Thanks to you all for the prompt and helpful responses. Bob In a message dated 9/19/2013 7:50:13 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time, [log in to unmask] writes: There is info on Clemens's association with John Ross Browne in several volumes of MARK TWAIN'S LETTERS (University of California Press). This same info is also available in the online letters database at: http://www.marktwainproject.org To bring them up in the letters database, search on: J. Ross Browne John Ross Browne Ross Browne Clemens did comment in a letter to his relatives about Browne's Washoe writings in Harper's. And he did stay overnight with Browne when Clemens passed through Oakland on a lecture tour in 1866. The notes to these letters make clear that Browne and others believed YUSEF influenced Twain's writing. Barb