SOME REMAINS of ANTIQUITY. 197 



v/ere well acquainted with the Mexicans, or with their 

 hiftory, and whofe authority, with candid inquirers, will, 

 certainly, weigh much more than the invedive Rechcr- 

 chcs of De Pauw, the eloquent puerilities of Buffon, or the 

 weak fyftematic tifflie ofRobertfon. 



It would be eafy, Sir, to adduce other proofs in favour 

 of my pofition, that fome of the prefent races of North- 

 American Indians are the defcendants of nations much 

 more populous and polifhed than themfelves. But the 

 farther ihveftigation of this curious fubjeft is not necef- 

 fary at prefent : 1 referve the full difcuflion of it for mv 

 Hijlor'ical and Philofophical Inquiry. 



I have already faid, that I fuppofe the articles which 

 are the fubjedl of my letter, were the work of the ancef- 

 tors of fome of the prefent races of Indians ; of the fame 

 people who conftrudled the extenfive earthen fortifica- 

 tions, large conical and other ihaped mounds, and other 

 ancient works, which are now found to be fo numerous 

 in many parts of our continent. At what period, or 

 periods, thefe fortifications, &c. were conftrudled ; at 

 what periods they fell into ruins, and at what time the 

 articles, which I am confidering, were buried in the tu- 

 mulus, in which they were found, are queftions which 

 I do not pretend to folve. Indeed, thele are queftions 



This was their Manner of Writing ; for they had not attained the Ufe of Let- 

 ters, nor were they acquainted with thofe Signs or Elements, invented by 

 other Nations, to reprefent Syllables, and make Words vifible ; but they ex- 

 plained themfelves by theii Pencils, marking down materi il Things with 

 their own proper Images, and the reft with Numbers and fignificant' Signs, 

 difpofed after fuch a Manner, tl;at the Number, Sigii,and Figure fornied the 

 Idea, and lully explaii^ed tlic Meaning; an excellent T^vcntion (which fhewed 

 their Capacity), like the Hyerogllphicks of the Egyptims, who boafted of 

 their Wit in that, which was common among the Indians, and which the 

 Mexicans ufi;d with fuch Dexterity, that they had whole Books of this Kind 

 of Charaflers, and legible Piflurcs, in which they preferved the Reme m- 

 brance of their Antiquities, and- left to Pofterity the Annals of their Kings." 

 The Hiftory of the Conqueft cf Mexico by the Spaniards, Book II. p, 73 

 and 74. Englilh Tranflation. London: 1724. 



C c whicli, 



