[1386] The question has often been discussed as to the origin of the title of “Indian summer,” as applied to a beautiful portion of our autumnal season. Dr. Doddridge gives us an explanation of its original significance, or, at least, of an association with it, which would make a feeling of dread rather than of romance its most striking suggestion. He says that to a backwoodsman the term in its original import would cause a chill of horror. The explanation is as follows: The white settlers on the frontiers found no peace from Indian alarms and onsets save in the winter. From spring to the early part of the autumn, the settlers, cooped up in the forts, or ever at watch in their fields, had no security or comfort. The approach of winter was hailed as a jubilee in cabin and farm, with bustle and hilarity. But after the first set-in of winter aspects came a longer or shorter interval of warm, smoky, hazy weather, which would tempt the Indians—as if a brief return of summer—to renew their incursions on the frontiers. The season, then, was an “Indian summer” only for blood and mischief. So the spell of warm open weather, of melting snows, in the latter part of February—a premature spring—was a period of dread for the frontiersmen. It was called the “pawwawing days,” as the Indians were then holding their incantations and councils for rehearsing for their spring war-parties.
[1387] Cf. further on Hildreth and his books our Vol. VII. p. 536.
[1388] There are notices of other books of this kind in Vols. V. and VII. of the present History. Particularly, may be mentioned Joseph Pritt’s Mirror of Olden Time (Chambersburg, Va., 1848; 2d ed., Abingdon, Va., 1849), in which the most interesting portions are the personal narratives of such captives to the Indians as Col. James Smith, John M’Cullough, and others, the full credibility of which is vouched for by those who knew them as neighbors and associates. This class of narratives by men who for years, willingly or unwillingly, affiliated with their wild captors make very intelligible to us the fact that the whites are much more readily Indianized than are Indians led to conform to the ways of civilization. Cf. Archibald Loudon’s Selection of some of the most interesting narratives, of outrages, committed by the Indians, in their wars with the white people. Also, an account of their manners, customs, traditions, etc. (Carlisle, 1808-11; Harrisburg, 1888).
[1389] Vol. VII. p. 448. As types of successive ranges of anthropological studies see Happel’s Thesaurus Exoticorum (Hamburg, 1688); Stuart and Kuyper’s De Mensch zoo als hij voorkomt (Amsterdam, 1802), vol. vi., and the better known Researches of Prichard (vol. v.).
[1390] See Vol. V. 68.
[1391] See Vol. VII. 264.
[1392] The original paintings for the plates are now in the Peabody Museum (Report, xvi. 189). M’Kenney also published his Memoirs, official and personal, with sketches of travel among the northern and southern Indians (N. Y., 1846), in two volumes. He had been in 1816 the agent of the United States in dealing with the Indians, and in 1824 had been put at the head of the Indian bureau.
[1393] The English editions are generally called Illustrations of the Manners, etc.
[1394] The best bibliographical record of Catlin’s publications is in Pilling’s Bibliog. Siouan languages (1887), p. 15. Cf. Field, p. 63; Sabin, iii. p. 436.
[1395] The volume contains three interesting portraits of Catlin and reimpressions of his drawings as originally published.