SEMALLE', RENE' DE.

LES INDIENS DES ETATS-UNIS. PARIS, A. MARC & E. MARTINET, 1869.

      2 parts in one vol. 8vo. Original printed wrappers. 32, 8 (last blank) pp. Extremely rare first edition of two offprint articles on North American Indians by Rene' de Semalle'. The first article originally appeared in L'illustration, the second one in the Bulletin de la Societe de Geographie, both in 1868. The former gives some general information on the Indian tribes in North America, with special attention to their way of living and their customs. Herein it is stated that the Indians, contrary to what the American newspapers tried to make believe, weren't cruel at all and even showed a chivalrous nobility. Moreover, De Semalle' criticises the attitude of the American settlers, who continued to chase the Native Americans. Real cruelty was to be found with them, according to him. He further suggests the creation of an Indian state on the model of Switzerland under the leadership of Ely S. Parker, the future Commissioner of Indian Affairs. A slip of paper is pasted over the last four lines of p. 30 giving an emended text: "M. L. ajoute que ces miliciens revenaient chasses a' coups de fouet comme des chiens, getting whipped like dogs" instead of the original "... que ces miliciens s'elancaient comme des chiens ...". The second, well-documented article states that during the last few years the number of Native Americans didn't decrease anymore, as the newspapers still put forward, but even increased. Reasonable copy.- (Wrappers sl. frayed). Sabin 79045; not in Chadenat; not in Eberstadt.