4>04 REMARKS AND OPINIOTNS. 



Biirney, in tlie place quoted, seeks a resemblance 

 between tbe Araucanian poncho, and the costume 

 of the islanders of the Great Ocean, which we do 

 not find ; and we can lay no greater stress on an 

 uncertain tradition of the Araucariians, according 

 to which they came from the west, because 

 another makes them come from the north, and a 

 third represents them as having sprung out of the 

 earth which they inhabit. 



The result of our study, as well of history as of 

 nature, is to represent man as very young on this 

 old earth. In the strata of the mountains, the 

 ruins of a more ancient world lie buried. The 

 waters retire, animals and plants spread, from 

 different points, in various directions, over the sur- 

 face of the earth : the mountains will separate the 

 countries : man descends from his cradle, the high 

 land of Asia, and, advancing on all sides, takes 

 possession of the continent: he spreads in the 

 west over Africa, where the sun colours the negro ; 

 and over Europe, where later immigrated tribes 

 evidently speak in three-fold dialects the language 

 of India.* The Papua, in the eastern countries, 

 lying under the line, suffers, under similar influ- 

 ence, the same change as the African ; or^ perhaps 

 belongs, with him, to one race. The Chinese 



* In Europe only the Cantabrians and Celts can be called 

 Autochtones, and only so far as their immigration and descent 

 cannot be traced. The race of the Tschudi may be referred to 

 other Asiatic races. 



