INTRODUCTION. 97 



Columbian discoveries." He also says, that the antiquities of the 

 Mississippi valley do not denote a high state of civilization in the 

 aboriginal race, before the arrival of Europeans ; the ruins of Palen- 

 que, Cuzco, Yucatan, and the Valley of Mexico, are, manifestly, 

 monuments of intrusive nations. 



The Scandinavians had visited the northern part of this continent, 

 from Greenland, as early as the beginning of the tenth century ; and 

 even in the ninth we are told that Othere proceeded on a voyage to 

 the North Pole. 



The Indian race is of a very old stock, apparently more ancient 

 than the cuneiform and Nilotic inscriptions, the oldest in the world. 

 " Nothing that we have, in the shape of books, is ancient enough to 

 recall the period of his origin but the sacred oracles. If we appeal 

 to these, a probable prototype may be recognized in that branch of 

 the race which may be called Almogic (from Almodad, the son of 

 Joktan), a branch of the Eber-ites. * # * * Like them, they are 

 depicted, at all periods of their history, as strongly self-willed, 

 exclusive in their type of individuality, heedless, heady, impractica- 

 ble, impatient of reproof or instruction, and strongly bent on the 

 various forms of ancient idolatry. Such are, indeed, the traits of 

 the American tribes." They believe in a spirit of good and a spirit 

 of evil. This duality of gods is universal. They relate, generally, 

 that there was an ancient deluge, which covered the earth, and 

 destroyed mankind, except a limited number ; they speak emphati- 

 cally of a future state, and appear to have an idea of rewards and 

 punishments hereafter. 



The whole Indian population of the United States he estimates 

 at 388,229, with, perhaps, 25 or 35,000 more in the unexplored 

 territories. 



Mr. Squier * remarks that the ancient population of the Missis- 

 sippi valley was numerous and widely spread, as evinced by the 

 number and magnitude of the ancient monuments, and the extensive 

 range of their occurrence. "That it was essentially homogeneous, 

 in customs, habits, religion, and government, seems very well sus- 

 tained by the great uniformity which the ancient remains display, 

 not only as regards position and form, but in respect, also, to those 

 minor particulars, which, not less than more obvious and imposing 

 features, assist us in arriving at correct conclusions." * * * * 

 " The features common to all are elementary, and identify them as 

 appertaining to a single grand system, owing its origin to a family 



* Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley. By E. G. Squiei, 

 A. M., and E. H. Davis, M. D. Washington: 1S43. 



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