1842.] South American Remains. 75 serves this uniformity especially in the presence of enormous pyramids, or, where these are not found or not in the form of perfect pyramids, "in immense pyramidal terraces which served as the bases of more finished and elaborate buildings." Indications less striking but equally decisive of the same uniformity, will strike the discriminating reader in a perusal of the descriptions, and are particularly examined by the author in their more appropriate place. The description of the South American remains is more brief than that of those in North America, but it comprehends even more decisive proofs of the splendor, wide diffusion, and high antiquity of the primitive civilization of the continent. It comprises an account of the mounds-of almost incredible size and of a pyramidal character; of the sepulchres of the ancient caciques-smaller structures but almost innumerable-and of the varied and exceedingly curious contents of these; implements of metal and stone, gold utensils, stone mirrors, pottery, well baked and constructed with surprising ingenuity, emeralds accurately cut in various shapes, jewels and musical instruments of beaten gold, exquisitely manufactured, cotton cloths of fine texture, figured and dyed with various colors, and other articles. Evidence of the skill and resources devoted to agriculture by the Peruvians and neighboring nations, is found in the division of lands by fences or walls of earth and stone, in the existing remains of granaries, and, above all, in the aqueducts with which they secured, at immense expense of labor, the irrigation of the soil, and were thus enabled to cultivate districts that are now arid wastes. The roads of South America, like those of Mexico, by their extent, the massiveness of their materials, and by the incredible difficulties overcome in their construction, convey a most imposing idea of the power and enterprise of their authors. Nor are they limited, as has been supposed, to Peru, but are found to have existed in remote regions far beyond the empire of the Incas, which is thus shown to have been by no means the limits of South American civilization. Finally are mentioned the numerous cities, the magnificent palaces of the Incas, their baths and houses of refreshment, the temples and fortresses, built of stones, sometimes of immense size, sometimes curiously cut into polygonal shapes and dovetailed with singular accuracy, often covered with elaborate sculptures, executed with minute fidelity on the hardest material, and demonstrating the use of metallic tools. The existence of analogous re mains in regions never conquered by the Incas, coupled with a tradition by which those princes are affirmed to have imitated in their edifices more ancient ones, the ruins of which yet exist in sites deemed peculiarly sacred by the Peruvians, seems to point, as in Mexico, to two distinct eras of civilization, and suggests the probability that the earlier period was very remote. With this important inference from the examination of the South American remains, the author closes the part on American antiquities. Part second, entitled Researches into the Origin and History of the Red Race, brings us into a yet wider region of analogies, and presents to us the probable solution of many an interesting problem. The author's investigations are directed (as the running title indicates) to two principal topics - the internal history of the aborigines since their migration to this continent, and the much-debated question of their origin. It will already have appeared to the reader that America presents three distinct points of ancient civilization - the territory of the United States, Mexico, and Peru. Several characteristic differences are found to distinguish them, yet they are likewise marked by some striking resemblances. The massive stone edifices of Peru and Mexico are not found in the United States, but the pyramidal and terraced mounds which are observed in the latter region resemble them in form, in arrangement, (both uniformly face the cardinal points,) and in their apparent sacred uses; as to the difference of material, stone is not found in that immense alluvial valley in sufficient quantity for the construction of works so gigantic, and, besides, is sufficiently employed in some situations to prove that the art of working it was possessed by the Moundbuilders. In like manner, the stone-constructed roads of Mexico and Peru find a parallel in the earthen causeways of the United States; and, indeed, the earthen causeways are found in South America, in regions remote from what appear to have been the central points of civilization. The mode of burying the dead in a sitting posture, with articles emblematic of their characters or rank, and enfolded in wrappings of cloth; the use of masks and of mirrors in their sacred rites; the religious use and veneration of the cross, and the attainments in several of the arts, all common to these nations, demonstrate their identity or close connection. For just as from the imperfect and miserably inadequate 1842.] Descent of the existing Indian Tribes. 77 specimens of Gothic architecture in this country, it might, in the absence of other testimony, be inferred that its present inhabitants are descended from the authors of the majestic cathedrals and churches of Europe, or were at least the inheritors of their arts-their spiritual and intellectual offspring, however degenerate so from the mounds, mural remains, and other antiquities in the United States, may be deduced a similar relation between their authors and those of the pyramids and other monuments of Mexico and Peru. The unity of origin of these primitive nations, and of their civilization, is accordingly one of the points which the author considers as established by the comparison of their monuments. A question immediately suggested by this conclusion is the next which occupies his attention:- Are the existing tribes of barbarous Indians likewise descended from this ancient and cultivated race? "It may possibly," says Mr. Bradford, introducing this interesting inquiry, be considered somewhat extraordinary and unphilosophical to search for any traces of their derivation from an ancient and civilized race, among the arts, customs and traditions of rude and ignorant savages. But although many of the Indian tribes, as well at the period of the discovery as at present, might be estimated as rude, and some of them nearly at the lowest grade of humanity, there exists reason for asserting of them, in common with other families of men, a descent from a more enlightened ancestry. It is indeed a grave question whether any portions of our race, however abased, have not retrograded from a more advanced state of knowledge and intelligence. Many refined theorists upon the rights, laws and institutions of mankind, have been wont to picture an original condition of social infancy, whence in slow gradation all the arts and sciences have emerged. Unquestionably vast regions of the earth are now occupied by tribes in this state of barbarism, but is it certain that such was their original condition? or cannot we rather, by some feeble glimmerings of light amid their dark and unseemly institutions, perceive the wreck and fragments of a higher degree of knowledge, the remains of a more beautiful and lofty order of things?" In following up this vitally important question, the author then proceeds to establish an à priori probability in behalf of the descent he claims for the Indian tribes, by demonstrating the very early existence of civilization, its existence indeed. at a period so near the deluge, as to infer the strongest proba mains in regio: a tradition by tated in their yet exist in site. seems to point, tion, and sugge very remote. nation of the S part on Americ. Part second, of the Red Race, gies, and present teresting problen (as the running ti internal history of continent, and the will already have a sents three distinct tory of the United S racteristic difference: are likewise marked massive stone edifices the United States, but which are observed in form, in arrangement, points,) and in their appa of material, stone is not fo in sufficient quantity for t and, besides, is sufficientl er rate: rom de Trent act 1 teveioned celluiture. Thus umems s. 1 secure sten. s aken n etermine, in its great outThe American continent. rich this object is now in je interesting to our readers. -ai seat of the race on their Le altimate distribution of the continent, as ascertained by es, exhibits two points were es of the ocean-Florida 3d sexcluded, both from the character er the outskirts than the centre wse, had the series of migrations veld not have failed to extend itself prove that the art of worki tlantic, where, however, no monu builders. In like manner Mexico and Peru find a par the United States; and, ind found in South America, in r to have been the central poin orthern shores of the Pacific are The mode of burying the a articles emblematic of their cl in wrappings of cloth; the us their sacred rites; the religiou. cross, and the attainments in sev to these nations, demonstrate the tion. For just as from the imperfec 1842.] Aztec Manuscripts. 79 ing them, of two distinct epochs of civilization in those regions. The Mexican manuscripts inform us of a series of migrations from the north of the tribes whose history is preserved in these remarkable records, and who at the discovery were the actual occupants of the country. The earliest of these migrations, or rather invasions, was that of the Toltecs, and is placed at least as far back as the seventh century. They are represented as having found this region in possession of a civilized people, and this tatement is confirmed by the condition and existing monuments of those parts into which, it appears, from the absence of any traces of their language, they did not penetrate. What is more remarkable still, although in the regions not penetrated by the Toltecs, or their successors the Aztecs, diversities are perceived in the style of architecture, etc., sufficient to prove an independent development of civilization; a striking similarity is found to exist in the general type, and even in many arbitrary and accidental features, to the monuments and customs of the invading tribes. Thus the Maya tongue which pervades Yucatan contains no Aztec words, but the Maya calendar is divided, like the Mexican, into eighteen months of twenty days; some of their astronomical symbols, and four of the signs of the days, are the same; their picture-writings have the same general form; their great original legislators differ only in name; and both nations have their sacred edifices in the pyramidal form, and corresponding in position with the cardinal points. There are other points of resemblance equally decisive, possessed in common by the Aztec invaders, and the Yucatanese, Chiapanese, and other obviously primitive nations. Hence Mr. Bradford infers that these northern invasions were, in fact, a reflux of tribes who, in very remote periods, had proceeded from Central America northward, and had acquired in those regions both some characteristic differences of culture, a greater hardihood, and disposition more warlike. In fact it was probably in long contests with tribes yet fiercer, and who in the original migrations had been borne onward to the extreme outskirts of population, that the Aztecs acquired the courage and military habits which made them easily victorious over the comparatively enervated and peaceful inhabitants of the primitive territories. The Aztec manuscripts depict such contests, representing "combats between two different people, one armed with the Aztec shield, the other naked and without armor." Some |