struct- 

 ure of Indian languages. Dr. Thomas H. Webb, of Providence, 

 in 1835, notifies him of his election as an honorary member of the 

 Rhode Island Historical Society, and asks about aboriginal in- 

 scriptions on rocks. The Massachusetts Historical Society, in 

 1836, asks him to proceed with his work on the Ojibway lan- 

 guage, complete it, and let the society publish it. John J. Audu- 

 bon asks for aid in preparing his work on American quadrupeds. 

 There are numerous notices of specimens that have been sent to 

 Mr. Schoolcraft to pass upon, and solicitations from persons rep- 

 resenting the principal magazines, to contribute of the results of 

 his researches. 



A new disposition of official posts having been made, Mr. 

 Schoolcraft transferred his residence in 1837 to Michilimackinac 

 or Mackinaw. Thence he removed, in 1841, to New York, where 

 he expected to find the surroundings more favorable to the col- 

 lation and publication of the results of his observations on the 

 red race, whom he " had found in many traits a subject of deep 



