THE HUMAN SPECIES. 261 



capacity were necessary to nautical invaders of popu- 

 lous islands, and the materials for constructing them 

 abounded on the north coast of South America ; and, 

 indeed, in the northern portion, there still remain rude 

 sculptures of very long vessels of this class, manned 

 with numerous rowers, particularly on tide rocks in 

 Massachusetts, and elsewhere. 



At foot note, page 251, we should have noticed, in 

 confirmation of the northern and marine migration 

 of some tribes, that the Chichimecs relate, that after 

 they emerged out of seven " caves" (islands), they tra- 

 velled to Amassiemecan, or the northernmost portion 

 of America. Perhaps they were Aleuthians, and the 

 term caves, if not denoting islands, may refer to canoes, 

 which, in many languages, bear names allusive, like 

 caves to hollowness, Alvei. The legend is exceed- 

 ingly like that in Strabo, which relates to the original 

 seven Cyclopeans, who first came from Lycia by sea. 

 They evidently designate ships' crews, since they be- 

 gan soon after to build works of huge stones, such as 

 those near their caves at Nauplia, &c. Votan, the 

 third personage in the Mexican Calendar, according to 

 Francisco Nunes, was the leader of seven families, who 

 came from an island to America, and then brought 

 seven more to the same country. But the bishop of 

 Chiapa is questionable authority. 



