The Indianapolis journal., 1886-04-12
THE FIELD OF LITERATURE.
ssMassacres ar the nrountains. ),

ssMassacres Of the Mountains"
The most noteworthy book recently issued Is
the one bearing the above title. written by Jacob
p Dunn, jr., H. S.. LIZ b., a resident of this
city. It is published by Harper & Brothers,
New York, in their best style, and is very
handsome volume Its title indicates its char
acter, though it is apt to convey false impress
sion. IL one expects to find it sensational, he
will be disappointed, for it is not 1t is rather
earefully-prepared history Of the deplorable and
terrible massacres that have taken place in the
western part of the United States since the In
dian question in the mountain region began to
occupy public attention. But while the book is
in no sense sensational, it is at the same time
one of the most intensely interesting that has
come under our observation Ii could not well
be otherwise, dealing, as it does. with some OF
the most tragic affairs of this country. THE his
torian, for this is history of the Indian ques-
tion. has begun at the beginning of the question
and traced it down to the present time, relating
incidentally the many slaughters that have
stained the Western plains and mountains with
the blood of the venturesome white settler. and
the hunter and trapper that dared the dangers of
that region to reach the game that lurked in the
Businesses freq1en.ed only by wild beasts and
still wilder aborigines.
The author begins by recounting in the
preface the various leading points in the Indian
question" from the earliest time, briefly, OF
course, but conclusively. He first attempts to
arrive at correct idea of the number OF Indians
that peopled this country before its discovery
by Columbus, and easily shows that the many ex-
travagant estimates by which 1t was claimed
that there must have been many millions is ab
surd. This he does by computation proving
how many could be sustained by the country at
their disposal. His conclusion is that million
would be generous estimate, while it might
fall as low as quarter of that number The
number now in the United States, exclusive Of
Alaska, is 100000. He then proceeds to review
the treatment accorded these wards Of the Ma
tion and shows that in very many instances it
falls little if any short of Infamous To this fact
he ascribes the fact that the savages have so
often proved treacherous and intractable. In
support of these statements he cites indisputa-
BILE authority and makes his assertions con-
vincing. The second chapter takes up the his
tory of the acquisition of the mountain region of
the West, and the work then proceeds to the
consideration of the subject as indicated by the
title The invasion of New Mexico is first
considered, and then the first ex-
petition to the Territory of Oregon. The first
massacre recounted is that of the Protestant
missionaries at Wailatpu, near Fort Walla-
Walla, the slaughter being instigated by certain
French half-breeds. 1t is cited as remarkable
fact in that connection that at that time, nor in
any of the subsequent killings, was there any
Catholic or any relatives of those of that relig-
ious order molested.
But it were impossible to mention all the feat
ures of this work, which goes into the considera-
ton of all the great tragedies that have taken
place in the great West from the causes named.
Mr.. Dunn spent some time in the region in which
an exhaustive study of the subject In prepar-
ing the work he brought TO his aid the best and
most trustworthy authorities accessible and the
result is history of these deplorable events that
will prove of inestimable value to the reader and
student of the doings of the American Indian.
The massacre as the Lava Beds by the Modocs,
and that of General Clusters gallant band on the
Little Big Horn are recounted at length, and the
entire text is illustrated with numerous engrav-
ings of places and people. The book closes with
an account of General Crooks expedition against
the predatory Apaches on the borders of Mexico
In this very handsome volume the literature of
Indiana has been greatly enriched. and the peo-
pie of this State will justly feel proud of it It
is for sale by the Bowen Merrill Company.