sections, as well as
of the history of the western Nation, than is possessed by their kindred
in Carolina. The historical matter and the parallels are, of course,
collated chiefly from printed sources, but the myths proper, with but
few exceptions, are from original investigation.
The historical sketch must be understood as distinctly a sketch, not
a detailed narrative, for which there is not space in the present paper.
The Cherokee have made deep impress upon the history of the southern
states, and no more has been attempted here than to give the leading-
facts in connected sequence. As the history of the Nation after the
removal to the West and the reorganization in Indian Territory pre-
sents but few points of ethnologic interest, it has been but briefly
treated. On the other hand the affairs of the eastern bandhave been
discussed at some length, for the reason that so little concerning this
remnant is to be found in print.
One of the chief purposes of ethnologic study is to trace the
development of human thought under varying conditions of race and
environment, the result showing always that primitive man is essen-
tially the same in every part of the world. With this object in view
a considerable space has been devoted to parallels drawn almost entirely
from Indian tribes of the United States and British America. For
the southern countries there is but. little trustworthy material, and to
extend the inquiry to the eastern continent and the islands of the sea
would be to invite an endless task.
The author desires to return thanks for many favors from the
Library of Congress, the Geological Survey, and the Smithsonian
Institution, and