WHOLE VOL. THE WEST INDIES VAZQUEZ DE ESPINOSA 21 



and from them they picked up their languages and their idolatries, 

 both those who stayed there and those who kept on to settle in the 

 New World ; for although they had resolved on reform, they went 

 from bad to worse, blind in their evil deeds and idolatries, without 

 remembering their Creator or worrying over their sins, as is stated 

 in Ecclesiasticus, chapter XLVIII : For all their sins and idolatries, 

 the people felt no regret, nor did they abandon them, till they were 

 driven out of their country and scattered over the whole earth, few 

 having stayed behind ; for although the priests and the Levites of the 

 Ten Tribes, and those who were good and faithful, went over to 

 the Tribe of Judah, which was the noblest and most faithful, the rest 

 of the Ten Tribes, who were wicked and idolatrous, were scattered 

 and spread over all the countries of the earth. 



54. And so the greater part of them kept traveling slowly across 

 Great Tartary and other nations, God allowing and ordaining it thus 

 for His own righteous judgments, in this extended journey of a 

 year and a half, as stated by Esdras, until they arrived at Mongul ; 

 and from there they crossed the Strait of Anian, and went on and 

 colonized the countries of New Spain, beginning at the northernmost 

 part of it, until with their wars and their search for land they had 

 colonized all of it. 



55. Esdras says that at the close of this extended journey they 

 colonized and lived in that region which is called Arsareth. That 

 very learned author Genebrard, in book I of his "Chronology," states 

 that Arsareth is the extreme point of Great Tartary, or Scythia ; 

 that it is a cape or promontory which is the boundary or landmark 

 dividing the Old World from the New, above the Strait of Anian, 

 and near which they crossed from that country to New Spain. So 

 they could have gone by that route, or by India and China, since 

 there, in the region of Cathay, the people inhabiting that country 

 keep the Old Testament and the Law of Moses, although with many 

 superstitions besides. This is a full and sufficient proof that mem- 

 bers of the Ten Tribes passed through there, and settled there, since 

 that is clear from their observation of the Law ; and from there they 

 could easily cross the strait or channel which lies between China and 

 the Kingdom of Anian, as may be seen on the globes or maps. And 

 from the Kingdom of Anian they went on exploring and colonizing 

 those countries of the New World never before seen or settled by 

 human beings. 



