The American Nations, Vol. I. Or, Outlines of a National History of the Ancient and Modern Nations of North and South America

To you I dedicate this work, result of long and weary researches. This homage is due to the public approbation you gave to my first analogous labor, my Memoirs or Series of Researches on the Origin of Mankind: which I endeavored to trace philologically to the centre of Asia. I had announced long ago this history of the Americans, the inhabitants of a whole hemisphere. I had quoted it in my other works. I now offer the outlines of it under your auspices.

You have furnished the example of cultivating along with Geography, all the auxiliary and connected sciences, which may enlighten it: particularly the ancient and modern Ethnography, with Philology one of its bases. You will see that I have followed this practice in availing myself of all the sciences to enlighten the history of mankind, the Ethnography and annals of nations: above all Philology with Chronology and Geography.

The origins and annals of the black nations, and of the American nations, were two subjects quite obscure and neglected, or the least known, of the history of mankind. Nobody has undertaken, as yet, the history of the Negro nations: a labor so difficult and luckless as to be despised.

My memoirs on this despised race, may perhaps furnish the bases of such history. All the histories of America are mere fragments or dreams. I have perceived the possibility and necessity to write a general and faithful history of this hemisphere. I now offer the results of this weary labor.

You will perceive in it many things which have already been said; since it is impossible to write history without repetitions; but my plan, the whole point of view, and the results which I draw, are my own. You will also find many things which were never told or were very improperly presented. I shall destroy many errors, hypotheses and conjectures: since in them alone often consist our works upon America.

But I shall not say every thing; where so much is to be related, all cannot be told: and I shall be compelled to neglect several minute details. I wish to trace faithful outlines, rather than write a bulky work, like our pretending universal histories, which however, dwell only upon one-third of the globe or even less.

I dislike long quotations, and shall seldom employ them: I quote only when authorities are required to render an opinion more forcible. Every where else I merely give the abridgement of my great historical materials in manuscript, which are arranged by extracts of authorities, and where they may be sought for in case of need.

Accept, Gentlemen, the respectful homage of

The Author.

PHILADELPHIA, October 22d, 1833.

PREFACE.

In venturing to open a new path in historical researches on the earth and mankind, it is incumbent on the bold pioneer to state his views, or at least to furnish adequate reasons for deviating so far from the usual track.

While every science and branch of knowledge is improving, and has, with rapid strides, made continual advances for fifty years past or more, is the noble muse of history to be kept stationary forever, by compilers and classical plodders? and for America by the foes of the ancient and modern nations of a whole hemisphere? No ... it is time to improve history as every thing else; to seek the truth and tell it.

As the human mind is yet more swayed by authorities, than genius or wisdom; high authorities will be given instead of long explanations. Ever since the time of Juvenal, it has been an ungrateful task to write historical truth: men often prefer to be amused, deceived, or helped in strife; than to be instructed, or receive sketches of former times. Yet there is always a secret delight in viewing faithful pictures of ages past, of our ancestors on earth, and our predecessors on the soil of our homes, or where we spend the scenes of our own lives.

The worthies who have been taken for models or guides in this arduous undertaking, are Solomon, Moses, Job, St. Paul, St. Augustine, Plato, Niebuhr, Humboldt, Malcolm, Gebelin, D’Olivet, Bryant, Adelung, Drummond, Pritchard, Champollion, Klaproth, Jones, Wilford, Akbar, Price, Bailly, Russell, Beattie, Herder, Carli, Barton &c. They shall speak for themselves, in quotations of their own words, instead of elaborate reflexions.

From God comes wisdom, knowledge and understanding—SOLOMON Prov. 2. v. 6. Those who will seek early wisdom will find her—SOL. Pr. 8. v. 17. Hear instruction and be wise, and refuse it not—SOL. Pr. 8. v. 33.

ZE this is. SFR book. THU symbol. LDTH progeny. ADM mankind. BIUM in manifestation. BRA in realization. ALEIM angels. ADM mankind. BDMUTH in identic passage. ALEIM angels. OSHE worked. ATHU such symbol.—MOSES. Genesis ch, 5. v. 1. Genuine mosaic words, and genuine translation word for word.

When I laid the foundations of the earth ... the morning stars sung together, and the sons of God shouted for joy.—SPEECH OF GOD HIMSELF IN JOB ch. 38., Vulgar translation: the original is still more striking.

The Hebrew philosophy divided the world in two hemispheres, the upper was SHMIM or Shamaim, the Heavens—the lower was SHEOL; but SHEOL-TAHTITH or inferior, was the place of bad souls and Rephaim. (The true SHEOL was America, or the southern hemisphere). The Jesuit Sanetius thought that Job had spoken of America.—PETERS, Dissertation on Job.

It is very possible for modern learning to understand better the books of Moses, Orpheus, and those of all ancient nations, than the Egyptian, Greek and Roman commentators: because the intellectual knowledge of languages is improving; and those ancient writers have, by their genius, approximated to us, while removed from the blindness of their ages.—GEBELIN, Primitive World.

The letter kills, but the spirit gives life.—ST. PAUL Corinth. II. ch. 3. v. 6. We use great plainness of speech, and not as MOSES who put a veil before his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished.—_Cor. II. 3. v. 12, 13._—and even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart, nevertheless when it shall please the Lord, this veil shall be taken away.—_Cor. II. 3. v. 15, 16._

To have a right apprehension of words or names, is a good step to the knowledge of things.—PLATO in Cratylo.

The confusion of words is the cause of all disputes and sects.—D’ISRAELI.

The obscure ages demand bold hypotheses or total neglect, contradictions are inseparable from days of tradition.—There exist no instance of a people really savage having spontaneously advanced to civilization. Savage men are degenerated or imperfect creatures.... Words and even few are the rules of analogies in nations.—NIEBUHR, Roman History, Vol. I.

It is manifest that there are noble resources (for history) still remaining, if we will but apply ourselves to diligent enquiry. There are in every climate some scattered fragments of original history, some traces of a primitive and universal language. Even America would contribute to this purpose, the more rude the monuments, the more ancient they may possibly prove, and afford greater light on enquiry. BRYANT, MYTHOLOGY; conclusion of the work.

To accumulate materials without generalizing any idea is a method as sterile in history as in natural philosophy.—The geology of America does not differ essentially from that of the old world, the strata and the emersion from the waters are not newer: species long extinct have also preceded those now peopling the earth, the waters and the air.—The problem of the first population of America is no more the province of history, than the questions on the origin of plants and animals. When we shall better know the brown men of Africa, with those of the north and east of Asia, the American nations will be less insulated—They have extended from lat. 68 N. to 55 S. or 123 degrees of latitude, in plains and mountains, assuming various complexions and stature. If Africa has 140 languages, America has still more; resembling in this, the Caucasus, Italy before the Romans; but they are susceptible of classification into families. The multiplicity of languages is a very ancient phenomenon, perhaps those which we call American, belong no more to America, than the Magyar and Choud or Finn to Europe.—HUMBOLDT, American Researches, Introduction.

If we desire to be fully informed of a nation’s history, we must not reject the fables under which the few traces that remain of its origin are concealed. These, however extravagant, always merit attention they have an influence on the character of the people to whom they relate.—_First words of_ MALCOLM, History of Persia.

The Chinese often call the king, the kingdom and the nation by the same name, nay, even also the capital city.—REGIS, History of Corea, in Duhalde China.

The cradle or first seat of mankind was in Asia, between lat. 30 and 50; which is also the native place of all the domestic animals, fruits and grains.—_Adelung, Bailly, Higgins, &c._

The Genesis was a compilation of Moses from older annals, some perhaps by Noah himself.—_Revd. Mr. Davies, Herder._

The patriarchs of Moses and Pitris of Hindus were nations, personifications of early tribes.—_Drummond, D’Olivet, Wilford._

The early gods and kings of Greece and Italy, were probably tribes, the chiefs and followers being called by the same name. This is true also of the various Hercules or wandering Heroes.—_Dodwell, Jamieson._

Trying them by the languages, the Americans will appear to be children of the earliest human families.—BARTON, Physical Journal.

A flood of historical light has lately flown from India and Asia; but we lack still the real annals of Thibet: Polynesia and America may yet supply many facts and fill some blanks.—The original seat of civilization was between the Ganges and the Nile, the Caspian and the ocean.—The first tribes after the flood were fishermen and Frugivores, next hunters who did spread north east as far as America, and shepherds south west, as far as Cape of Good hope.—PRITCHARD, Physical History of Man.

The genealogy of the kings of England is derived direct from Noah in 25 generations only, to Cerdic first king of Wessex in 495; and through SCEAF born in the ark! giving more than 125 years for each generation, which is impossible, and proves these names, successive tribes or dynasties till Woden.—INGRAM, Saxon Chronicle.

The Ethiopians, Nubians and Egyptians are a peculiar race, perhaps in Africa before the flood.—CHAMPOLLION, Systeme Hieroglyphique.

The languages are better guides than physical characters for researches on mankind, and roots more important than grammars.—KLAPROTH.

Language belongs to man from origin, he never was a dumb animal, else he would always have remained so. All languages have something in common, and something peculiar.—BEATTIE, Theory of Language.

A thousand nations with a thousand idioms, are spread over a thousand places on earth. Thrown against each other like the waves of the sea, they blend and tend to unity. Several rival languages are formed, polished by contract, which overspread the earth; and break to pieces as well as nations and empires. Others arise from their ruins, and strive again for ascendency, until at last a people and language, son and daughter of all the previous nations and idioms, heirs of their dominion and wealth; shall perhaps invade the whole earth, and produce again the unity of speech and rule.—D’OLIVET, End of Hebrew Grammar.