Page:Essays ethnological and linguistic.djvu/151

Rh lessons in the Maya language from a native of Yucatan living near me, which though not sufficient for the purpose of enabling me to hold conversation with the people, still assisted me much in forming the opinion I came to respecting them. This opinion was that the Mayas showed decided proofs of a descent from some people having close affinities with the Chinese or perhaps Japanese. The square built figure, the form of the head and features, the flat face, and obliquity of the eye, showed those affinities. Their dispositions also showed the same origin. Unlike the other aborigines of America, who sulked and sank under the forced labors imposed on them by Europeans, these people submitted as patiently as Africans or Chinese. True it is that at length they have risen against their oppressors, and this assertion of their inherent right to liberty has been called a war of races. But this is an unjust ascription. For years they have been subjected to the most cruel treatment, which they have borne with extraordinary patience, treatment described as dreadful by Stephens and still more so by Norman. I lived some ten days among them sleeping even in their company, and more humble, respectful and submissive attendants I never found among Africans during my 14 years sojourning at Havana. The chief peculiarity I am at present able to point out in their language is, that it does not possess the letter R, in this respect also similar to the Chinese and other languages of Eastern Asia; and another circumstance of note with regard to it is, that having before expressed an opinion respecting the Athapascans of their being the last migration of the Mongol family into America, I find one important word, namely for man mentioned by Prichard as used in North America in the Esquimaux language, innuit, in Chapeyan dialect of the Athapascan, dinnie, in some of the Algonquin dialects inini — in the Maya it is Ninnie. The dress of the native Indians of Yucatan is also peculiar, and seems to have been borrowed from some civilized people who had formerly settled among them, the men wearing sandals and the women a loose garb like a chemise with worked borders, and their hair plaited like the Basque women, all different from the other Indians and even from the Spaniards who came among them. Of the Maya language I trust this Society will place on record some traces more generally useful and accessible than we possess. There is a short Vocabulary of it in Norman's Rambles in Yucatan and another in the French of Waldeck, while the Spaniards have several Grammars of it also, though mostly so rarely to be met with as to be considered un-