The present index had its origin some years ago when, on my arrival in America, I frequently had occasion to use the annual reports. Out of the vast amount of material contained in some 30,000 pages it was often extremely difficult, if not altogether impossible, to find any particular item. To save time and trouble I collected certain references to subjects in which I was interested. It then occurred to me that a general index to the reports might be useful to others too, and on my suggesting the matter to the Chief of the Bureau of American Ethnology it met with his approval. So what began as a mere handful of references of a very special nature has ended in being a general index.
Originally it was my intention to include only those volumes which were published during the first 50 years of the existence of the bureau, but owing to technical and other difficulties it was found advisable to publish my “Index” as the accompanying paper to the Forty-eighth Annual Report. Therefore, after my whole manuscript was prepared and ready for the press, I included in it the report for the fifty-first year of the bureau. Moreover, owing to the portly proportions this work has already assumed, my former plan of including an index to illustrations had to be abandoned. I hope, however, to be able to publish this at some future date.
It is my pleasant duty to thank, first of all, the Chief of the Bureau of American Ethnology, Mr. Matthew W. Stirling, for allowing this paper to be published in the series of annual reports, and for the uniformly courteous treatment I have received from him.
Dr. Truman Michelson and Dr. John R. Swanton, both of the same bureau, have very kindly given me the benefit of their wide experience, and have offered me many valuable hints on how an index may be of the utmost value to its user. I take this opportunity of expressing my gratitude to them; but I wish it to be understood that they are in no way responsible for any mistakes I may have made.
I also must not forget to express my genuine appreciation of the excellent indexing work of Mrs. Frances S. Nichols, without which my labor would have been considerably increased. For indexing the reports of the last few years I have done very little except to classify and rearrange the work of Mrs. Nichols, with slight additions and alterations here and there in order to obtain uniformity for the whole work.
I also wish to thank all the officials of the Bureau of American Ethnology with whom I came in contact during my frequent visits to that institution for their unfailing courtesy and willing cooperation.
Biren Bonnerjea.
Washington, D. C., December 25, 1931.
INDEX REFERENCES
The references in the index are as follows: