The Progress of Ethnology

2

This figure of an extended hand is the most common of all the symbols of the aboriginal tribes of America. It is found on the ancient temples, and within the tombs of Yucatan. At the earliest period it was used by the Indians, in the United States, and at the present time, it is employed by the roving bands and large tribes from the Mississippi to the Rocky Mountains, and from Texas northward.

3

"Bottoms" and "bottom lands," are terms applied to the flat lands adjoining rivers. In the State of New York they are called "flats" – as the "Mohawk flats."

4

Second Note sur une pierre gravée trouvé dans un ancien tumulus Americain, et à cette occasion, sur l'idiome Libyen, par M. Jomard. 8vo. Paris, 1846.

5

See Mr. Catherwood's paper on the Thugga monument and its inscriptions, in the Ethnolg. Trans. Vol. I. p. 477.

6

Notes on Africa. p.

7

The essay here alluded to, was the reply of Mr. Jomard to a note addressed to him by Mr. Eugene Vail, in 1839, announcing the discovery of the inscribed tablet in the Grave-creek mound, and requesting his opinion in relation to it. In this reply, Mr. Jomard stated that they were of the same character with the inscriptions found by Major Denham in the interior of Africa, as well as in Algiers and Tunis. This note was inserted in Mr. Vail's work entitled "Notice sur les Indiens de l'Amerique du Nord." Paris, 1840. This work is scarcely known in the United States.

8

I am aware that many believe the sculptures on the Dighton rock to contain several alphabetic characters. Prof. Rafn in his learned and ingenious memoir on this inscription, supports this view. In fact, Mr. Jomard himself hints at their Phœnician origin.

9

Histoire Naturelle des Canaries. Tom. I. p. 23

10

Scenes in the Rocky Mountains, Oregon, California, &c., by a New Englander. p. 198.

11

Scenes in the Rocky Mountains, California, &c. by a New Englander. p. 180.

12

Auburn (New York) Banner, 1837.

13

Political Essay on New Spain. Vol. 2, p. 315. (London ed. in 4 vols. 8vo.)

14

Life and Travels in California. p. 372.

15

Dr. Lyman states, that "in the autumn of 1841, an American trader with thirty-five men, went from Bents fort to the Navijo country, built a breastwork with his bales of goods, and informed the astonished Indians, that he had 'come into their country to trade or fight, which ever they preferred.' The campaigns of the old trappers were too fresh in their memory to allow hesitation. They chose to trade, and soon commenced a brisk business."

16

Humboldt's Political Essay on New Spain. Vol. 2, p. 316. On the testimony of the missionaries of the Collegio de Queretaro, versed in the Aztec language, M. Humboldt states, that the language spoken by the Moqui Indians is essentially different from the Mexican language. In the seventeenth century, missionaries were established among the Moquis and Navijos, who were massacred in the great revolt of the Indians in 1680.

17

Clavigero, Hist. Mexico. Vol. 1, p. 151. Humboldt's Polit. Essay on New Spain, Vol. 2. p. 300. A more detailed account of these remains, may be found in the Appendix to Castaneda's "Relation du Voyage de Cibola en 1540," published in the "Relations et memoirs originaux" of Ternaux-Compans. The state of the country, the manners and customs of the Indians, and their peculiar state of civilization are given at length, and are interesting in this enquiry. The notice of the "Grande Maison, dite de Moctezuma," is extracted from the journal of Father Pedro Font, who traversed this country to Monterey, on the Pacific, in 1775.

18

Report to the Royal Geographical Society, London, Nov. 9, 1846.

19

Nouvelles Annales des Voyages. Feb. 1846. p. 146.

20

London Athenæum, Aug. 8, 1846, in which is a condensed account of this journey.

21

Simmond's Colonial Magazine. Vol. V. p. 87.

22

There is evidently some mistake in these dimensions, which would give a mass of masonry many times larger than the great pyramid at Ghizeh.

23

London Athenæum, Nov. 9. 1846.

24

Journal of the Geographical Society. Vol. 16.

25

Missionary Herald, vol. 41. p. 218.

26

London Athenæum, March 7, 1846.