WAS MIDDLE AMEBIC A PEOPLED FROM ASIA? 11 



rapidly spread through South America and along the west coast 

 north, as may be seen in the old mission buildings in California. 



In China, Korea, and Japan the sandal has a bifurcated toe cord, 

 the base of which, springing from the front of the sandal, passes 

 between the first and second toes. It belongs to the Old World 

 through its entire extent. It is the only form represented in ancient 

 Egyptian, Assyrian, and Greek sculpture. One would have expected 

 that with any close contact with Asian people this method of holding 

 the sandal to the foot would have been established in Central Amer- 

 ica, yet one may seek in vain for the evidences of even a sporadic 

 introduction of this method. Where representations are given in 

 the sculptured stone pottery, or codex, the sandal is represented 

 with two cords, one passing between the first and second and the 

 other between the third and fourth toes. Dr. Otis T. Mason, who 

 has given us an exhaustive monograph of the foot gear of the world, 

 says that every authority on Mexico and Central America pictures 

 the sandal with two cords, and he further says, in a general article 

 on the same subject, " An examination of any collection of pottery 

 of middle America reveals the fact at once, if the human foot is por- 

 trayed, that the single toe string was not anciently known." 



The Thibetans, Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese have used the 

 serviceable carrying stick from time immemorial. The nearest ap- 

 proach to this method in this country is seen in Guadalajara, where 

 a shoulder piece is used to carry jars. The representation of this 

 method shows that the pole rests across the back in such a manner 

 that the load is steadied by both the right and left hand simultane- 

 ously — identical, in fact, with methods in vogue to-day through 

 western Europe. We find, however, the northern races, as the Ainu 

 and Kamchadels, use the head band in carrying loads, and this 

 method has been depicted in ancient American sculpture. The car- 

 rying stick, so peculiarly Asiatic, according to Dr. Mason, is not met 

 with on this continent. 



With the evidences of Asiatic contact supposed to be so strong in 

 Central America, one might have imagined that so useful a device as 

 the simple chopsticks would have secured a footing. These two 

 sticks, held in one hand and known in China as " hasteners or nimble 

 lads," are certainly the most useful, the most economical, and the 

 most efficient device for their purposes ever invented by man. 

 Throughout that vast Asian region, embracing a population of five 

 hundred million, the chopstick is used as a substitute for fork, tongs, 

 and certain forms of tweezers. Even fish, omelet, and cake are sepa- 

 rated with the chopsticks, and the cook, the street scavenger, and the 

 watch repairer use this device in the form of iron, long bamboo, and 

 delicate ivory. The bamboo chopstick was known in China 1000 



