GOSSIP — THE AFFINITY OF RACES. 305 



spake dialects of one original language, which very soon became 

 assimilated ; and that this language, altered, matured and perfected 

 through long past ages, still retains traces of derivation, that in the 

 opinion of archaeologists connects it with the aboriginal languages 

 of this continent. 



But while evidence of this nature shews that it might have been 

 easy to pass into the Mediterranean from countries adjacent, and 

 may be taken also as proof of the affinity of races, it is by no means 

 conclusive with reference to a communication with this continent. 

 It still remains to close the wide gap of ocean which separates the 

 two hemispheres and their peoples — the most ancient as well as the 

 most civilized. Here we shall find that tradition and fact combine 

 to prove, that at some very remote period of the world's history, 

 the facilities of communication must have been much greater than in 

 more recent times ; and that the disturbances which separated the 

 continents, must have been caused by tremendous convulsions of 

 nature in some instances, and in others by gradual sinking of the 

 land. In connection with this subject it may as well be remembered 

 that when nature depresses in one locality, there is always a corres- 

 ponding elevation in another, nigh to or remote. The phenomena 

 which has obliterated the lands of the Pacific Ocean between the 

 tropics is very remarkable, and has been satisfactorily explained by 

 modern science. What the whole amount of this subsidence may 

 have been, or its efiect in advancing or retarding the peoplino- of 

 this continent, will never be known : but enough is revealed to 

 enable us to estimate the greater by the less. Let it be remembered 

 also, that the Pacific islands were very early inhabited, and that the 

 nighest to this continent, Easter Island, where ancient remains 

 have been found, is not further off than a few days sail, while 

 between each across the ocean, a few days sail would establish con- 

 secutively, a communication. The affinity of the Polynesian with 

 the Malayan, and with some of the American tribes on the Pacific 

 side, may therefore, we think be conceded. For a description of 

 this wonderful phenomena of subsidence, which appears to have 

 been gradual, but which realized all the circumstances of a drowned 

 world, I cannot do better than refer to Dana's Geology, where 

 in connection with Coral Islands, it is thus adverted to. — 



