1914I Northwestern D6n6s and Northeastern Asiatics 167 



native country. "It must be acknowledged that their complexion was 

 fairer than that of the Indians — in many cases it is not — but in every 

 other respect there was a singular coincidence". 



" The diligent antiquarian, Count Rosetti, who travelled some years 

 since in the United States, was so perfectly satisfied with their identity 

 that he published, on the arrival of the young princes at Rome, an able 

 article for the Society of Antiquaries, proving the Asiatic origin of the 

 North American Indians. To confirm his assertions, he brought before 

 the Society of Antiquaries the two Asiatic princes and an Indian who 

 had accompanied him from America to Italy. During this enquiry, 

 some of the most literary men in Italy were present, and among them 

 we observed two or three foreign ambassadors. The sameness of people 

 was at once acknowledged by the society".^ 



As to the costume, we may add that the same Rosetti compared 

 his Indian dress, in which he appeared once at a mascarade ball in Rome, 

 with the dresses of the two Tungusian chiefs, the converts of a Father 

 Santini, and the resemblance was striking.^ 



One little feature which I deem characteristic I cannot fail to men- 

 tion in this connection. According to the aforesaid Father Santini, a 

 man of good education who spent many years among the aborigines 

 of northeastern Siberia, "ogni parte del loro vestito era abellato colle 

 penne del porco spinosa",^ that is, for those who do not read Italian, 

 "every part of their dress was embellished with coloured porcupine quills", 



1 Quoted by John Mcintosh, "The Origin of the North American Indians", p. 92; 

 New York, 1853. 



^ According to Abernethy quoted by Mcintosh {op. cit.), the original costume of 

 the Tungus, Koriacks and Kamtchadales consisted in an upper garment of furs, with 

 a hood and sleeves, just as that which was worn by the Eastern Denes (Cf. Petitot, 

 passim). "From the knees downward they are", he says, "covered with leggings of 

 deer or buffalo skin; their shoes are also made of the same. These robes were formerly 

 dressed with the hair on; but the Tongusi, especially, and the Coriacks have made them- 

 selves so well acquainted with the art of tanning, that hair is not seen in any part of 

 their dress, except the hood, the neck and the cuffs of the sleeves of the upper garment" 

 {Ap. Mcintosh, op. cit., p. 116). The pendants in their ears and nostrils are usually 

 shells, which are painted on one side with a red, and on the other with a blue, colour; 

 but they never consider themselves in their full uniform without a crown made of the 

 plumage of a bird called the rotoo" (Ibid.). According to the missionary Santini, the 

 Tungus, "in their original state of barbarity were dressed in skins; they painted 

 their bodies and faces with various colours; they bored their noses and ears, whence 

 hanged coloured shells. For their head covering they had crowns made of the skin of 

 a young deer, ornamented with the plumage of rare birds" {Ibid., p. 117). Who has 

 not recognized in this description one of the original lords of the immense American 

 plains or forests? 



' Apud Mcintosh, op. cit., p. 118. 



