THE GEOEGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLEEY. 749 



and Lewis H. Morgan, printed herein, as to the value of Mr. Catlin's 

 work as an observer and chronicler amongst the North American In- 

 dians, is of the utmost value, and confirms the opinion of it long since 

 formed by some of the ablest and wisest of the now large corps of 

 ethnologists. Mr. Catlin's speculations are comparatively few in his 

 " North American Indians," and are such as to throw no cloud on his 

 good name or reputation for common sense. In "Last Eambles," pub- 

 lished in 1867, Mr. Catlin, thirty-three years after his first trip to and 

 experience amongst the North American Indians, gives his views as to 

 their origin or creation. Years of observation of the red men, aided by 

 extensive reading and association with learned men in the various 

 branches of sciences, in all parts of the world, had peculiarly fitted Mr. 

 Catlin for discussion as to the ethnology of the Indian. 



It will be noticed that in his works prior to this time he avoided 

 ethnological discussion. He was eminently an observer, not a dis- 

 cusser 5 still his last view of the Toltec origin of the Crows was con- 

 firmed by Baron Humboldt. 



.ME. catlin's final SPECULATIONS ON THE NOETH AMEEICAN INDIANS. 



1861-1867. 



In "Life Amongst the Indians," 1861, and "Last Rambles," 1867, xMr. 

 Catlin enters the field of speculation in relation to the origin and des- 

 tiny of the North American Indians. These speculations are in sepa- 

 rate chapters and do not in any wise impair his value as an observer 

 and investigator. 



Extracts are given from chapters IX, X, and XI of Last Rambles, 

 being his conclusions in 1867, or forty-six years after his first tour with 

 the North American Indians. 



[Chapter IX, "Last Rambles."] 

 The Indians, ivhere from ? 



Havinjij iu this and a former volume introduced my young readers in a cursory 

 manuer to most of the principal tribes of the American Indians and their leading 

 customs and modes of life, from the highest latitude in North America to the south- 

 ern most cape of South America, there yet remain to be made, with the original concep- 

 tion of this little work, some general remarks of interest, which are suggested by the 

 queries naturally arising in the minds of the readers — "Who are the American In- 

 dians; from whence did they come ; and where are they going?" 



These questions involve matters of very groat importance to ethnology and to 

 human education generally, and deserve a much greater space than can bo allotted 

 to them in this little book, in which all that is to bo yet said must necessarily bo con- 

 cise. 



If wo should look to the Indians themselves to answer the above questions, they 

 would decide for us very briefly (having no history, sacred or profane), "that they 

 are the favorite children of the Great Spirit, created on the grounds on which they 

 live," and that they are "going to the sotting sun." 



The first of these beliefs is the unexceptional instinct of all the American tribes; 

 and the second, no doubt the poetical figure raised by the continual and never-ending 



