Brinton.] OO J [March 20, 



of dialects ; though it certainly also depends in a measure on the orig- 

 inal mental powers of the nations. 



Those whose languages we have here analyzed are, in speaking, con- 

 stantly putting together elementary parts; they connect nothing firmly, 

 because they follow the changing requirements of the moment, joining 

 together only what these requirements demand, and often leave con- 

 nected through habit, that which clear thinking would necessarily 

 divide. 



Hence no just division of words can arise, such as is demanded by 

 accurate and appropriate thought, which requires that each word must 

 have a fixed and certain content and a defined grammatical form, 

 and as is also demanded by the highest phonetic laws. 



Nations richly endowed in mind and sense will have an instinct for 

 such correct divisions ; the incessant moving to and fro of elementary 

 parts of speech will be distasteful to them ; they will seek true individ- 

 uality in the words they use ; therefore they will connect them firmly, 

 they will not accumulate too much in one, and they will only leave 

 that connected which is so in thought, and not merely in usage or 

 habit. 



Notes (by the translator^ on the various American Tribes and 



Languages mentioned by Humboldt in the preceding 



Memoir. 



Abipones.^K tribe formerly residing on the broad grassy 

 plains known as El Gran Chnco, west of the Parana river and 

 on the right bank of the Rio Yermejo. The)^ are a nomadic, 

 hunting people, and are related by language closely to the Mo- 

 cobis and Tobas, more remotely to the Mbayas. The Jesuit, 

 Father Jose Brigniel, wrote an Arte y Vocabulario de la Lengua 

 Abipona, which has not been published. 



Achaguas. — A small tribe formerly living in Yenezuela, between 

 the Apure and Meta rivers. They are mentioned by Piedrahita 

 as an intelligent people. Aristides Rojas says they are now ex- 

 tinct (Estudios Indigenas, p. 214. Caracas, 1878). 



Beto. — Usually spelled Betoi or Betoya. They live on the up- 

 per waters of the Meta river in Colombia and are related to the 

 Yaru ris. 



Garibs. — ^This widely extended stock occupied much of the 

 northern coast of South America and had planted colonies on 

 many of the Antilles. It is believed that the}' are (Jistahtly coD' 

 nected with the Tupis and Guaranis. 



