Jeremiah Curtin epub Seneca Indian Myths (Classic Reprint)

The Indian myths here presented, in their original form as dictated toM r. Curtin by aged Indians of theS eneca people, were collected by him while acting as an agent of theB ureau of Ethnology of theS mithsonian I nstitute, and are now published with the permission and approval of that body. Mr. Curtin considered the collection of the ideas of primitive peoples as indispensible to the study of the development of the human mind. From college days, though living abroad and occupied with affairs connected with his diplomatic position, he spent his leisure time studying philology and mythology; and when, many years later, in 1883, he was offered a position in theB ureau of Ethnology, he was very glad to enter the field as an active worker. His teacher in theS eneca language wasS im Logan, aS eneca I ndian, who was in Washington in government employ and was willing to add to his earnings by acting as Mr. Curtin stutor. At the end of four months Mr. Curtin had acquired considerable knowledge of Seneca, which he found one of the most interesting of Indian languages. In September of that year Logan left for his home near Versailles, N. Y., and a few days later Mr. Curtin went to Versailles to begin work in the field. He remained there till late in December and it was during this time that he collected most of the myths in the present volume. He appointed a time and place, and when the Indians assembled he told them why he had come to the Reservation; that theB ureau of Ethnology wished to preserve their traditions and myths and that this could only be done by writing them down. A young man called Two Guns, immediately advised the people to have nothing to do with Mr. Curtin, as he was there to get hold of theirS eneca religion and store it away as a curiosity.(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)About the Publisher Forgotten Books is a publisher of historical wr