196 EAMBLES OF A NATUKALIST. 



had derived from the Leyenda Pendolada, Avritten in 

 1073, by Herman Llanes.* According to these 

 writers, Tubal, the son of Japhet, came, 131 years 

 after the Deluge, to settle down on the western 

 extremity of Europe, and this primitive race subse- 

 quently spread its colonies over the whole of Europe, 

 the northern coasts of Africa, and even a portion of 

 Asia. Other writers, such as Bochart, Ponce de 

 Leon, Joseph Pellicer, Xavier de Gama, Manuel de 

 la Huerta, &c., admit that the sons of Japhet, pro- 

 ceeding from east to west, began to people the 

 central portions of Europe, and did not arrive in 

 Spain until 535 years after the Deluge, under the 

 leadership of Tarsis, the cousin german of Tubal. 

 These two versions, which have been attacked and 

 maintained with equal asperity, are universally 

 current among all clases, both parties invoking Holy 

 Writ in support of their favourite view. The 

 ecclesiastical tribunals, being called upon to pro- 

 nounce between the two, adopted an expedient, 

 which was certainly alike ingenious and prudent. 

 They admitted that both opinions were equally pro- 

 bable, but that the truth must belong exclusively to 

 the one or the other. This decision became an 

 article of faith, and even as lately as the close of the 

 last century it would not have been prudent for a 

 Spanish author to recognise any other chief of his 

 race than Tubal or Tarsis, if he would avoid being 



* De I'Ibene, ou Essai critique sur Vorigine des premieres popula- 

 tions de VEspagne, by L. F. Graslin, formerly French consul at 

 Santander. 



