THE MALAY RACE. 



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people of the same part of Mexico. And traders at San Francisco, 

 assured me, that " the natives were alike, along the whole western 

 coast." 



The presence of two aboriginal races in Mexico, recalls some seem- 

 ing coincidences in the ancient history of that country. It is stated 

 of the Toltecas, the predecessors of the Aztecas : that they " were ac- 

 quainted with agriculture, manufactures, the working of metals, and 

 various other arts of civilization ; and even, that they introduced the 

 cultivation of maize and cotton.''' Now the art of cultivation, could 

 not have been derived from Oregon, where the idea was aboriginally 

 absent; a state of things connected apparently with the high north- 

 ern source of the Mongolian population of America, the climate pre- 

 cluding agriculture in the parent countries. If then, this art was 

 introduced from abroad into America, it must have arrived by a 

 more southern route ; and to all appearance, through the medium of 

 the Malay race. I would remark, further, that the route must have 

 been yet south of San Francisco ; where I observed only one, and 

 that a doubtful instance, of Aboriginal Agriculture. 



Another remarkable tradition, mentioned by Humboldt, as common 

 both to the Mexicans and to the widely separated Muyscas of Bogota, 

 attributes the " origin of their civilization to a man having a long 

 beard." Now, a long beard, is precisely a circumstance that would 

 be apt to make a lasting impression among a beardless people; and 

 at the same time, is one which they would not be likely to invent : 

 further, it is not inconsistent with the physical character of the 

 Malay race. At Singapore, I was reminded of this tradition, by the 

 continual recurrence of long-bearded masks on the Chinese stage. 



The influence of a second physical race, might be expected to 

 extend beyond its precise geographical limits : and I will here note 

 the occurrence in America of some additional Malay analogies. A 

 variety of Polynesian customs are mentioned in the accounts of the 

 native tribes of Panama and Central America; and even some coinci- 

 dences, in the names of places around the Mexican and Caribbean 

 seas. Two distinct styles of costume, may be recognised in paintings 

 of aboriginal Americans; and the cincture and wreath of upright 

 feathers, are not found among the northern tribes. Tlie American 

 languages are also susceptible of geographical division ; being on the 

 one hand soft, with principally the vowel termination; and on the 



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