The American Nations Part 3

However, many nations of Brazil and Guyana are more recent and of African origin; while nearly all those of North America appear to have reached America by the opposite direction of Eastern Asia, through Alaska or the Streight of Behring, once an Isthmus. Therefore the Colonial tribes came here from the East, and the North West. It is more doubtful that any came from the West or Polynesia.

What is now needful, is to trace these colonies, their travels, epochas, and ascertain the nations which they have produced in both Americas. This I will endeavour to do, without being prevented by the difficulties of the task. I shall always seek to ascertain the true names of each nation or tribe: which have often been disguised under a crowd of nicknames and erroneous orthographies. These names when thus restored will often furnish an original key, to supply the scarcely known languages, or lost traditions.

The Brigands who brought desolation over both Americas during two centuries, and the careless travellers who visited them in search of wealth, took little notice of the languages and traditions of their victims or foes. Thus we have to regret the loss of many valuable materials, merely indicated. However, a few enlightened visitors, and the missionaries have preserved some of them. The first attempt of the kind was the outlines of historical songs and traditions of Hayti, collected as early as 1498 by friar Roman, at the request of Columbus; printed by his son, and by Barcias. Yet this valuable doc.u.ment has escaped the notice of nearly all the writers on America! evident proof of utter carelessness or neglect.

Piedrahita has given some of the historical traditions of the Muyzcas; Juarros the annals of the Toltecas of Guatimala; Ayeta and Herrera those of the Mayas of Yucatan. Yet they have been neglected by our historians.

They have merely dwelt, and even sparingly, on the annals of Mexico and Peru. We have besides fragments on the early history of the Ongwis, Linapis, Apalachis, Caribs, Dariens, and a few more; but we have to regret the loss of the written annals of many civilized nations, the Tarascas, Huaztecas, Zapotecas, Nicaraguas, Chontals, Chilians, Panos, &c. Some of which may perhaps be yet partly recovered, as those of the Ongwis and Linapis have lately been.

It is only since last age that the study of comparative philology has begun to be appreciated: and quite recently that languages have been made subservient to historical researches. Pigafetta had, however, set the examples as early as 1520 to collect American vocabularies, of which he gave two, the Brazilian and Patagon: which are quite important, since by them we trace both tribes seen by him to the ARUAC race. For lack of frequent ancient vocabularies, we must often grope in the dark; but I do not despair to be able to restore many lost languages, by fragments escaped from the common ruin. I have already succeeded with the _Taino_ of Hayti, the _Cahiri_ of Trinidad, _Talega_ and _Apalachi_ of North America, the _Chontal_ of central America, the _Colla_ of Peru, and the _Seke_ of old Chili; whereby I shall draw some happy conclusions.

Asia has been the country of fables, Africa of monsters, and America of systems, for those who prefer opinions to reality. The systems and hypotheses of philosophy or ignorance upon America, exceed all the Asiatic fables. A crowd of prejudices, false opinions and fantastic theories, have been a.s.serted on this hemisphere, often mistaking a small part of it for the whole. Some have declared all the Americans a red, beardless, naked and barbarous race, or a peculiar species of men. Others that they came out of the ground or from the clouds, or over a bridge, instead of boats or on the ice. Others that they are all Jews, or Malays, or Tartars.

Lastly, even that Eden was here and Noah built the ark in America! All these systems and fifty more brought forth by ignorance or pride, are based upon the most absurd proofs, or a few insulated facts: while there are historical facts easy to prove that are neglected or forgotten.

Thus it is a positive fact that many ancient nations of the east, such as the Lybians, Moors, Etruscans, Phenicians, Hindus, &c. had heard of America, or knew nearly as much of it, as we did of Australia and Polynesia 100 years ago. It is as certain that America contained anciently, as even now, a crowd of distinct nations and tribes; some of which were quite civilized, perhaps as much as the Spaniards led by Columbus; the others more barbarous, but not entirely savage. There were but few, if any, real savages in America, dwelling in woods without social ties; most of them were wandering tribes of fishermen or hunters.

There were formerly in America as now, tribes of all complexions, as elsewhere: yellowish, olive, coppery, tawny, redened, brown, incarnate or white, and even blackened or negro-like. Tall and dwarfish men from 8 to 4 feet in size, called giants and pygmies-men with various frames, skulls, and features, of all the sorts found in the eastern hemisphere.

The Americans had long before Columbus, large cities; built of stones, bricks or wood, with walls, ditches, temples, palaces. Some of which were of immense size and population. One of them _Otolum_ near Palenque was 28 miles long, equal to Thebes, Babylon and Kinoj in size and monuments.

Nearly all the ancient sciences and useful primitive arts were known in America, as well as commerce and navigation, symbolic and alphabetic writing, nearly all the Asiatic religions, &c. The most civilized nations had even colleges and universities, ca.n.a.ls and paved roads, splendid temples and monuments, &c.

It would be tedious to designate all what has not been told, or been very unworthily noticed, upon America. The whole of these outlines shall be comments upon the forgotten facts relating to this third of the world.

Such as are found recorded by chance in one or few authors, scattered in 1000 volumes, unsought and unnoticed by nearly all the other writers.

Respecting the chronology of the American annals, it is rather obscure and doubtful; but perhaps not more so than that of all ancient nations except the Chinese. It frequently ascends as far as the floods and even the creation. The most ancient dates are found among the Tols or Toltecas and Atlantes, Mexicans or Aztecas, the Muyzcas, Ongwis, Linapis, &c. But it is difficult to make those dates agree among themselves, or with our oriental dates. However the American annals may be divided into great periods, which can be admitted as certain, and resting points of history at peculiar epochas.

Here is their tabular view.

I. Ancient history, ending with Columbus in 1492.

1. _Antidiluvian period_, beginning at the creation, about 6690 years before Columbus according to the Tols, and ending with the last cataclysm of Peleg, about 3788 years before Columbus.

2. _Doubtful period_, from that epocha till the reform of Tol astronomy, 1612 years before Columbus. This includes several subordinate periods and epochas.

About 3100 years before Columbus, settlement of the Linapis in s.h.i.+naki or Firland or Oregon in N. W. America.

About 2500 years before Columbus, wars of the Towancas and Ongwis, the hero Yatatan, &c. in North America.

3. _Certain period_, from 1612 till Columbus' arrival in 1492. Many lesser periods and epochas.

442, after Christ-End of the Tollan kingdom.

492,-Beginning of Atotarho dynasty of Ongwis.

558,-Empire of Tol-tecas begins in Anahuac, and lasts till 942.

840,-Beginning of the wars of Zipanas and Caris in South Peru.

947,-Foundation of the kingdom of Mayapan by Cuculcan in Yucatan.

985,-Discovery of America by the Norwegians.

1000,-Conquest of Quito by the Skiris.

1105,-Beginning of the Incas empire.

1322,-Foundation of Tenucht.i.tlan or Mexico.

II. Modern history, from 1492 till our days.

1. _Colonial Period_, from 1492 till 1776.

2. _Independent Period_, beginning in 1776. The foundation of the empire of Brazil in 1822 may begin a subordinate period.

Each age may bear the name of a wise legislator or eminent personage: the ages of modern history are those of 1. Columbus, 2. Las-Casas, 3. William Penn, 4. Was.h.i.+ngton, 5. Bolivar.

CHAPTER II.

MATERIALS FOR THE HISTORY OF THE AMERICANS.-_Authors, Doc.u.ments, Sciences.-Languages, Civilization, &c._

Far from following the example of many American historians, who often take a single guide for their crude compilations, or avoid the trouble to consult all the historical sources, I have taken care in my researches to employ all the possible means to reach the truth, and collect all the facts that are scattered among a crowd of writers. I have carefully a.n.a.lysed, compared and judged the materials, details and events thus procured: nay, all the auxiliary sciences have afforded additional fragments or proofs.

These materials may be divided into 10 series or kinds

1. Works, printed or ma.n.u.script.

2. Doc.u.ments and monuments.

3. Maps, plans, views, &c.

4. Natural sciences.

5. Ethnography.

6. Traditions and annals.

7. Chronology and astronomy.

8. Languages and philology.

9. Religion, mythologies, &c.

10. Civilization, laws and manners.

The writers upon America are very numerous; but mostly defective or local.

A number, however, have attempted to consider the whole continent: the princ.i.p.al among those containing facts upon all parts of America are chiefly

Herrera, History and Geography of Spanish America carried till the year 1554.

Delaet, Historical Geography of America, till 1630.

Garcias, Origins of the Americans.-Spanish work.