ORIGIN OF THE



scended from a different source. Those, therefore
contend from merely a slight affinity of languages, th2
have discovered the long lost tribes of Israel on the m;
continent, might as well say that the Arabians and
sinians are the lost tribes of Israel, for their language
a very strong affinity with the Hebrew. Were w(
to allow the affinity of languages in its fullest exte,
only legitimate inference would be, that the languil
America are of Oriental origin; and consequent
America was peopled from Asia.
  But the affinity between the Hebrew and the
languages of America, is so slight and imperceptib
we could scarcely be induced, on this ground alone,
lieve, even the Asiatic origin of the North Americ



dians. However much the langi
habitants of the western continel
revolutions which are incident to
it is not to be presumed, that the_
tally extinguished ; some vestige
monument of its original descent.



, who
tt they
restern
Abys-
zs have
e even
[t,.the
ages of
ly that

Indian
le that
to be"
-an In-



iage of the primitive in-
it became altered by the
communities and niations,
original lcanguage was to-
's would still remain, as a
Pere Leveque, who paid



the strictest attention to the national peculiarities of all the
tribes of North American Indians among whom- he had a
chance to dwell during his missionary travels in North
America, has given us much useful information respecting
the early condition of the Aborigines of this country. Alt
though his researches are neither so extensive nor so valua-%
ble as those of Charlevoix his countryman, still, it would
appear that his travels were not at all confined to the
French Colony, as was generally the case with the mission-|
aries of Canada. While he describes the red man in his
original state as minutely and as correctly as any other who
had gone before him or come after him, his judgment in-
clines neither to the right, nor to the left, as he had but
one object in view, which was a fair and an honest state-
ment of facts, as may easily be seen from his candour and
impartiality without the slightest prejudice, either for or
against the race of people whose characteristic he endeav
Vours to delineate.



78



-K