PREFACE. 
Vll 
now existing in Mexico is a technically 
scientific question that I was not prepared 
to investigate, both because the discovery 
was wholly unexpected, and (still more 
important) because destitute of a suffi¬ 
cient knowledge of the subject to do so. 
Had I been able to overcome both ob¬ 
stacles, however, I could have done no 
more than to leave the subject in the 
shape of an incomplete theory at the best, 
as all similar ethnological discussions 
have been left; and I doubt if this would 
have added to or subtracted from the 
more definite purpose of being the first 
to consider them in any light whatsoever. 
Such information as I obtained regarding 
this most curious people and their strange 
country is related in the following pages. 
Frederick Schwatka. 
