198 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 196 



do as he pleased. From being very indignant, they became very 

 much alarmed about him; they knew not what to think. 



Some said, he was crazy, but that was impossible, for who ever 

 heard of a crazy Indian? 



They then decided that he was in communication with the Spirits, 

 and for this reason many of his friends neglected him and refused to 

 have any thing to do with him. [^^] He endured with seeming in- 

 difference the neglect of friends, and the annoying sarcasm of 

 opponents. 



In aU this time Sequoyah had been industrious and prudent, had 

 gathered some property around him, and neglected nothing that 

 would bring comfort to his family, endearing himself to them by kind 

 attention to their simple wants; and by his proverbial hospitality 

 and conciliating manners, enlarging the circle of his friends. Sequo- 

 yah did not speak the English language, and understood only a few 

 words, of which he could make but little use; though he had seen but 

 few books, he had learned something about them, and how distant 

 friends could communicate with each other by writing. He was 

 convinced that if a written language was beneficial to one people, 

 it would be equally so to another so he determined to make this for 

 his people, the Cherokees. Once the resolution formed it was never 

 given up. 



Many years Sequoyah dreamed, studied and worked until success 

 crowned his efforts: and he presented to his people a methodically 

 arranged alphabetical language, containing the eighty six sylables of 

 which the Cherokee language is composed. He first taught his 

 Alphabet to his little daughter, a girl of about ten years old, after- 

 wards he persuaded a few of his friends to learn it 



However, it was not received with favor by the people generally, 

 until after many experiments, it was proved beyond a doubt that 

 Sequoyah had indeed devised a most wonderful invention. He sent 

 a letter to some friends, who had removed to the Ai'kansas Territory, 

 and on receiving a reply, aU doubts were forever banished. 



Nearly every member of the Tribe became interested in the new 

 movement, and learned [to learn] the letters and to read and write. 



Sequoyah now became a most popular man, and was respected, 

 as almost super-human; for he was regarded as a great benefactor 

 of his Nation. 



Valuable presents were given to him by the Chiefs and men of 

 influence, and a sum of money, out of the National Treasury was paid 

 to him, in consideration of his inestimable service, p^] 



" The basis for the antagonism toward Sequoyah's experiments was the fear that he was practicing sorcery. 



" The General Council of the Cherokee Nation presented a medal to Sequoyah in 1825. The United 

 States Government promised him $500.00 in the Treaty of 1828 with the Western Cherokees. He never 

 received the full amount (Foreman, G., 1938, pp. 8, 16-17). 



