time say that their ancestors came from the north, 

 and at another time, from the west. 



It is a general opinion that America was settled 

 from the north-eastern part of Asia, from the sup- 

 posed easy communication between them, in conse- 

 sequence of the vicinity of these countries. But the 

 opinion entertained by the Chilians, that their coun- 

 try was peopled from the west, is not so extravagant 

 as at first sight it may appear. The discoveries of 

 the English navigators in the South Sea have ascer- 

 tained that between America and the southern point 

 of Asia there is a chain of innumerable islands, the 

 probable remains of some vast tract of land which, 

 in that quarter, once united the two continents, and 

 rendered the communication between Asia and the 

 opposite shore of America easy. From whence it is 

 very possible that, while North America has been 

 peopled from the north-west, the south has received 

 its inhabitants from the southern parts of Asia, the 

 natives of tliis part of the new world being of a mild 

 character, much resembling that of the southern 

 Asiatics, and litUe tinctured with the ferocity of the 

 Tartars. Like the languages of the Oriental In- 

 dians, theirs is also harmonious, and abounds in 

 vowels. The influence of climate may undoubtedly 

 afllct language so far as to modify it, but can never 

 produce a complete change in its primitive struc- 

 ture. 



The Chilians call their first progenitors Pegni 

 Epatun, which signifies the brothers Epatim, but 

 of these patriarchs nothing but the name is known. 



