S ection Vi—^O f the American Nations:
The aborigines of America, or those nations whose abode
in the"western continent dates - from a period antecedent to
history, may be "said to form a well-marked division of: the
human family, from which, however, we ought perhaps- to
except the Esquimaux and some other tribes. It has often
been observed, that the nations of America* bear a strong resemblance
to each other in their most remarkable characters,
both physical and moral. There are many striking'* Circumstances
in the accounts given by Molina and Azara of'the
southern tribes, which may be recognised in the nations of
Mexico and Peru, and even in the descriptions which the
most intelligent travellers have drawn from actual observation
in the interior of North America. Herfera.was/perh aps,
one of the- first who noticeds particularly -this1" resemblance,
and drew from it a very obvious inference. - | | Es ^Cofeafnotab
le /’ he says, “ que todas las gentesf'<de* las India^del
norte y del mediodia, son dé una misma inclinacion.ÿcaKdadj
porque segun la mejor opinion proeedièron de una mismà
parte ; y asimîsmo Ids de las islas, à las quales; passàràh dfef
la tierra firma de Florida.” These observations '-seemJeMëfly
to be applied to the moral character of the native races ; but
there is an equal resemblance in the principal traits of /théir
bodily'structure. “ The Indians of New Spain,” says M»êe
Humboldt, “ bear, a general resemblance to those who inhabit
Canada, Florida, Peru, and Brazil. They have theT
same swarthy and copper colour, straight and smooth hair,
small beard, squat body, long eye with the Comer directed
upwards towards the temples, prominent Cheek-bones, thick
lips, expression of gentlenéss in the mouth, strongly contrasted
with a gloomy and severe look. “ Over a million
and a~ half of square leagues, from Tierra del Fuego
to the river St. Lawrence and Behring’s Straits, we are
struck at the first glance with the general resemblance
in the features of the inhabitants. We think that we perceive
them all to be descended from the same stock, notwithstanding
the prodigious diversity of languages which separates
them,one from another.” J
Perhaps the degree .of resemblance1 to a common type subsisting
between »the' njaitipias^of America,1 may admit of comparison
with.that which is to be traced between the different
nations ,©£. Europe, .or »among the races of Afrlca/of those of
the north 'eastern parts .’of -A s i a . I t is not universally prevalent
in.the same degree, but there appears to be in every
instance isome*. approximation to i t ; y e t there-can be no
doubt that the-. resemblance has been in general much.1 ex-
agger'af'ed. '^'dt will b e* e ^ p ibf prove that the-American rac&j
instead- ©£.displaying,an.«aniformity o f Colour in all climates/
showjndariy as great -a vatiei^in? this respect -as the? nations
of .the,ol^c^htinentfpvthat. there are among them white races
with a florid complexion inhabiting temperate^ regions, and
tribes~~biack io tiil^ ^ r y dark hue inflowvand intertropical
coaaAtries,, th a t1 their stature, figure,, and countenances; are
almost,».equally diversified. Of these ‘facts I shall collect
sufficients eviden©®^ when I proceed >to the'ethnography of the
American nations'. For the present I shall • dniy offer a few
>gk^et^l remarks!, respecting their most striking physical
characters. '
The nations of South America have in gfenCthL flatter faces;
and m^ny of therrna shorter and broader &hape of body than
thqMorth Americans. In- th,ese*.r6spects. the southern people
a®e more.like the Turanian nations than the northern tribes.*
The Resemblance between the Chinese and,-the Brazilian
natioiis . appeared very decided, tab the German naturalists,
\^on<S.pix. and Martius, who thought they discerned in both
(Continents, the same fundamental characters^ t;
u The figure of the Chinese,” as-'they observe, “ is more
slender; the forehead broader, the lips thinner and mote alike,
and the features in general more delicate and mild than those
of the American who>lives in-woods1;-yet the small, not oblong,
but roundish, -angular, rather pointed head, the broad
crown, the prominent sinus frontales, the low forehead, the
pointed and prominent cheek-bones, the oblique , position of
the small narrow eyes, the blunt, proportionably small, broad,