NOtTH



AMERICAN



I NDIANSW



277



civilization have, under similar circumstances, escaped our
notice.
  NV!. Sinclair, who travelled in North America in the year
                                        S~~~~~~~~
1748, has made the following observations respecting the
civilization of the aborls2]nal inhabitants of this continent:
,.,  *  - l. ... *.. -.      l   . .



6oi nat arcfitecture  anu painting,-- ne says,  were
known amon2 the ancients of America cannot be denied,
when we examine the art which they displayed in build-
ing fortifications and towers; and the taste which thtir
paintirnas in relieve exhibit. It would be equally absuird
to deny that -iron tools were, ill ulse; for how could they
bialk and shape into different fobrms large stones almost
as hard as the flint which the present red men use as
hatchets. But, without any conjecture, we iay easily



atrrive at a conclusion
French missionaries



%weapons ; an4
king manner,
colo n) y."



d these
fthoseA



i by considering the fact, that the
found several iron tools and varlike
tools, are said to resemble, in a stri-
rof the Coreans. formerly a Chinese



  Count Rosetti says, that they are not unlike those in use
among the Chinese, according to the observations of the
Jesuit, who lived for several years in Chinal. How these
tools and weapons have disalppeared can easily be accounts
e@ for, by supposing that this Asiatic colony, which was
undoubtedly more polished than the present Indians,
buried along with the dead, as is well kinown to have been
the custom, those tools and weapons which were dear to
them when living. T'his ridiculous and superstitious



l,,. --  =- _
custom would certainly contribute, through
utter annihilation of those instruments, ix
evidently in use among them, were not ill



since they arrived



thema from



wii atev4



in America, bNt brough
Br Dart of Asia they i



T-     -



time,



to the



hlich, though
lade by them
t along with
tiiiigrated, and



consequently the supply could not be otherwise than
scanty. 'I'i1e M1exicans, whio are supposed, and on 'very
aood aroundS, to be the descendants ot this more civilized
race of Indians, were acquainted with the arts when first



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