THE AMERICAN MIGRATION. 331 



the geographical conditions of the soilAvhichhe inhabits, and therefore stands iu 

 a much more dependent relation to its nature tlian is commonly supposed, may 

 advance the indeed sufficiently hazardous hypothesis that this secret cause is to 

 be sought in some natural phenomenon to us unknown ; yet, to this supposition 

 can no other than an entirely problematical value be attached. 



If wo seek, however, to establish for historical events a basis in geographical 

 relations — that is to say, if we carefully compare them together, analyzing the 

 former and investigating their possible causes, studying the latter and deducing 

 as far as possible the resulting consequences — we shall find that certain generally 

 valid laws, whicb resolve in the simplest manner many an xmexplained riddle, 

 are evolved from such a study through the remarkable correspondence of facts. 

 Thus, in reference to the migrations of mankind, it seems to result from the 

 geographical structure of continents that, as by virtue of an historical law, we 

 are not to look for men of comprehensive and deeply penetrating intellect in 

 Lapland or Malta, in Bosnia or Asturias ; so, conformably with a strict geo- 

 grafhival law, the direction of the migratory stream will be found always to 

 lie in the axis of the greatest longitudinal extension of the continent.^ In fact 

 no example from history informs us that the Tchapogires, Tunguses, Jakoots, 

 or people from the banks of the Amour have ever descended into the Deccan or 

 Malacca ; that the Ethiopians have ever migrated into Senegambia, or the Finns 

 into Greece. As a new proof how much nations and men depend on geo- 

 graphical circumstances, and even when they believe themselves guided by tlieir 

 own will, merely obey a great natural law, the fact is of much significance that 

 the American tribes form no exception to this general rule, for here, also, the 

 procession of the migratory races is in the longer axis of the continent, namely, 

 from north to south. This implies, of course, no mathematically exact line of 

 transit, w^hich, in America, apart from all collateral circumstances, would be 

 simply impossible, from the fact that the southern part of the continent projects 

 considerably further to the east than the northern. By a progress from north 

 to south we understand no more than that the migrating tribes always tended 

 towards more southerly regions. 



That America, as well as Europe and Asia, was already inhabited before this 

 great migration, and in many parts was possessed of an ancient civilization, 

 admits of no doubt. Occasional traditions of those early periods of culture have 

 penetrated to us, and I cannot forbear soliciting the attention of the learned 

 ■world to this legendary cycle of America, which is certainly worthy, in every 

 respect, of a critical scrutiny; for to judge from so much as is yet known, the 

 inquiry cannot but yield interesting and valuable disclosures respecting the 

 cosmogouic views of the American aborigines and the general tendency of their 

 ideas ; perhaps endow even the historian here and there with a fact of value. t 

 But to determine, from our present knowledge of the mystical traditions of these 

 races, which of the tribes in America may have been the oldest, seems to me as 

 impossible as superfluous. Upon this soil multitudes of nations have moved. 



■* I first advanced this proposition in the session of the Imperial Geographical Society, at 

 Vienna, 14th March, 1865. 



t It is wholly impossible, within the compass of this work, to enter into details or recur to 

 all tlie sources which it has been necessary for me to take advantage of. I think it proper, 

 however, in the interest of this in general but little cultivated study of the past ages of 

 America, to name, from time to time, a part, if but a small one, of the principal works from 

 which further information may be derived, and on which the views here developed are 

 founded. With regard to legends and myths, see A. Rossaeus: Der gdntrcn Well Iieligione7i, 

 odcr Bcsclirctbung alter (iuttes, und Goe.trcndicnstu in Asia, America, und Europa, Amstelo- 

 damie, Ui()7 — Ternaux Compans : Esxai sur la Tlieogonic Mexicaine, Paris, 1840, (Annul, 

 des Voyages.) — Carl Rafn: Cuhinctut for Americanslic Oldsager, (Antiquarisk Tidskrift, 

 Iviobeuhavn, 185<J-o4.) — J. G. Miiller: Geschichtc dcr Amiricanischen LrTcligionen, Basel, 

 1855.— liiasseur de Bourbomg: Popot J'u.'i, la litre sacr^ tt Ics Mi,tl(es de I Antiquity Mexi- 

 caine, Paris, 18GJ, 



