Aboriginal Race of America. 145 
This distinguished naturalist passed many months on the 
table-land of the Andes which embraces the region of these 
extraordinary people, and examined the desiccated remains 
of hundreds of individuals in the tombs where they have lain 
for centuries. M. D’Orbigny remarked, that while many of 
the heads were deformed in the manner to which we have 
adverted, others differed in nothing from the usual conforma- 
tion. It was also observed that the flattened skulls were uni- 
formly those of men, while those of the women remained 
unaltered ; and, again, that the most elongated heads were 
preserved in the largest and finest tombs, shewing that this 
cranial deformity was a mark of distinction. But to do away 
with any remaining doubt on this subject, M. D’Orbigny as- 
certained that the descendants of these ancient Peruvians yet 
inhabit the land of their ancestors, and bear the name of 
AYMARAS, which may have been their primitive designation ; 
and lastly, the modern Aymaras resemble the common Qui- 
chua or Peruvian Indians in every thing that relates to physi- 
cal conformation, not even excepting the head, which, how- 
ever, they have ceased to mould artificially. 
Submitted to the same anatomical test, the reputed giant 
and dwarf races of America prove to be the mere inventions 
of ignorance or imposition. A careful inspection of the re- 
mains of both, has fully satisfied me that the asserted gigan- 
tic form of some nations has been a hasty inference on the 
part of unpractised observers; while the so-called pygmies 
of the valley of the Mississippi were mere children, who, for 
reasons not wholly understood, were buried apart from the 
adult people of their tribe. . 
Thus it is that the American Indian, from the southern 
extremity of the continent to the northern limit of his range, 
is the same exterior man. With somewhat variable stature 
and complexion, his distinctive features, though variously mo- 
dified, are never effaced; and he stands isolated from the 
rest of mankind, identified at a glance in every locality, and 
under every variety of cireumstance ; and even his desiccated 
remains which have withstood the destroying hand of time, 
preserve the primeval type of his race, excepting only when 
art has interposed to pervert it. 
VOL. XXXVIII. NO. LXXV.—JAN. 1845, K 
