William Harvey Miner

The Iowa William Harvey Miner

The actual worth of the Indian Record is slight. Foster's idea with reference to several monographs relating wholly or in part to certain tribes was a worthy one and could be executed to advantage even at this date. The two treatises attempted in his short-lived publication were on the Iowa and their parent stock, the Winnebago, although several shorter tribal sketches, as for example those on the Attacapa,1 Oroyelles,2 Arapahoes,3 and Eries4 are included among other features, these being as scattered notes through the forty-eight columns and of more or less value, particularly as concerns the linguistics.5 It is evident from his Introduction that Foster must have had many difficulties to contend with, especially in the matter of procuring suitable faces of type for his Indian vocabularies as well as in the matter of actual printing. At the best the work is poorly done. The proof-reading is wretched and the statements of fact often in grave error. Abject carelessness in the matter of transcription appears without excuse, hence quoted portions through the present text have invariably been read and compared with the originals, obviously enhancing the value of such a reissue. Although a praiseworthy effort for the period and due every consideration at this time, a project of the kind attempted today would fail ingloriously unless handled with requisite care.