compounded of the first syllables of American and Indian, had been suggested by the Anthropological Society of Washington, I gave it the preference over Redskin, and on full examination was convinced that it is a satisfactory and useful substitute for “Indian,” and, in order to avoid the latter, have used it exclusively in these pages, except where another writer is quoted. This Amerind people were indeed more remarkable than has been popularly appreciated.[4] They possessed, as a rule, strong personality, great physical vigour, quick intelligence, and dauntless courage. Their brain power was of a high order and the cerebral quality extremely fine; capable through the processes of time of a development second to none. They had their trials, their wars, their sicknesses, and their various tribulations before the Europeans fell down upon them; but had the cargo of misery, disease, and death for them which freighted the bold caravels of Columbus possessed tangible weight in proportion to its magnitude, those vessels would have plunged to the depths of the unknown sea. But Destiny had traced another course for events, and thus the gay banners, glowing on one side with Hope for one race and black on the reverse with Despair for another, flaunted at length their ominous folds in the sunshine of the Amerind continent. Great good fortune it was for the Europeans, especially for the Spaniards, but the latter failed to read their star aright. Upon the conquered tribes, an easy prey before the superior weapons of the invaders, they lavished a cruelty which eclipsed that of savages, and settled like a blight over the country, to finally stifle by just retribution the haughty power of Spain herself, and wrench forever from her the last foot of the domain which the unfaltering courage of the Adelantados had bequeathed to her. To attempt to gloss over the oppression of the Spanish rule of the Amerind people would be fruitless. There is no excuse for it. Fresh from the methods of the Inquisition, the Spaniards themselves perhaps were not wholly aware of the horror of their acts. Unfortunately, they do not stand alone as sinners in this respect, and the contemplation of the early intercourse of Europeans and Amerinds is not likely to give a candid person an agreeable sensation, as it is frequently difficult, if not impossible, to decide which race is the one to whom rightfully belongs the description, “treacherous, bloodthirsty, and savage.” Certain it is that the Amerinds from the very beginning had numerous vivid lessons from the whites in murder, treachery, and kindred crimes.[5] They were frequently slain without cause or mercy; they were enslaved when possible; their records were destroyed; and, most terrible of all, they were burned alive at the stake. But this latter diversion had been practised in Europe, where St. Ferdinand with his own hands heaped the fagots on the blazing pile. The Conquistadores of