red
to by Lewis and Clarke, in "Travels to the Pacific Ocean." (London,
1815, Vol. 1, p. 12.) It probably relates to the marriage and consequent
settlement of the founder of the Osage Indians with a woman of a tribe
whose _totem_ or badge was a beaver.

"The Choice of a God" (Vol. 1, p. 117) was related to me by my old
Indian nurse. I heard a rather different version of it from a venerable
clergyman of the name of Thaxter. He had it from a Captain Richardson,
who was killed at Cape Breton in the "Old French War." It is a very
common tradition, though it has not, as far as I know, been before in
print. This tradition also refers to the first meeting of the natives
with the whites.

"The Resurrection of the Bison" (Vol. 1, p. 143) is told by James in his
"Account of an Expedition to the Rocky Mountains." (London, 1823, Vol.
1, p. 257). I have been informed that it is a common tradition among the
Rocky Mountain Indians.

"The Wahconda's Son" (Vol. 1, p. 147) is also from James's "Account of
an Expedition to the Rocky Mountains" (London, 1823. Vol. 1, 251), and
is mentioned by other writers and travellers. This also refers to a
transaction in which white people were concerned.

"The Idols" (Vol. 1, p. 173) is referred to by Lewis and Clarke in
"Travels to the Pacific Ocean" (London, 1815, Vol. 1, p. 146). It is a
genuine Indian superstition.

"The Discovery of the Upper World" (Vol. 1, p. 201) is referred to by
James in his "Account of an Expedition to the Rocky Mountains." (London,
1823, Vol. 1, p. 258); by Heckewelder in the work before referred to, p.
242, and numerous other writers.

For the tradition entitled "Love and War" (Vol. 1, p. 213) I am indebted
to Mr. Henry Schoolcraft. It is taken from a work of his published some
years ago, the title of which I forget. No other alterations had been
made in this tradition than those which were requisite to make it
conform strictly to what I deemed were Indian manners, customs,
phraseology, and opinions.

The series of traditions entitled "Legends of the Happy
Hunting-Grounds," (commencing at p. 225 of volume first) being in my
estimation by far the most interesting and valuable in the volume,
deserve a more elaborate commentary with a view to the authenticating
them. They are all of them genuine, but there is but one of them that
belongs, as has been supposed in the tradition, exclusively to the tribe
of whom it is related. Thus "Akkeewaisee, the Aged," which is sup