THE HUMAN SPECIES. 267 



mortification, and undying chief-priests, and both recurring in 

 the New World ; nay, tokens of what seems a Christian doc- 

 trine are detected in the worship of the cross, repeatedly found 

 carved among the ruins of Palenque. There are, moreover, 

 evidences of Hebrew lore in the metal plates dug out of the 

 same ruins, where the serpent is represented twisted round a 

 tree ; and another, with a naked human figure, kneeling in 

 the attitude of supplication, surrounded by huge monsters, 

 among trees of a tropical forest.* What makes these repre- 

 sentations still more remarkable, is, that though they belong 

 to the high-nosed Toltecs, the mystical figure in distress has 

 neither the features nor flat occiput of that people, nor the 

 posture of prayer which belonged to the idolatrous nations of 

 Anahuac. They had, it is true, a serpent or Naga worship, 

 and believed that tutelary genii appeared to mortals in the 

 animal forms assigned to constellations. But this very fact 

 is again an indication that even the astronomical signs of 

 Asia had passed over to them, for they were figured in astro- 

 logical books which were employed for incantations by an Aste- 

 can order of priests. The medicine men, with their drums, 

 are still perfect counterparts of Siberian Shamans, who per- 

 form their mummeries with a like instrument, similarly 

 painted. 



The nations of Anahuac were acquainted, like the Tahtars, 

 with a great dragon standard; had, like the Thibetans, huge 

 banner lances, such as are still planted before Lamaite tem- 

 ples and palaces ; and there were ensign spears similar to 

 those of ancient Bactria : one of these was the Shiemagun of 

 the Chippeways, the other was the guiding sign of the Choc- 

 taws, during their great migration from the west. The Mexi- 

 cans had some adorned with wings and feathers like the Huns 



* The priesthood kneaded maize flour with blood, and baked it in the 

 form of the god of war, then broke and gave it in morsels to the people, 

 who partook with signs of humiliation! See Prescott's valuable History. 

 Was this Budhism ? 



