rtain a suspicion
that she who watched every night by my pillow, and gathered me berries,
and waded into the water to pluck lilies for me, and procured me a
thousand playthings--the devices of savage ingenuity--could tell me
false tales? It was from this aged Indian woman that I heard some of
the traditions which are recorded in these volumes; and from these
preceptors and playmates of my childhood I acquired that acquaintance
with their manners, customs, and superstitions, and knowledge of their
disposition, and imbibed that sympathy with their sufferings, which have
led to the publication of these volumes. I feel, indeed, a singular
interest in them--an interest the strength of which is scarcely to be
accounted for on the common principles of youthful friendships.

My acquaintance with them did not terminate with the period which sent
me forth into the wide world a traveller for gain or pleasure, an
adventurer in quest of wealth or happiness. I have since travelled among
the Chickasaws, the Cherokees, the Creeks, and the Shawanos, besides the
nondescripts who figure in the drunken riots which daily occur on the
Levee of the city of New Orleans. And my frequent visits to the scenes
of my childhood, and renewal of acquaintance with the red associates of
my youth, have served to keep alive and vivid the recollections of
the period which may be said to have afforded me almost as many
opportunities of studying their character as if I had been born an
Indian.

I conceived, more than ten years ago, the idea of collecting the various
traditions and popular Indian stories, with a view to their publication
at a convenient day. Believing that a collection of their traditions,
illustrated by elaborate notices of their peculiar customs and manners,
would be both instructive and amusing, I set myself down to the reading
of the books which should add to the fund of legendary lore I had
acquired by my residence among them. In all my travels, and these have
been through every state but one in the American Union, and the
"territories," with the exception of Michigan and the "North Western,"
my inquiries have been for "Indians," and respecting "Indian
traditions." If I saw an Indian, I questioned him as to his ideas of a
future state, the creation of man, &c. and endeavoured to wile from him
an "auld warld story," to use Edie Ochiltree's language. I think I have
never lost sight of my object in any situation where any thing could be
d