[ 224 ] 



NOTES 



VOLUME FOURTEEN 



Page 4. Mounds raised by men. In both .Americas 

 it is a matter of inquiry, what was the intention of the 

 natives, when they raised so many artificial hills, seve- 

 ral of which appear to have served neither as tombs, 

 nor watch-towers, nor the base of a temple. A cus- 

 tom established in eastern Asia may throw some light 

 on this important question. Two thousand three hun- 

 dred years before our era, sacrifices were offered in 

 China to the Supreme Being, Chan-ty, on four great 

 mountains called the Four Yo. The sovereigns, find- 

 ing it inconvenient to go thither in person, caused emi- 

 nences representing these mountains to be erected by 

 the hands of men, near their habitations. Voyage of 

 Lord Macartney, vol. 1, page lviii. Hager, Monument 

 of Yu, 1802, p. 10. 



Page 10. Plain of Tapia, near Lican. That no er- 

 roneous ideas may be entertained respecting the dress 

 of the Indians of the province of Quito, I must here 



