308 



PHYSICAL HISTORY OF MAN. 



coyote or wolf-poison," Cucurhita fatidissima?, growing near a native 

 village : as, however, the plant did not seem to be valued, (the natives 

 making no objection to my taking the fruit,) it may have been merely 

 naturalized. I did not meet with any other weeds growing around 

 the native villages of the Upper Sacramento ; but Solanum ?iigrum, 

 was occasionally seen on the river bank. 



In the eastern part of America, both within, and for a considerable 

 distance without the Tropics, agriculture is known to have existed 

 aboriginally ; and moreover, some of the objects of cultivation, appear 

 to have been derived from abroad. The latter point, is of importance; 

 for it may be after all, that agriculture was not of spontaneous deve- 

 lopement in America. 



In the aboriginal condition of America, the indigenous domestic 

 animals and plants, seem to have been principally and separately 

 confined to the two centres of civilization, Mexico and Peru : the 

 lama, and the Peruvian cultivated plants, had not reached Mexico; 

 while the Mexican cochineal, agave, and tobacco, had not reached 

 Peru. On the other hand, the plants which seem to have been abo- 

 riginally derived from abroad, were much more generally diffused ; 

 as in the corresponding instance of the dog. 



The plant most widely cultivated in aboriginal America, is the maize 

 or Indian corn. If it shall prove foreign, there is but one route 

 open to its introduction, that of Japan. It is further manifest, 

 from the local absence of the plant; that North California, was 

 not the point of dissemination to other parts of America. 



I met with specimens of aboriginal cotton, at the ancient Peruvian 

 cemetery of Pachicamac. The species, differs from the Polyne- 

 sian, and is perhaps peculiar : though the plants of this genus, are 

 sufficiently hardy to have been derived through Japan. We have, 

 moreover, a direct tradition, (mentioned by Humboldt,) that the 

 culture in Mexico of both cotton and maize, was taught by the 

 Toltecas. 



Cloth dyed blue, apparently with indigo, was also found at Pachica- 

 mac. The manufacture of indigo, could not have been derived 

 through the Polynesian islands. It should also be observed; that 

 there are indigenous species of Indigo-plant in America. 



Specimens of the small-fruited variety of gourd, which is still common 

 in the market of Lima, were exhumed at the same ancient ceme- 

 tery. I did not see the plant growing. The Lagenaria vulgaris, is 



.t 



