Sketches From Oldest America 



having teeth like those of the bear, its canines being 

 quite long, and when it appeared in herds the 

 earlier inhabitants were alarmed, as it used to attack 

 and devour the people.&quot; He will also tell you that 

 its fat was similar to the blubber of the seal, or per 

 haps more like that of the domestic hog, but the 

 animal for some unknown reason began eating the 

 salmon-berries called &quot;achea,&quot; and in time became 

 herbivorous; with the change of diet it gradually 

 changed its habits, growing horns and losing its 

 back teeth, ultimately becoming the caribou of the 

 present. 



The man of Tigara, through his traditions, has 

 known all these things for ages past, while the man 

 of science is only finding them out through his 

 patient investigations. 



The visitor can now enter into an interesting 

 train of thought while saying to himself: &quot;What 

 need is there of crossing the wide ocean, with 

 the delusion we are visiting the old world, while 

 there are here in our own country the oldest 

 Americans, a race of men who, according to their 

 traditions and the rude architecture of their homes, 

 can antedate any people to be seen by the tourist on 

 his beaten lines of travel ? &quot; 



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