f3 " Not only unequalled, but unapproached. A literary enterprise more deserving of a generous sympathy and support has never been undertaken on this side of the Atlantic." North American Review BANCROFT LIBRARY THE NATIVE RACES OF THE PACIFIC STATES Complete in 5 vols., 8vo., 4,088 pages, with Maps and Illustrations. By HUBERT HOWE BANCROFT The territory covered by this work embraces the west ern half of North America, from Panama to Alaska, and including all of Mexico and Central America. All that is known of the aboriginal peoples inhabiting this vast area at the time of the coming of the first Europeans is here given. All that can ever be known of them is here delineated, for there is no evidence in existence which has not been examined, no sources of information which have not been found and applied; and as the native nations are rapidly passing away, and, indeed, for the most part have already disappeared, there are no other means on earth, and so far as human judgment can go, there will never be any other means by which we can learn further regarding them. Nor can their origin, even, be ever definitely determined until the mighty problems are solved which seem among those destined for man not yet to know the origin of species, whether mankind on this planet descend from a single pair, originally and perfectly created by an omnipotent deity, or are the result of evolution from lower organisms indigenous to the soil and resulting in many primitive pairs. Then, too, if the first hypothesis is sustained, there must be found, before the question of origin can be settled, a record of the world's migrations? of the flow of human streams throughout countless ages, not to mention the innumerable physical changes in the earth's geologic history, which left it possible for peoples to march hither and thither over the face of the globe, over lands which are now seas and seas which are now lands, midst the tremendous convulsions of nature which at epochs have entirely changed the face of things, with moun tain tops under oceans, and icebergs in the tropics. Hence, as to the sixty and more existing theories as to the origin of the Americans, the author, after fairly presenting them all, says that one is about as valuable as another, all being worthless. The division of such a great subject as that presented in these volumes into .such natural parts as to enable the reader to grasp it, as a whole or in detail, required no small consideration on the part of the author. Besides the innumerable tribes and languages, there were endless dialects and subdivisions which it became necessary to follow back into the mists of the ages. It is safe to say that never was such a work before performed for any primitive people which ever occupied the face of the earth, and never can it be done again, for the simple reason that similar conditions are nowhere else existing. The main divisions of the subject naturally arranged themselves for treatment and elucidation as follows: I. WIIvD TRIBES II. CIVILIZED NATIONS III. MYTHS AND LANGUAGES IV. ANTIQUITIES V. PRIMITIVE HISTORY OF BOTH SAVAGE AND CIVILIZED PEOPLES A portion only of the many subdivisons can be here given, such as, first the peoples : Hoopas Shastas Napas Petalumas Mayas Quiches Aztecs Toltecs Miztecs Eskimos Koniagas Aleuts Apaches Navajos Pueblos Thlinkeets Haidas Moquis Sinaloas Chinooks Pimas Shuswaps Shoshones Maricopas Klamaths Mojaves Modocs Zapotecs Chichimecs Otimis Chontales Popolucas Guatusos Caimanes and hundreds of others. Among Aspects of Nature Speculations on Origin Adaptability to Locality Classification of Species Effect of Climate Ethnological Tests First Europeans Aboriginal Civilization Laws of Succession Ceremony of Annointment Ceremony of Coronation Picture Writing Medicine Men Priesthood Order of Knighthood Laws and Law Courts Elections Military Profession Crimes and Punishments Working in Metals, Paints, and Dyes Education Marriage Concubinage Tobacco Smoking Agriculture Floating Gardens Irrigation Monuments Casas Grandes Manners and Customs the subjects treated are: Physical Characteristics Government Religion Mythology Literature Languages Dialects Food Dwellings Navigation Boats Sledges Snow-shoes Feasts Social Condition Amusements Women Diseases Antiquities Calendar Remedies Burials Judiciary Pottery Palaces Arts Commerce Manufactures Temples Terra-Cotta Mounds Property Weapons War Pyramids Idols Cliff Carvings Altars Fortifications Slavery Nobility Revenues Statues Tribute Towers Games Sculpture Painting Poetry Music Sacrifices Cannibalism Market Places Fairs History Bibliography Ornament Traditions Migrations and a thousand others Dress The preparation for writing this work on the part of Mr. Bancroft was simply immense. Besides collecting a large library, all that was in existence on the subject in America and Europe, and which constituted the bulk of the material for this as well as for his subsequent works, Mr. Bancroft sent men into the field, specialists, ethnologists, linguists, to view the wild man. in his home, and study the subject from nature. Two persons were thus sent to the north, one of whom made investigations in Oregon, Washington, British Columbia, and the region to the eastward, while the other, after making vocabularies and examining the customs of the various tribes of Alaska, lived one winter with the Aleuts in their subterranean abode. Several years were spent by other of his experts study ing the tribes of California, and the countries to the south and east, little of which v/ork could have been done at a later period. The results of their labors when written out were added to Mr. Bancroft's other material. In central and southern Mexico and Central America similar investigations had been earlier made by Spanish and German ethnologists, whose writings Mr. Bancroft utilized in his studies. Very few books have been made in this manner going out into the field and gathering up thousands of new, fresh, and interesting facts, then working over this raw material, and embodying with it the results of what all others have done, until the finished work appears in all its attractive forms and comeliness. When we consider the immense expense and labor which have been incurred in producing this work, and the fact that it was written from original material, and that a large portion of the vast fund of information to be found in it does not exist elsewhere; we begin to realize the value of what Mr. Bancroft has done in thus saving to the world so much valuable knowledge which otherwise would have been lost. Nor is it much to say that no library is complete without it. A copy of the book should be in every household, where it can be constantly read and referred to by every member of the family, and for the following reasons : The work is overflowing with interest, instruction, and entertainment. It will forever be the original and standard authority. The last volume contains a full index, so that any subject may be instantly and easily found. It is only by knowing what man has been that we are able to conceive of what he may be. Facts properly presented are more wonderful and interesting than fiction, and far more beneficial. CONDITIONS. The volumes are well printed on good paper, and neatly and substantially bound; they are uniform in style, and average over 800 pages each. Subscribers will not be obliged to take the work unless it corresponds with the description in every particular. BOUND IN EXTRA ENGLISH CLOTH - $ 4 50 BOUND IN FINK LEATHER, LIBRARY STYLE - 5 50 BOUND IN HALF-MOROCCO, CLOTH SIDES 7 oo BOUND IN FULL MOROCCO, GILT EDGE - 10 oo THE HISTORY COMPANY, PUBLISHERS, SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. N. R. 3. OPINIONS "Recognized as an authority of the first rank." New York Tribune. "Deals with subjects of deep human interest." S. F. Chronicle. "One of the most notable works in our literature." Literary World. "I am finding your collection of facts very valuable for my own more immediate ends in writing the Principles of Sociology. ' ' Herbert Spencer. "His style is at once vigorous and suave ; descending now with Hume into the pro fundities of philosophic thought; now soaring with, Ruskin into the realms of poetic fancy, or breaking forth frequently with the unmistakable brilliancy of genius. He shows ability in depicting the beauties of nature, and in portraying character and motive. Nor does he fail in the subtleties of sarcasm; and in the use of classic allusions he shows a prudence admirably distinct from the affectation of mere sippers at the Pierian fountains. Though precise like Gibbon, he avoids his formality; though massive, he rounds his acute stateliness. America may well be proud of her western historian, who must take his place with the foremost of the age." Sacramento Record- Union. "As author of The Native Races of the Pacific States, Mr Bancroft has already estab lished his reputation as one of the most learned and industrious historians of the present day. But comprehensive in scope and exhaustive in treatment as that work certainly was, it formed, after all, little more than a general introduction to the magnificent scheme of what we have here a first instalment. Should the writer be spared to com plete this stupendous undertaking, as briefly set forth in the preface, he will have accomplished probably the most colossal literary achie\ement of the nineteenth century." London Academy.