The American Indian by A. Hyatt Verrill (review)

172 THE CANADIAN HISTORICAL REVIEW of prayer, and those of the Plains Indians often so, but that this is universallytrue in North Americais not proved. It is even probable that many of the Algonquin floral designsillustrated are of French origin. Such sweepinggeneralizations,even though the author admits them assuch,requiresubstantiation. To provetheir representativeness, a largernumberof examplesis requiredfrom all parts of the continent, and eachshouldbe studiedfromthe aspects of historyand diffusion, the last being a phasealmost entirely neglectedby the author. Little need be said about the general presentation. The author's style is excellent;the chaptersfollow one another logically; the illustrations are well reproduced,but the lack of an index is a flaw. There are no foot-notes,and, still worse,statementsappearin quotationmarks with merely "accordingto Clark Wissler" or other unspecificreferences. Other quotations are presumably from native informants, who seem usually to have been of philosophicalor contemplative temperament. On the whole, the book must be criticized for lack of perspective. Comparisons with Greek thought havebeendemonstrated;but onefeels that analogies with othersystems ofphilosophy .mighthavebeenbrought out equally well by meansof other examples. Mr. Alexander knows a great dealabout Indian psychology,andhasclearly postulateda number of fundamental mental concepts;onewishesthat he had remainedcontent with this insteadof emphasizingcertainspecialphases,and painting a somewhatidealized picture. It is a work that belongsessentiallyto the realm of philosophy, and one of which the anthropologicalbackgroundis not above criticism. T.F. MCILWRAITI-I The American Indian. By A. HYATTVERRILL. New York: Appleton. 1927. Pp. 485; illustrations. ALTHOU6I•anthropologistshave, during recent years, publishedmany scientific works on the American Indians, they have produced too few bookswhich appeal to the generalpublic. It is for this classof readers that Mr. Verrill haswritten TheAmericanIndian, and,forsucha purpose the work is admirable. The author has done considerableethnological researchin Central and South America, and is not afraid to draw upon hispersonalexperiences. tte coversa wide range,and givesan enormous amount of material, but has succeeded in avoiding a mere catalogueof facts. After two chapterson the origin of the Indians and a description of pre-historic civilizations, including some interesting data on the Coc16culture of Panama, the author plunges into a description of popularmisconceptions.He dealswith the fallaciesof a uniformphysical type, taciturnity, stoicism,cruelty, laziness,and lack of honesty;and, though he doesnot idealize the Indian, he showsthe utter lack of com- REVIEWS OF BOOKS 173 prehension ofmost whitepeople onthese points.Equally instructive is his accountof the contactof the two races,a chapterin the world's historywhichmostof uswouldgladlyefface. Guianaistheonlypartof the Americaswherewarfare,largely unnecessary in any case,between aborigineand immigranthas beenavoided. The majorpart of thebookisdividedinto twosections, thefirsta comparative studyof various phases of culture,thesecond a description of the nativesgrouped geographically. The formercomprises chapters on religion,folk-lore,dances, materialculture,and sociallife. The authoris particularlyhappyin his accountof the mannerin which Indian life ispermeated by a beliefin thesupernatural, andof theway in whichthis conviction explains Indian mythology. Equallyvaluable are Mr. Verrill's commentson homelife and on the partnershipbetween the Indian and hiswife who, as the reviewerhasalsofound,wouldconsiderherselfdegraded wereshesupported in idleness by her husband. Excellent judgmentis shown in choice of subjects bothin the comparativechapters , andin thedescriptions of tribesaccording to geographical considerations. In makinga readable volume,the author,who appears to have written rather hurriedly,has made heavysacrifices.The useof such termsas"peered","hocus-pocus", and"flapper"mayappealto a certain classof reader, but will certainly offendothers. Indian languages are barely mentionedand socialgroupings,justice, and land tenure are slighted. The distribution of the blow-gun is lessthanstated,that of the slingis greater. The explanationthat womenare excluded from sacredritesbecause of their curiosity,sounds like a popularfallacy. It isgenerally agreed that theIndianentered Americafromthenorth-west, andthe author,whilerightlyemphasizing that the racialhistoryof the continentis not clear,hashardly presented a picturethat will assistthe layman. Unfortunately, thisquestion is takenup in the firstchapter, givinga somewhat falseimpression of the bookasa whole. An index andselected bibliography wouldhaveaddedto thevalueof thevolume without lessening its popularinterest. The ultra-scientific anthropologist may considerthis work outside his field, but science shouldconcernitself with the instructionof the general public. Mr. Verrillhaswrittenanaccount of American Indians whichcanbe readprofitablyby thosewhohaveneithertime nor desire to approach thesubject by means of detailed ethnological monographs. The illustrations enhance the attractiveness of the book, especially interesting beingreproductions of the author'sown paintings. T. F. McIr,wm,,I?r• ...