NORLTH AMERICAN INDIANS.



was to be a place where they should fil
on the top of a nopal shrub, the roots of
the crevices of a rock. This nopal X



Aztecs, in



the



.3



rear 1325, 165 yea



rs



Ad an eagle sitting
which penetrated
vas seen by the
after their first



migration from Aztlan, and 109 years from their first
appearance in the vale of Mexico, on a small island,
which served for a foundation to the Teocalli, or Teopau,
or the house of God, afterwards called by the Spaniards,
the great temple of Mexitli. With thIs building of this
rude temple commenced the foundation of the city of
Mexico, signifying in the Aztec lanrruage, the habitation
of the god of war; and with it commenced the dynasty of
the Mexican kings, and with it ended the migration of the



Aztec tribe.
  Such is the
and the most a
the early histo:
to be a superic
this continent,
ans, cannot be



be a constltu4
It is the opinik
   a-    *~0



information which eminent aeographers
uthentic Spanish writers give Us, respecting
ry of the Mexicans. That they were found
r race to the various tribes which inhabited
when America was first visited by Enurope-
denied, if a partial knowledge of the arts
ent part of refinement and civilization.
un of all those who have made inquiries



atter the origin and descent of the Mexicansor about those
vestiges of civilization which are found throughout the
continent of Americalthat they are the descendants of an
Asiatic colony from Corea, which was at the time of their
migration into America, tributary to the Chinese empire.
In corroboration of this theory, we have not only the opin-
ion of learned men, the testimony of Chinese rnanu-



scripts buta also a



                .
striking similarity of external appear



ance, manners, and customs, as we
  The Mexicans are described as
good size, and well proportioned.



shall soon see.



being generally o
They have narr



if a



ow



foreheads, black eyes, and regular white teeth, their hair
is black, thick, coarse and glossy. They have little or no
beard, and no hair upon their arms, thiahs or legs. TPeir
skinls are a kind of olive, or copper colour. Few among
them are deformed, and many of the females are beautiful.



291



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I



Is