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PHYSICAL HISTORY OF MAN. 



other harsh, with terminal consonants:* a point that acquires interest 

 from the fact, tliat no portion of the Malay race has hitherto been 

 found using a harsh language. 



In the United States, the Cherokees, and others of our southern 

 tribes, are known to speak comparatively soft languages. Malay 

 analogies will also be perceived in the following particulars respect- 

 ing the Creeks,t communicated by Dr. Boykin, of Georgia: and even 

 something similar to the East Indian practice of running a muck. 

 " Sometimes a Creek will become desperate, or one of them may be 

 teased to that point of exasperation, that he will declare an intention 

 to ' kill the first man he meets;' which he will be sure to do, whether 

 friend or foe : such persons are often put to death by their own peo- 

 ple. No incident however trifling, can take place in the nation, 

 without the knowledge of the chiefs ; who have moreover a species 

 of chief's language, in the use of figurative expressions, that are not 

 understood by the common people." If, however, any actual rem- 

 nant of the Malay race exists in the eastern part of North America, it 

 is probably to be looked for among the Chippewas and the Cherokees. 



With respect to the extinct Aboriginals of the West Indies, I have 

 seen an oil painting by Brunias, which was presented to Harvard 

 University in 1790; and which represents three " Native aboriginal 

 Caribs of St. Vincents." The complexion, features, and general as- 

 pect, agree very well with the Malay race; but the costume presents 

 analogy with that of our northern tribes; and it is also evident, that 

 red, and not yellow, was the favourite colour. This single example 

 has not enabled me to form a decided opinion on the question of race; 

 but probably, additional materials may exist in paintings and tapestry 

 on the other side of the Atlantic. 



It is possible that the Malay race may be more widely extended in 

 Mexico and South America, than is represented on the accompanying 

 map : and indeed, I am disposed to refer to that race whatever is au- 

 thentic in the accounts of " black aboriginals." Geographical consi- 

 derations render it improbable, that any third race had reached Ame- 

 rica prior to the European discovery. 



* This distinction occurs in languages generally, although not always expressed in the 

 orthography ; and depends on two distinct methods of utterance, which may be termed 

 conveniently enough, the masculine and feminine forms of language. 



t A tradition exists among the Creeks, as I am informed by Mr. Leconte, " that they 

 came originally from the West, from beyond the Mississippi." 



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