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WELLS. 
coast was settled, we know that a Chinese junk drifted to it in 1843, when 
three young men were saved, taken to England, educated, and sent back 
to China. There is no reason why we may not believe that other vessels 
may have also drifted at different times widely separated, and landed at 
different places. 
It is an accepted fact also that previously to the discovery of America by 
Columbus, people from North-western Europe came to America by way of 
Greenland, and that some returned, and I see no reason why others may not 
have done so in pre-historic times. In this way it is very easy to account 
for the great variety of tribes and difference of traditions, languages, and 
customs. 
The universality of the tradition about the flood inclines me to the 
opinion that they came after that event occurred. The dimness of the 
tradition about an Incarnation, leads me to think that they knew only a little 
about that, perhaps from prophecy or hearsay, and that most, if not all, 
came before that event occurred. 
I did not intend to convey the idea that no tribes offered sacrifices to 
Manitou. I simply spoke of their sacrificing to the Great Spirit. I am 
satisfied that they did offer sacrifices to the inferior deities and Manitous. 
They sacrificed to the being or beings whom they thought most likely to 
assist them, or whose anger they most feared. 
As to the criticism of the Rev. T. Dunn about the Nass Indians carrying the 
images of their gods in a box, I accept the correction. I took the statement 
as given by J. Dunn, in his work on the Oregon Territory, but am satisfied, 
from the remarks of the Rey. T. Dunn, that it isa mistake. I cheerfully 
accept all such corrections. 
REMARKS BY THE REV. J. OWEN DORSEY, 
Late Missionary to the Ponka Indians, now of the Smithsonian Institution, 
Bureau of Ethnology and V.P, Section of Anthropology, A.A.A.S., 1885. 
Tue idea of a Supreme Being is said to have existed amovg the Omahas 
and cognate tribes prior to the coming of civilisation. The writer has heard 
this not only from the ex-chief, La Fléche, now a Christian, but also from 
men still holding their ancestral faith. Among these is one of the servants 
of the Elk gens, who assists that gens in the ceremonies pertaining to the 
worship of the thunder-god. “When there were no white people in this 
land, the ancestors of the Omahas and Ponkas believed that Wa-kan-da 
existed.* They did not know where he was, nor did they say how he 
* Literally, Wakanda t‘a"i té e-dhe-ga"-i. 
VOL. XIX. 2B 
