SECT. V. HISTORICAL ANALOGIES. 255 



We must here observe, that analogies in either of these 

 points, taken individually, afford no proof whatever in favour 

 of affinity, and even similarities in several points possess only 

 a secondary importance ; for partly may they, under similar 

 conditions, spontaneously arise in peoples who had always lived 

 in a state of separation ; and partly may they have been the 

 result of a short intercourse between two different peoples. 

 How cautious we ought to be, and how just the principle is, 

 that all such analogies can only be considered as secondary 

 arguments in favour of affinity, will be seen by the following 

 examples : 



The analogies existing between Asiatic and American peoples 

 have been collated by Delafield. 1 Most of these peculiarities 

 prove nothing, as they concern things which are frequently 

 met with among uncivilized nations of the most remote regions. 

 Whilst the Mongolian type nearly approaches the American 

 (Bradford), the structure of their respective languages differs 

 essentially. 2 The chief points of resemblance are the follow- 

 ing. The Schamanism of the Mongol tribes, based on fire- 

 worship, 3 finds its counterpart in the religious ideas and cere- 

 monies of most of the Indian tribes of North America. A. 

 von Humboldt has noticed striking similarities of the old 

 buildings, and the religion of the Aztecs to that of the Tartars 

 and Tibetians. Squier 4 has pointed out the resemblance of the 

 old temples of Yucatan to those of Buddha in India. 



The doctrine of a periodical destruction of the world and of 

 its reconstruction, prevails in Tibet and India, as well as in old 

 Mexico ; the first destruction was effected by earthquake, the 

 second by fire, the third by a storm, the last by water. The 



ditions among some peoples, may be explained from the fact of shells being 

 found inland in great numbers, whence they concluded that inundations 'had 

 taken place at some period. Among other nations, that which appears as an 

 ancient tradition is manifestly of modern Christian origin, by its similarity 

 to the Mosaic records, and other accidental circumstances. The first was the 

 case among the Greenlanders (Cranz, " Historie v. Greenland," i, p. 262, 

 2 Aufl., 1770) ; the second was found among the Namaquas (Moffat, " Mission 

 Labours in South Africa," p. 126, 1842). 



1 " Inquiry into the origin of the Antiquities of America," Cincinnati, 1836 ; 

 Bradford, "American Antiquities," New York, 1841. 



2 Pott, " D. TJngl. menschl. Rassen," p. 257. 



3 Erman's " Archiv f. wissl. Kunde v. Eussland," viii, p. 213. 



4 "The Serpent Symbol," New York, 1851. 



