thinned the Spanish ranks, and the little army of proud invaders rapidly wasted away. At length, after a two years' march, De Soto came to the Mississippi somewhere near the point which now marks the southern boundary of Tennessee. This was in April, 1541.

De Soto crossed the great river, and penetrated westward to the mountain region of Arkansas. He then descended to the junction of the Red River with the Mississippi. Here he was seized with a malignant fever, of which he died. His body was consigned to the bosom of the mighty stream he had discovered. His dejected companions, now reduced in number to three hundred, managed, by means of seven rude brigantines of their own construction, to make their way to a Spanish settlement near Tampico.*

66

15. In the years 1541-2 Francisco Vasquez (vås-kẻth') de Coronado, acting under the orders of Mendoza, Viceroy of Mexico, explored a considerable part of what are now New Mexico and Colorado, in search of the fabulous seven cities of Cibola." Instead of these cities the river Gila (he'lå) and the head-waters of the Rio del Norte (re'o del nor'-tà) were discovered. Spanish adventurers explored the Pacific coast as far north as latitude 44°, hoping to find a passage across the continent to the Atlantic. They named the coast California.

16. The principal inducements that first led Europeans to come to America were: the hope of finding a western passage to India; eagerness to amass sudden fortunes by conquest or mining; curiosity and love of adventure; the prospect of profit from the Newfoundland fisheries, and from trade in train-oil, walrus-tusks, bear-skins, and beaver

* See Bancroft's United States, Vol. I., Ĉh. 2; L. A. Wilmer's Life of De Soto; and W. G. Simms's Vasconselos (fiction).

When did De Soto discover the Mississippi? At what point? What were his subsequent movements? Where did he die? What became of his

followers?

15. What were the discoveries of Vasquez? Of other Spanish explorers on the Pacific coast?

16. What inducements led Europeans to come to America?

skins; zeal to convert heathen peoples to Christianity; and the design of planting colonies.

GENERAL QUESTIONS AND DIRECTIONS.

How many years passed between the discovery of Guanahani and that of the Mississippi River? Under authority of what nations and sovereigns were discoveries made? Write in the order of time a list of the discoverers named in Chapter First. Tell the nationality of each discoverer, and the name of the power he served. What territorial claims were based upon the discoveries mentioned in Chapter First?

NOTE I.-Pupils should learn to spell and pronounce correctly all the unfamiliar proper names found in the text.

NOTE II.-The numerous references at the bottom of these pages are designed not to verify the author's statements, but to guide teacher and pupil in extending their knowledge beyond the necessarily narrow range of the text-book. Certain standard works should be placed within the students' reach - especially the histories of Hildreth, Bancroft, Lossing, Parkman, and Palfrey; Irving's Life of Washington, and Sparks's American Biographies. The collection of a library in every school district should be encouraged. In this age of books the chances are that, even where no libraries exist, the combined resources of teacher and pupils will furnish, each day, at least one good history, biography, essay, tale, or poem, illustrative of the history lesson. Should there be a little time to spare after the regular recitation, it may profitably be employed in reading selected passages aloud.

Ocean stretched a region of plains, spreading westward in some places to the Rocky Mountains, part barren, and part covered with rank grass. East of the Mississippi these plains were interspersed with forests, the wooded and the grassy lands there being of about equal extent. West of the Rocky Mountains were both plains and forests, the latter prevailing on the Pacific slope.

18. The forests abounded with bears, deer, and many species of smaller quadrupeds. The prairies of the Missouri were covered with bison. The lakes and streams of the continent were full of fish. Innumerable wild fowl

frequented woodland, water-side, and prairie.

19. The American Aborigines were fit denizens of the

QUESTIONS.-17. Locate the forest region of aboriginal North America. What portions of the continent were covered by plains? What was the character of these plains?

18. Mention the principal animal life of the primeval forests, plains, and

streams.

primeval wilderness. Children of nature, the Red men were akin to all that is rude, savage, and unreclaimable. These strange people, of unknown origin, were scattered sparsely over the whole continent. Their number within the limits of what is now the United States was at no time, since the discovery of America, above 400,000 individuals. Those dwelling east of the Mississippi River numbered, perhaps, 180,000.

The North American Indians may be divided into eleven families, each distinguished by peculiarities of language: the Iroquois, the Algonquins, the Cherokees, the Catawbas, the Mobilians, the Dakotas, the Athapascans, the Shoshones, the Eskimos, the Aztecs, and the Mayas.* The location of these families is shown on the map facing page 23. Each family was divided into tribes or nations; each tribe, into numerous villages and bands. Independently of their local subdivisions, many of the tribes were divided into clans, each designated by a specific name, as the clan of the Hawk, or the clan of the Wolf.

Our knowledge of the geographical distribution of the Indians, and of their early migrations, is scanty and uncertain. "America, when it became known to Europeans, was, as it had long been, a scene of wide-spread revolution. North and south, tribe was giving place to tribe, language to language; for the Indian, hopelessly unchanging in respect to individual and social development, was, as regarded tribal relations and local haunts, mutable as the wind."

By far the best known of the Indian families are the Iroquois and the Algonquins. It is from the study of these that history is enabled to delineate Indian life and character with fidelity. These exhibit the highest and most

See D. G. Brinton's Myths of the New World, Chap. II. † See L. H. Morgan's League of the Iroquois.

How great was

19. In what part of North America did Indians live? their number? How many were east of the Mississippi? Upon what distinction are the Indian families based? Name the eleven families. How are these families divided and sub-divided? What are clans? What is known of the early geographical distribution of the Indians? Which of the Indian families do we know most about?

interesting types of the American savage. Of the Iroquois, Brinton says: "They are more like ancient Romans than Indians, and are leading figures in the colonial wars." To

Red Jacket.

this formidable family belonged Red Jacket, Joseph Brant, and many other celebrated warriors. The fame of the Algonquins is perpetuated in the history of King Philip, Pontiac, Tecumseh, Black Hawk, and Pocahontas, the daughter of Powhatan.*

20. In person, the Indians were tall, straight, well-formed, and athletic. They were of a copper color, had high cheekbones, small, dark eyes, straight, black hair, and no beard. In

summer they went almost naked; their winter dress was made of the skins of wild animals. They were fond of ornament, and decorated their bodies profusely with feathers, trinkets, and paint. Some of the tribes lived in villages covering a space of from one to ten acres. Their houses were rudely constructed of saplings, and covered with roofs of bark. Other tribes lived in huts, called

See Stone's Life and Times of Red Jacket, and Life of Brant; Drake's Life of Tecumseh, and of Black Hawk; Parkman's Conspiracy of Pontiac; Philip of Pokanoket, in Irving's Sketch Book; Halleck's Red Jacket, and Sands's Yamoy.den (poems).

What does Brinton say of the Iroquois? Mention some celebrated Iroquois. What famous Algonquins can you name?

20. What was the personal appearance of the Indians? How did they dress and adorn themselves?