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It was my purpose to dedicate, exclusively, these pages to my belovedparents. What correctness of sentiment appears in this book is mainlyascribable to a principle they endeavored to instil into the minds oftheir children, that purity of heart and intellectual attainment arenever more appropriately exercised than in promoting the good of ourfellow-creatures.
Yet the sincere sentiments of respect and regard that I entertain foryou, the remembrance of the many acts of friendship received from youduring my residence at Fort Snelling, and the assurance that you areever prompt to assist and protect the Indian, induce me to unite yourname with those most dear to me in this dedication.
An additional inducement is, that no one knows better than yourself theopportunities that presented themselves to collect materials for theselegends, and with what interest these occasions were improved. Withwhatever favor this little work may be received it is a most pleasingreflection to me, that the object in publishing it being to exciteattention to the moral wants of the Dahcotahs, will be kindlyappreciated by the friends of humanity, and by none more readilythan yourself.
Very truly yours,
New London, March lst, 1849.
My only title to the office of editor in the present case is somepractice in such matters, with a very warm interest in all, whetherrelating to past or present, that concerns our western country. Mrs.Eastman,—wife of Captain Eastman, and daughter of Dr. Henderson, bothof the U. S. army,—is thoroughly acquainted with the customs,superstitions, and leading ideas of the Dahcotahs, whose vicinity toFort Snelling, and frequent intercourse with its inmates, have broughtthem much under the notice of the officers and ladies of the garrison.She has no occasion to present the Indian in a theatrical garb—a merething of paint and feathers, less like the original than his own rudedelineation on birch-bark or deer-skin. The reader will find in thefollowing pages living men and women, whose feelings are in manyrespects like his own, and whose motives of action are very similar tothose of the rest of the world, though far less artfully covered up anddisguised under pleasant names. "Envy, hatred and malice, and alluncharitableness," stand out, unblushing, in Indian life. The first isnot called emulation, nor the second just indignation or meritedcontempt, nor the third zeal for truth, nor the fourth keen discernmentof character. Anger and revenge are carried out honestly to theirnatural fruit—injury to others. Among the Indians this takes the formof murder, while with us it is obliged to content itself wi