The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1873-11-20
America Previous to It's Discovery by
CHRISTOPHER, Columbus.


Christopher, Columbus.
Hon. George S. Boutwell,, of Mass,
in a lecture, began by stating that
America must have been known to the
ancients, but that, on account of the
difficulties which then existed of inter-
changing ideas AMI preserving them, a
link had evidently been dropped in the
great chain of evidence which has been
since taken up, without, however, eff
fecting satisfactory connection. From
evidences which have been collated and
examined by scientific men, we can
safely affirm that all parts of the world
were populated as soon as they became
inhabitable.
After giving some theories about the
divisions of the human family based on
the color of the complexion, the forma-
ton of the body and the growth of the
hair, the speaker proceeded to prove
that from the specimens of architecture
and mining which have been discovered
on this continent we can naturally infer
that the civilization of the old countries
was transplanted here at an early date.
In the vicinity of Vera Cruz, in Mexico,
there are to be found the ruins of cities
and towns buried beneath the earth
which give evidences of an enlightened
civilization and which silently wait for
an interpreter to chronicle their history.
In California there are extensive mines,
at the bottom of which have been found
specimens of human bones and altars
for worship, whose formation plainly
indicate that they were erected by
Tn, +,o IL
gions, too, mines have been discovered
which show Enthusiastically signs of
European skill, equal if not superior to
that which now exists.
Mr.. Boutwell, gave three reasons for
the belief that the population of
America was not indigenous, and that
this continent was visited by Eastern
mariners at an carly age of the world S
history. The sphericity of the earth
was known in the time of Herodotus,
and was taught by his disciples it was
handed down from generation to genera
ton, so that Columbus made it the
basis of his theory The mariner S
compass is not a new invention, but
belongs also to the ancients. Herodo-
tus, in his history, alludes to an instru-
ment in the possession of the Indians,
which always pointed due north. and it
is q matter of history that in the fourth
century of our era the Chinese mariners
used the magnetic needle. Then, again,
the enterprise of sle ancient mariners
was equal to passage over the Atlantic
or Pacific Ocean. In the sixth century,
the Phnnicians had so far progressed
in the knowledge of navigation that
they occupied the Black Sea, the Medi-
terranean, and even as lar as the Baltic
Sea they had become familiar with the
passages into the Indian Ocean, had OBJ
tanned possession Of ports along the
coast, and were familiar with the tides
and changes Of the sea. Their ships
were known to be away for three years
at time, and rs they had so far per-
fected navigation as to be able to sail
$50 miles per dG, the distance which
they could trawl in three-years'
cruise must hav, been considerable.
Their great success was in voyages after
silver and gold, and as the mines of
Spain and Englanl could not possibly
yield the large supply which they con-
stantly exhibited We can easily infer
that another and amore prolific land
had been discovered, whose existence
they were unwilling 10 disclose, lest its
( treasures should beutilized by their
neighbors. 1t is vel known that they
made their ordinary drinking-vessels,
and even the anchors d their ships from
silver, and this furthe proves that they
had more extensive lines than those
which existed in Spair and Africa.
He further proved he possibility OF
these hardy mariners having reached
the American coast, ftm the fact that
various instances Of sea- -faring mer
having been carried by the currents
and deposited on ishnds in the Pacific
Ocean existed. Weare also led to be-
lieve that the Old World contributed
the inhabitants of he western hemi
sphere, from the fat that there is c
striking similarity btween the Asiatic
and the American aborigines. The
southern portion o Asia is thickly
populated by an Industrious people
while the north is pverrun by savage
hordes, who live il a nomadic life
which would indicat that emigration
prevailed in that section and, as the
distance to the northern shores of the
American continent s but short, it il
clear that the exoduswas in that direc
tion. The inhabitants of the same de
grees of latitude in both continents
have the same customs and manners
and are consequently of the same ex
traction.