or Palenque. It remains here to 
survey the genuine branch of 
Atalans, eldest perhaps of the 
American Atlantes. 
Among this, the best known (and 
yet hardly known) are the Tarascas 
of Mi’chuacan in West Mexico: 
the brave nation that first asserted 
the late Mexican Independence. 
Their true name is TALA, and 
TALA, S, CA, meaning Tala , self, 
the, or in our idiom the veryself 
Tala. They have no R in their 
speech, and this name was changed 
by the Othomis and Mexicans into 
Tarascas. See grammar of their 
language by Basalenque, Mexico, 
1714. 
From this interesting little work, 
some other account from Vater, and 
the Spanish writers we learn some- 
thing of their language which is yet 
spoken and may be thoroughly 
studied. We also learn that they 
formed a powerful and civilized 
kingdom independent of Mexico at 
the Spanish Invasion, which became 
the ally of the Spaniards; but was 
by them, subdued by treachery and 
infamous conduct. But we learn 
very little of their previous history: 
and the little known is buried in 
untranslated Spanish books. It 
is by their language that we can 
hope to trace their origin and most 
remote history. Languages do not 
lie , says Horne Tooke. They reveal 
what time has buried in oblivion. 
We shall therefore give some ac- 
count of it, that the learned or cu- 
rious may study its affinities. So 
far as we have done so already, we 
have been struck with its evident 
analogy with the Atlantic, Coptic, 
Pelagic, Greek, Latin, and Italian 
languages of Africa and Europe, both 
in words and structure, in spite of a 
separation of four or five thousand 
years. 
This language is rich, beautiful, 
and highly complex. It amalga- 
mates particles to modify the words, 
as in Italian. The verbs have fifteen 
modifications, as in Italian, or near- 
ly so; they can be compounded as in 
Greek. It admits of all the Greek 
rhetorical figures. The plural is 
formed by X. It lias nearly all the 
European vocal sounds except F and 
R; also no GN and no LL; but it has 
three sibilant TS, TZ, and TEH. 
The analogies with the Italian are 
striking in the following phrases, and 
some even appear with the Saxon 
English.. 
English . Tala. ■ Italian* 
1. Thou Thu Tu/ 
2. Was (wast) Bsca Sei (fosti) 
3. Thou who Thuqui Tu die 
4. Spoke Yandahaca Favelasti 
1.1 Hi lo 
2. Was Esea Sei (fui) 
3. 1 who Hiquinini lo che 
4. Loved Pampzahaca Amai 
1. Is not Nqxas Non E 
2. So wise Mimixcti Amico (savio) 
3. As I Isqui hi Com’io 
The following vocabulary of 85 
words, gives a fair sample of the 
language. The affinities with the 
Pelagic and its children, Greek, .La- 
tin, Etruscan, and Italian, are mark- 
ed by the letter P; those with the 
Atlantic dialects of Africa, with the 
letter A. They amount to 50 out 
of 85 with the Pelagic, or 60 per 
cent, of analogy; and to 33 out of 65 
with the Atlantic, or 51 per cent. 
These are striking facts, deserving 
attention, in spite of the unbelief of 
some ignorant or lazy philosophers 
or historians, who neglect or disbe- 
lieve these evident proofs. The six- 
teen English affinities are marked 
by an asterisk. The orthography is 9 
of course, Spanish. 
< English . Tala . 
Water Ama, Ma. A. P. 
Fire Pa,Yepo, Tani. A. P 9 
*Land Haca, Eche, ? * p 
Andatze. 5 / ° 
Stone Tzacapu, ? A p \ 
^ampsin. $ * * 
Men Cuiri. A. 
Puecha. P. ; 
Marin. P. .. 
Dog Yichu. A. 
^Mountain Vat a. A* 
