CHAPTEK XXIII. 



NORTH AMERICA. 



SOUTHWAEDS of the Arctic tract occupied by the very distinct Eskimo tribes described in the 



preceding chapter, the whole of the vast Continent of America, from British Columbia, 



Vancouver Island, and Newfoundland and the shores of the Gulf of St. Lawrence in the north, 



to the extremity of Patagonia and the island of Tierra del Fuego in the south, was, up to 



the time of Columbus's arrival, peopled by American Indians, some of whom were then living 



as nomad savages, whiles others inhabited populous cities and had acquired many of the arts 



and habits of civilised communities. In one way or another the aborigines since that epoch 



have steadily tended to disappear or wane before the gradual advance of the white races, or 



to become lost as a pure type by more or less complete fusion with the latter. The manner 



in which the irresistible spread of the Caucasian 



races over the continent has been brought about, 



and the concomitant disappearance or fusion of the 



native tribes, have, however, varied greatly in different 



parts of America. The ancient Aztecs, Mayas, and 



Peruvians were practically wiped out as distinct 



nations by the Spanish conquest; while at an early 



date the aborigines of the West Indian islands dis- 



appeared, and were replaced by African Negroes. In 



many other parts of Central and South America the 



more civilised aborigines became more or less amalga- 



mated with the Spanish and Portuguese immigrants, 



thus giving rise to the present mixed races of the 



countries in question. On the other hand, in the 



greater portion of North America a very different 



state of things has occurred. Eor the most part 



the original inhabitants formed nomad tribes sparsely 



scattered over the open prairies; and for a long 



period those in the interior were but little affected 



by the European settlements on the east coast. 



Moreover, with the exception of the French Canadians, 



the immigrants have mingled but little with the 



natives, so that a sharp line of demarcation has 



continued to divide the white races from the " Ked- 



skins." Gradually, however, the latter have been 



driven farther and farther back, till they are now 



mostly restricted to definite "reserves," where they 



are supported by the Governments of the United 



States and Canada. And here it may be men- 



tioned that of late years an important factor in the 



retirement of the Indians from large areas in the 



North-west has been the practical extermination of phoi.o by Mr. w. Rau} [Philadelphia. 



the American bison, an animal upon which thousands A NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN, SHOWING MOCASSINS. 



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