PREFACE 



If we are entitled to accept the principle that the modern barbarian 

 world has preserved to a fair degree the culture of humanity's ado- 

 lescence, we may legitimately go a step farther and look to the 

 modem savage world for some clue to the culture of humanity's 

 childhood. Used with due reserve, our knowledge of savage culture 

 may help toward a reconstruction of the earlier stages of prehistoric 

 cultural development, but at any rate coordhiation of the facts must 

 precede their interpretation, and in turn be preceded by intensive 

 studies of the individual savage tribes. 



The present work had its origin in such an attempt to find what 

 light an intensive study of the available sources would throw on the 

 culture, particularly the religion and morality, and on the cultural 

 relations, of one of the most primitive aboriginal American groups. 

 In the course of preparation references accumulated, and what began 

 as a cultural study has ended as a bibliography, 



I wish to take this opportunity to express my grateful apprecia- 

 tion first of aU to Mr. Frederick W, Hodge, who has given me his 

 valued counsel on many matters connected with the work. I am 

 also indebted to him as well as to Mr. Wilberforce Fames for several 

 important titles. 



Dr. Ales Hrdlicka and Dr. John II . Swan ton have generously given 

 me the benefit of their expert knowledge and wide experience in their 

 respective fields, although of course I should not like them to be held 

 responsible for conclusions advanced in the work. 



Prof. Charles Wellington Furlong, whose intimate personal knowl- 

 edge of the Fuegian and Patagonian tribes makes him our foremost 

 North American authority on their culture, has very kindly put at 

 my disposal much of his invaluable manuscript material and has 

 given mo information on many obscure points. 



The Rev. Dr. Antonio Cojazzi and Father Jose M. Beauvoir, both 

 of the Salesian Society, have by letter helped to clear up for me sev- 

 eral matters in connection with their own and their confreres' lin- 

 guistic studies. 



I have to thank Mr. Charles Martel, of the Library of Congress, for 

 many kindnesses to me and for his valuable suggestions regarding 

 bibliographical technique. 



