382 APPENDIX 
No. 3. 
Since tliis volume went to press, I have been favored with the following very 
instructive letter, from Horatio Hale, Esq., the learned philologist who accom- 
panied the Exploring Expedition, under the command of Captain Wilkes. 
It is pleasant, when groping backward through the labyrinth of time, to have, 
now and then, some tangled threads of the lost clue thrown into our hands ; 
and I liave no doubt that, when the result of this eminent scholar's labors are 
placed before the public, they will obtain for him a reputation commensurate with 
his genius and industry. 
" Philadelphia, October, 1843. 
" My deak Sir : 
" It gives me pleasure to learn, that you are still occupied with your work 
on Mexico, which has been long expected with great interest. There are few 
countries, so far as I could judge, which contain more that is worthy of being 
described ; and fewer still, of which so little is accurately known. 
" As to the inquiries contained in your letter, I am happy to find that we have 
arrived, by different roads, at the same conclusion, with regard to the origin of the 
Mexican Tribes, and the direction in which their migration took place. The results 
of such researches as I have been able to make into the languages of the western 
coast of America, though not of a positive nature, seem to me strongly to favor 
the views which you seem to entertain, of the progress of the emigrant tribes from 
their probable crossing-place at Behring's Straits, along the coast — or rather, be- 
tween the coast and the Rocky Mountains — to the Mexican plateau. 
" Very soon after commencing my investigations in Oregon, I was struck by two 
facts of considerable importance. First ; that the numbers of distinct families of 
languages, or independent races, was greater than was to be found, in so small a 
space, in any part of the known world ; and, secondly ; that, in several cases, the 
different tribes, or subdivisions of a family, were dispersed at great distances from 
each other, and surrounded by several tribes speaking distinct languages. I ob- 
served, that these scattered bands were generally disposed in a line from north to 
south. It seemed, therefore, not an unreasonable supposition, that if the numer- 
ous hordes which have, at different periods, overrun the Mexican plains, proceeded 
in this direction, they may have left along their track, from time to time, detached 
parties, which, from some motive of discontent, would separate from the main body, 
and allow it to proceed without them. This would account, both for the number of 
small tribes speaking distinct languages, and for the manner in which those speak- 
ing the same language, are dispersed through the region. 
" As an example, I may mention the Athabascan family or race, which occupies 
the northern part of our Continent, next to the Esquimaux, and which has been 
found on our northwest coast, within a hundred miles of Behring's Straits. The 
Carrier Indians, who live north of the Oregon Territory, in about 55'-' latitude, 
belong to this family. Five hundred miles south of these, not far to the north of 
the Columbia, I found a small tribe whose language showed them to have had the 
same origin with the Carriers. Still farther south, on the other bank of the Co- 
'umbia, and separated from the last-mentioned by the Chinook tribe, was another 
