Ploughed Under: The Story of an Indian Chief

First edition. Introduction by Inshta Theamba (Bright Eyes). 12mo. 268pp., followed by four pages of advertisements. Publisher’s pictorial brick-red cloth, stamped in black on front cover and in gold and black on spine. Contemporary owner's name in ink on front free endpaper. The boards and spine are moderately darkened, light fraying at the spine ends, small nicks at the corners, a few small interior stains, very good. A story based on the life of Macunajin (also called Standing Bear), chief of the Ponca. Published anonymously, it was ghost-written by William Justin Harsha with the assistance of Inshta Theamba. Inshta Theamba, also called "Bright Eyes," was an Omaha Indian whose English married name was Susette La Flesche Tibbles. She was the interpreter for Macunajin during the important trial *Standing Bear v. Crook* (1879). In addition to her introduction, she contributed much of the information used to create the story, and this is one of the earliest, or earliest novels to have a major contribution by a Native American woman. *Wright* 2522.