SUPPLEMENTAL HISTORY OF MAN. 1S5 



The depressed forehead is a more general charac- 

 teristic of all the American tribes ; some of them, it 

 is true, increase by art this natural peculiarity ; but 

 the character is prevalent among those who use no 

 art to exaggerate it. A depressed forehead is always 

 considered beautiful among them : the Aztee gods 

 and heroes were thus represented by the Mexicans, 

 who used no artificial means to flatten the cra- 

 nium. 



There is strong reason to believe, especially from 

 the approximation of the two continents, that, the 

 American race originates from the north-eastern 

 Asiatics ; traces of resemblance in language, strong 

 and physical similarity, and local facilities of emi- 

 gration, give countenance to this opinion. 



There seems no just reason for separating the 

 Esquimaux from the" American variety, and classing 

 them more particularly under the Mongolian; at 

 least, no reason that would not justify a similar 

 classification of the nations of the whole American 

 continent. They resemble the Americans in general 

 characteristic traits ; and, in Terra del Fuego, and 

 on the Mosquito shore we find people exactly like 

 them. With the physical characters of this arctic 

 race, the late voyages to the Pole have made us tole- 

 rably acquainted. They have high cheek-bones, 

 broad foreheads, and small eyes far apart. Their com- 

 plexion is a dusky yellow, and some individuals are 

 lighter than others, and exhibit some symptoms of 

 red in the cheeks. Their stature is short, the 

 average height of the males not being more than 



