HE narrow trails which, three centuries ago, afforded to the red man passage on his errands, and provided for him the means of intercommunication with his fellows, rendered to his white successors the important service of indicating the natural and readiest routes for their wagonroads. Thus they became in course of time the post-roads of the settled Colonists, which ultimately developed into some of the most important of the modern highways connecting great centers of American civilization.

Scattered references to these native paths in historical records afford the names and

INDIAN NOTES

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

INTRODUCTION

INTROD UCTION 23

oughfare leading to other tribal territory, to the great rivers, to the mountain regions, or to the sea. The existence of these paths indicates their considerable utilization, since the rapid growth of vegetation in our climate soon overgrows any clearing, and even the hard trodden surface of the pathway would not long survive the action of frost and the growth of weeds, if the bare or moccasined footfalls upon its surface were infrequent. In some localities, however, their longcontinued use must have worn their surface deeply into the ground, and some such well-used paths have left traces in otherwise unchanged regions, and have been recognized by the recent explorer. It is not by a wholly speculative process, but rather by deduction, that the course of some unrecorded Indian trails may be traced in the windings of ancient highways and their modern successors. The known position of native residences, and the assurance of the existence of some line of connection between them on the most natural and easy grade, will be found usually to