The American artist George Catlin (1796–1872) was fascinated by the indigenous peoples of North and South America. Spending many years travelling and living among different tribes, he felt compelled by a desire to rescue from destruction 'the looks and customs of the vanishing races of native man in America'. Famed for his paintings of Native Americans, he also wrote a number of books. In the present work, first published in 1861, Catlin recounts his childhood in Pennsylvania, where he witnessed hostilities between settlers and the indigenous people. He also covers his later travels through the Americas and his time in Europe, where he introduced visiting Native Americans to English and French royalty. Although intended for children, his illustrated stories make lively and compelling reading for all ages. Catlin's 1868 follow-up, Last Rambles Amongst the Indians of the Rocky Mountains and the Andes, is also reissued in this series.