Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/214

 202 On the defccnt of the American Indians from the Jew*.

this fhews how little the learned world can rely on American narrators;' and that the origin of the Indian Americans, is yet to be traced in a quite different path to what any of thofe hyperbolical, or wild conjectural writers have prefcribed..

The Spaniards have given us many fine polilhed Indian orations, but they were certainly fabricated at Madrid ; the Indians have no fuch ideas, or methods of fpeech, as they pretend to have copied from a faithful interpre tation on the fpot : however, they have religioufly fupported thofe monkifh dreams, and which are the chief bafis of their Mexican and Peruvian treaties.

According to them, the Mexican arms was an eagle on a tunal or ftone, with a bird in his talons, which may look at the armorial enfign of Dan. And they fay, the Mexicans worihipped VitzliputzU y who pro- mifed them a land exceedingly plenty in riches, and all other good things ; on which account they fet off in queft of the divine promife, four of their priefts carrying their idol in a coffer of reeds, to whom he com municated his oracles, giving them laws at the fame time teaching them* the ceremonies and facrifices they fhould obferve ; and directed them when to march, and when to flay in camp, &c. So much, might have been col- letted from them by figns, and other exprefTive indications ; for we are well: aflured, that the remote uncorrupted part of the Mexicans Hill retain the fame notions as our northern Indians, with regard to their arriving at, and fettling in their refpe&ive countries, living under a theocratic government, and hav ing the divine war-ark, as a moft facred feal of fuccefs to the beloved peo ple, againft their treacherous enemies, if they ftrictly obferve the law of purity, while they accompany it. This alone, without any reflection on the reft, is a good glafs to mew us, that the South and North American. Indians are twin-born brothers ; though the Spanifh clergy, by their dark, but fruitful inventions, have fet them at a prodigious variance.

Acofta tells us, that the Peruvians held a very extraordinary feaft called Tin* which they prepared themfelves for, by fafting two days, not accompany ing with their wives, nor eating falt-meat or garlic, nor drinking Chica dur ing that period that they afFembled all together in one place, and did not allow any ftranger or beaft to approach them -, that they had clothes and

ornaments

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