THE PYRAMIDS. 157 



reach the clouds. Irritated at the daring attempt of 

 Xelhua, they hurled fire on the pyramid. Numbers of 

 the workmen perished ; the work was discontinued, and 

 the monument was dedicated to Quetzalcoatl, the god 

 of the air." # 



I have said, that up to the present time none of the ar- 

 guments employed to prove the descent of the American 

 aborigines, or of any part and distinct portion of them, 

 from particular people of the ancient world, have seem- 

 ingly gained universal belief. Nevertheless, it must be 

 admitted, that the light thrown by late researches, and 

 the collection of evidence from various quarters in fa- 

 vour of the plausibility of the theory that the nations of 

 Central America at least are of Hebrew origin, is of a 

 character calculated to make the unprejudiced pause, in 

 hazarding too positive an opinion. As to myself, all I 

 can say is, that when I knew less of the subject, I felt in- 

 clined to throw more ridicule upon the idea than I dare 

 do now ; at the same tim^ that I would not deem the 

 question decided, despite the opinion of many laborious 

 and enthusiastic writers, from the time of Las Casas, Sa- 

 hagun, Boturini, and their cotemporaries and successors, 

 down to those of Ethan Smith, Mrs. Simon, and Lord 

 Kingsbury, till it be clearly demonstrated that those 

 most remarkable analogies which are ably set forth in 

 these works, are not traceable to the times which imme- 

 diately succeeded the deluge, and preceded the disper- 

 sion. 



Well may the opinion of the world hang in suspense 

 with regard to every doubtful question in which any part 

 of the chosen people of God is implicated. The sepa- 

 rate existence of the Jews as a distinct people, even to 

 this day, is a miracle which none can question ; and 

 wherever the descendants of the lost Ten Tribes are 

 banished — to the east, or to the west — we may firmly 

 believe, that, being partakers of the same striking prom- 

 ises with the Jews, the same God who has promised to 



* See Humboldt's Res., i., 97. 

 o 



