THE HUM AN SPECIES. 269 



tions like natives of the Sandwich and other Polynesian 

 islands. 



The progressing nations, and, in particular, among those 

 of Anahuac, the Mexicans, were a bearded and hairy race, and, 

 bein^ in a state of creator civilization than oilier American 

 tribes, they were in a condition of representing more circum- 

 stantially the tenor of their ancestral history. Accordingly, 

 they had traditions, supported by hieroglyphics! maps, which 

 marked the Stag) - of their ancient migration from the north 

 to their arrival on the plateau of the Andes, where they 

 founded Mexico in 1325 of our era, according to Clavigero. 

 They had then already resided at Tula and its vicinity for 

 above a century, gradually dislodging other tribes, who had 

 successively pressed upon each other from the same quarter. 

 These were chiefly the Acalhuans, Chichimecas and Toltecs, 

 whose first arrival is referred to so early a time as the year (> IS ; 

 and even these were posterior to the Ulmecs : but the dates 

 may not be safely relied upon ; and the charts themselves, 

 though still existing, at least in copies, cannot be deciphered 

 with trustworthy precision. The point of primaeval departure 

 i--. however, designated by the names of Aztlan (the Eden, or 

 land of nourishment), and Huekuetlapallan, which has been 

 interpreted, the 1 » r i _r 1 1 1 abode of ancestors, a region which cer- 

 tainly lay in the north ; and, when coupled with the departure, 

 i. i hides likewise the west. This region was certainly not the 

 valley of the river Gila, in California, notwithstanding that a 

 cognate language is still spoken there, and that ruins of mag- 

 nitude attest there was anciently a people residenl on the spot 

 already in a progressive state of civilization. It is probable 

 that this people were the Astecans, who may have resided on 

 the locality until they had increased to a nation, and were 

 forced to depart by pressure from behind ; for sedentary nations 

 do not abandon cities and temples but by force, or by the fear 

 of foreign and unknown invaders, from whom they expect no 

 mercy. It is a curious coincidence of time, that these great 

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