The author of this volume has no desire to put on a
wise look or to ape the manner of erudite scholars. He prefers, rather, to come
to grips at once with the subject that interests him--the Apache Indians. The
fact is, no scholar has been able to trace satisfactorily the exact origins of
this spectacular people or to say just when they made their appearance in the
Southwest as a distinct nation. Concerning one simple fact all ethnologists
agree: the Apache belongs to the Athapascan family, the most widely scattered of
all North American Indian linguistic families. In remote times it covered the
greater part of the continent. Its various tribes inhabited the Arctic and the
Pacific coasts and extended as far south as northern New Mexico and as far east
as the Rio Grande.
This site
includes some historical materials that may imply negative stereotypes
reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place. These
items are presented as part of the historical record and should not be
interpreted to mean that the WebMasters in any way endorse the stereotypes
implied .
