New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-08-25
was gem raj view Of the peculiariues and condition
of tn portion Of the inhabitants Of the new State
DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS or THE IN
OIANs OF CALIFORNIA.

MuCh aItdIy UTTU =
races Of Inians In the Western parts oil AheIl's,
and I can scarcely hope TO add anything ne" n.y.,
what has already been SAID concerning lhenl. o.
having an opportunity Of seeing macy IT, ,hi =
usually visited by travellers. have ino9sn ls - he
might be useful briefly TO give my oO.sI' Is.re
distinctive characters presenter Dy wv, -. "a
Should these observations core ' i.,c,esi,o- as
already mace by others, they VIII % M Ss.,id
having been deriyet from different sour 2 l. '.r
they not accord they may perhaps sIsc - 80 ,,,
evidence on the muca-ve1eu qHcs''o" % '''
OF the race 30. ,..r.r.~,,. f,g..ps
has I,f.dv been described 50 often thai t1efc : no
use IN repeating y mere Yen IA ~, d.ser IN any
al character from those OF tallfOcLla hh III
the sea-shore tribes tlfer rom ,.'oso " W ,,
on the valley of the COofad0. Wy h"'es are JILL
,s Ssr,ved rom the latter tribes, for the reason
natl renamed longer among taeh ana ord 49S 80.
absence of clothing IN these uiDes psfhtl'H INC -
,nake ,he requisite comparisons more edsuf.
The special difference Detween them ana i-as.-
.,n Indians consists IN the greater extent OF a.
with smaller and narrower ralum ae,ent On
l,guty ofeye agreater hatness ofnose, depehIe. Oh
create breadth of the ala, and less Inn ctfliee
greater prstruson Of lips, and more pointed chm'
The last Is deceptive character, and may De pro-
drced simnly by greater expansion Of the face De
low the eyes. The color wares, OeIng hIcn ualNJl
in some tribes than IN others, and Is usna.F mum mum
enhanced by their dirty habits, as they never WASH
any portion Of their bodies, except IN summer as
a relief from the excessive heat. -,
The other characters more clearly separating thls
from. allied races, are, the greater abundance OF
hair an the body many OF the males having quite as
much hair On Their legs as Is common IN our own
race they have likewise much more nan on theI
faces than other Indians, and always have nr IA 'ne
axillg This character IS wanting IA the ieina"s
The differences IN form between the sexes are
more apparent than IN any other race. J ne N
arc almost alwAvs slender ana wei proiofohel
VII 10 me females are short broad and entirely dcs'-
t,te of all symmetry Nor IS tins O~ing 10 Inc nara
work which they are obliged 10 perform 'gf tl.s =
moi greater Than IS usual among sayages and mofeo-
YER the same difference exists among the IeOns
of the ranches where neither sex performs any "oI"
at all a., r.. -, ,to
form Of The nose of the seres IN the hanc0pts,
does moi appear equally constant Among the J u
mae there are many females with SRA gnt noses,
while many males retain the very decioen sAuo
form which characterlzes both sexes Whcn young
Tie mamma of The young females are more
acu,ely conical than IN any other women nave
In phvsical character, these nations show sllll
stronger differences from the eastern tribes quiet
and submissive, the nations living with the whites
have assumed servlle condition which under no
circumstances could have been impressed on thc
eastern Indian impairment, COwardly ana urea
cherous Ia wild state, they seize every opportunity
to modest and impose on weak bodies OF cinigfahs,
while In the presence of those whom they lear, they
exhibt the most abcct submission Never coming
to an open attack with the whites, they rely only on
treachcTy, and Their uhsuspecng victims are Always
DESTROYED Win CLUBS.
Another fact which must be considered rather as
an indication of physical peculiarly IN the west,
eYn tribes, is the prevalence Of the sounds Fi n ana
softer forms the civilized Languages OF Mexico.
These sounds occur also IN the Oregon languages,
becoming more harsh IN the most savage tribes
among them. too, IS found SET of cultural and g.o
tai consonants OF Il e series, which are entirely
wanting IN the eastern Tribes. II Is by such analo-
ges this, rather than by any aihnlty OF "Orls,
that must be guided IN our researches among sd-
wages In languages formed like those of Indians
by isolated families. and subject, from the want OF
literature 10 continual change, but lttle reselh-
blsnce may be traced between The words OF different
tribes Where, however, the mental constitution OF
nations, when civilization has not iniereret with
the Instincts of Nature, Is similar, the manifestation
OF this similarity viii be noticed IN the recurrence OF
eharactt rstlc sounds IN their language.
Although the number OF aTticuiate sounds IS but
small, yet they admit OF considerable modaca ton'
and although IN a progress from baTbaTlSm 10 CIV
zatIon should the nation be cap ibc of At, the more
harsh sounds become eliminated being chmgcdlnto
the higher consonants of the same series ani the
language still retains certain characters of It's class,
although in modified form, rendering them more
difficult TO be discovered. Thus the harsh, spasmoi
nc sounds OF the Africans Moth gutturals OF the
American Indians, nor arc these the same a. tue I'M
couth sounds of the Australians
The Mexican language, highly cultivated though
n WAS and containing aTtlculate sound not exist
ing In our own tongue. Yet retained poNS}hlhlcc
structure ITS continental character ana an excess
OF the sound 10 AID us IN tracing The zoooglch di-
VISION IN which 1t originated ms Is ne ohV marx
that II retains to show MS origin, ana thl> Is sound
absent IN the languages of the Atlantic tribes we
are therefore led psychical grounds 10 class the
hitby cultivated Aztec with the bafOaiouS troes OF
Western America.
Asa curious analogy. illusiratn NJ the p>vchcal re
lations existing between the Mexican nations and
the Western tubos, VIII menuonihai on some hlgh
ly scuptured pipes procured at NlSquuly bN III.
Phillips, u. : n, was surprised To see hunaa hg-
ures IN very distorted positions as # crushed down
with immense weights. precisely Ike those inquired
as occurring at PalcnGue, lNmal, and other cites OF
Central America as basal ornaments OF columns
Now. although the comparison between store
pipe and these wonders OF original architecture may
be considered rs rlfng, yet view Tins similarity oil
aesthetic ideas among nations having no connection
With each other, and separated by such lapse oi
time, as of considerable interest II rightly viewed,
tins fact should teach will the relations OF language
already menlloned) that beside the spiritual Slmi-
larity which stamps itself on the highest AZ well rs
the lowest form of humanity, there are Sul more
special reScmblanctS Which are confined each To
particular race, and remain impressed on that race
in the depths OF baroarSm, as well as under The ight
of intellectual culture
II is difficult 10 understand why thus view may not
be extended To those sim more spiritual ideas, which
are embraced IN the term tradition the material
rsscm0ancesn the ornaments of distant tribes beng
founded ON accordance Of principles of harmony
and beauty. dcpcnGiug purely on similar organllt-
uon In the soul of the tribes question, why should
deny to the still higher attributes OF their nature,
apower of expressing themselves IN a similar man
ner, without any direct Transmission of ideas from
one to the other. Why should not the accordance
IN the fundamental ohseryanceS and doctrines of the
most different prlmCVa religions, he a>cghed Ia tins
spiritual resemblance rather than 10 the remnants of
aprlmeya revelation of which there is not single
witness, eather historical or traditional.
By viewing traditions IN tins manner, We are again
deeply impressed with The fundamental, lncorporeal
unity of the species, which VIC perceive still more
prominently m the difference between classes Of ira
dItions, the original organic difference of races.
My object, IN the present remarks, is 10 show that
the Stigaon oflheSe traditions must DC subjected
TO scientific anals Sis and criticism, before they can
be allowed 10 give us any certain data concerning
IN, early history Of our species.
The paper OF Prof HENRY on Points OF Electrical
Theory was recital of some interesting eXpori
ments OF his own ON the propagation of an electro
magnetic force along series Of metallic bodies, and
also upon the pIopcTuCS of a magnetic current.
Prof FElRCE gave a mathematical dlsQulSlilon on
the Doctrine ot Chances, omlitng, however all
mathcmati formula, which Will appear IN the
published Proceedings The problem gwen Was the
probability OF certain number a thousand balls,