246 
Probably, in the begiiiiiiiig, it was only one ])hase in the general 
expansion of mankind that followed the retreat of the ice-sheets. 
Hrdlicka conjectured, partly on anatomical grounds, that the 
Algonkians. the Siouans, the Iroqiioians, and some other tribes 
(including the “ Lagoa Santa ” people of South America) were among 
the first to enter America.' There would seem to be more hope of 
discovering who were the latest. Geogra])hical considerations appear 
to limit the choice to two peoples, the Athapaskans, whose territory 
resembles a mighty wedge rlriven into the heart of Nortli America, 
and the Eskimo, who once fringed the whole Arctic and sub-Arctic 
coast-line from the gulf of Alaska to the north shore of the gulf of 
St. Lawrence, including both sides of the bridge-head at Bering sti-ait. 
If these peoples were actually the latest immigi'ants we would expect 
them to retain more ti*aces of their Asiatic affiliations than Indian 
tribes farther south. Both do, in fact, share numerous customs and 
beliefs with Asiatic tribes, but this may be plausibly ascribed to the 
diffusion of culture traits across Bering strait. Moreover, the Algon- 
kians and the Indians on the Pacific coast also share some of these 
customs and beliefs; they too, for example, projiitiate slain bears, 
like many Athapaskan, Eskimo, and Siberian tribes. Of greater 
significance would be the linguistic kinships between the Athapaskan 
and the Sinitic (Tibeto-Chinese-Siamese) languages of eastern Asia, 
and between Eskimo and Uralian, should any of these relationships 
be verified by future research. For we liave been unable to discover 
any connexion whatever between other Indian languages, and any 
languages in the Old World, except possibly between Hokan and 
Alalayo- Polynesian. 
The origin and affiliations of the Eskimo have given rise to 
considerable controv'ersy. Some scholars, following Boas and 
Steensby, consider them but an offshoot of the Indians. According to 
this theory their original home was the iidand country arouml Great 
Bear and Great Slave lakes, whence for some reason they moved out 
to the coast, developed a peculiar littoral culture, aiul .spread east 
and west over the shores of the Arctic and sub-Arctic.- Bogoras, on 
the other hand, places their earlier home on the Siberian side of 
Bering strait, and believes that they did not enter America until 
1 HriHicka, A.; “ TIiP Oritrin niul Antiquity of tlic Arncrican Indian”; Ann. Rojit., Roard of Rc’p:('nts 
of the Smith. Inst., 1923, p. 493 f Wasliington, 1925). 
“ Cf. .Steensby: Ot>. cit., pi,. 41-228. 
