THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 535 



dog's flesh, which was an abomination to the Jews, continued to be eaten at their 

 feasts by all the tribes of Indians, not because the Jews have been prevailed upon 

 to use it, but because they have survived only, as their blood was mixed with that of 

 the Indians, and the Indians have imposed on that mixed blood the same rules and 

 regulations that governed the members of the tribes in general. 



THE INDIANS ALL OP ONE STOCK. 



]^f any writers are of opinion that the natives of America are all from one stock, and 

 their languages from one root ; that that stock is exotic, and that that language was 

 introduced with it. And the reason assigned for this theory is, that amongst the vari- 

 ous tribes there is a reigning similarity in looks, and in their languages a striking 

 resemblance to each other. 



Now, if all the world were to argue in this way, I should reason just in the other, 

 and pronounce this, though evidence to a certain degree, to be very far from conclu- 

 sive, inasmuch as it is far easier and more natural for distinct tribes or languages, 

 grouped and used together, to assimilate than to dissimilate ; as the pebbles on a sea- 

 shore, that are washed about and jostled together, lose their angles, and incline at 

 last to one rounded and uniform shape. So that if there had been, ab origine, a variety 

 of different stocks in America, with different complexions, with different characters 

 and customs, and of different statures, and speaking entirely different tongues, where 

 they have been for a series of centuries living neighbours to each other, moving about 

 and intermarrying, I think we might reasonably look for quite as great a similarity 

 in their personal appearance and languages as we now find ; when, on the other hand, 

 if we are to suppose that they were all from one foreign stock, with but one language, 

 t is a difficult thing to conceive how or in what space of time, or for what purpose, 

 they could have formed so many tongues, and so widely different, as those that are 

 now spoken on the continent. 



It is evident, I think, that if an island or continent had been peopled with black, 

 white, and red, a succession of revolving centuries of intercourse amongst these dif- 

 erent colors would have had a tendency to bring them to one standard complexion, 

 when no computable space of time nor any conceivable circumstances could restore 

 them again, reproducing all or either of the distinct colors, from the compound. 



That customs should be found similar, or many of them exactly the same, on the 

 most opposite parts of the continent, is still less surprising ; for these will travel more 

 rapidly, being more easily taught at treaties and festivals between hostile bands, or 

 disseminated by individuals traveling through neighboring tribes, whilst languages 

 and blood require more time for their admixture. 



That the languages of the North American Indians should be found to be so numer- 

 ous at this day, and so very many of them radically different, is a subject of great sur- 

 prise, and unaccountable, whether these people are derived from one individual stock 

 or from one hundred or one thousand. 



Though languages, like color and like customs, are calculated to assimmilate, un- 

 der the circumstances above named, yet it is evident that, if derived from a variety 

 of sources, they have been unaccountably kept more distinct than the others ; and 

 if from one root, have still more unaccountably dissimmilated and divided into at 

 least one hundred and fifty, two -thirds of which, I venture to say, are entirely and 

 radically distinct; whilst amongst the people who speak them there is a reigning sim- 

 ilarity in looks, in features, and in customs, which would go very far to pronounce 

 them one family by nature or by convention. 



I do not believe, with some very learned and distinguished writers, that the lan- 

 guages of the North American Indians can be traced to one root or to three or four, or 

 any number of distinct idioms ; nor do I believe all or any one of them will ever be 

 fairly traced to a foreign origin. 



If the looks and customs of the Jews are decidedly found and identified with these 

 people, and also those of the Japanese and Calmuc Tartars, I think we have but lit- 



