XU PREFACE. 



delphia, Dr. O'Callaghan, of Albany, George H. 

 Moore, Esq., of New York, Lyman C. Draper, Esq., 

 of Philadelphia, Judge Law, of Vincennes, and 

 many others, have kindly contributed materials to 

 the work. Nor can I withhold an expression of 

 thanks to the aid so freely rendered in the dull task 

 of proof-reading and correction. 



The crude and promiscuous mass of materials 

 presented an aspect by no means inviting. The 

 field of the history was uncultured and unreclaimed, 

 and the labor that awaited me was like that of the 

 border settler, who, before he builds his rugged 

 dwelling, must fell the forest- trees, burn the under- 

 growth, clear the ground, and hew the fallen trunks 

 to due proportion. 



Several obstacles have retarded the progress of 

 the work. Of these, one of the most considerable 

 was the condition of my sight. For about three 

 years, the light of day was insupportable, and every 

 attempt at reading or writing completely debarred. 

 Under these circumstances, the task of sifting the 

 materials and composing the work was begun and 

 finished. The papers were repeatedly read aloud 

 by an amanuensis, copious notes and extracts were 

 made, and the narrative written down from my dic- 

 tation. This process, though extremely slow and 

 laborious, was not without its advantages ; and I 

 am well convinced that the authorities have been 

 even more minutely examined, more scrupulously 



