Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-20
DID OUR INDIANS COME FROM CHINA?
Further Light on Question of Great Interest
to EthnolOgists.

to Ethnologists.
From the Tacoma Daily News
II there is one man who knows more about
the coast and Puget Sound Indians than another
it is Judge James Wickersham of this city,
His study in his home on street looks like an
Indian curio store. while his books touching
upon Indian history invaluable. When
asked for his opinion as to the relationship of
the Chinese and the coast Indians. the Judge
said that there was no question that careful
comparison of the Indian and Chinese Ian
guages would reveal the affinity of the races
As to the Indians of the sound, known as
SIwashes. Mr. Wickershap stated that investi-
cations of government ethno!ogists for years
back show the MOng olian cast of features in
the Indians from Alaska as far south as Oregon,
and that the similarity il SO great as 10 be
commonly referred 20 as the Mongolian east.
There is one thing certain said Mr. Wich-
ersham. the first people TO come 70 this coun-
Try came in from Asia. because the language of
the Maya Indians OF lucatah and Mexico is SO
similar TO that OF the Chinese There appears
to be no doubt that the aboriginal people of
America and the people of Asia nearly re-
lated. There has not yet been made sufficient
comparison to determine accurately that there
is decided relationship but the government
is investigating. To arrive at a correct solution
some one must study the Monaghan language
and compare 1t with the Indian languages.
AS TO the Siwashes the mistake is made Of
comparing them with the cultiyate ted Chinese
With the latter the Aztec Indians the cultivated
Indians. as it were. compare, while the Siwashes
must be likened to the low class Mongol.aus
The Siwash bears the same relation to the Aztec
that the Mongoian savage does to the cultivated
Chinese"
MIR. Wickersham displayed books that went to
show that there was communication between
Alaska and kamchatka even in ancient times.
One OF his books was printed in 1851. In it
were claims that the communication was fire.
ouent and that i. took bnt day to make the
trip across Boring strait in their primitive
boats. The Monaghan tribes are shown TO have
come clear up to the East cape, within forty
miles OF America across the strait.
In referring to japanese wrecks on the Pacific
coast, particularly on the Washington coast, in
early days which would indicate what might
have happened, George Davidson, head of the
United States geodetic survey, stationed at San
Francisco, stated il letter to Judge Wicker
sham over year ago that lin the chronological
aspect of the question that arises concerning
these wrecks can say that have photograph
OF Indians OF Fraser river in which it is difficult
to figure which may be pure indians and which
may be Japanese"
1.-The mistake is made by most people" said
Mr.. Wickersham, ''of not giving the Siwashes
credit for the amount of intelligence they have.
1t is true that they have written language,
out IL Is also true thal many Monaghan tribes do
not have written languages"
Remarkably fine work in the carving line was
exhibited by the judge. In relation to the SINH
iarity of the Monaghan and Siwash, the Judge
stated further that he could show Indians on
the reservation with the bias-cut eyes, He said
that there was one Indian there who was so like
Chinese in looks as to be called China"
at NAV be" concluded the judge THAT the
people whence came these Indians are an Off
shoot OF the nation when the japanese and
Chinese were one people. That there is great
| similarity is very true. 1t can be seen in their
Characters. their language ard their wavs. In
China you can find sights that may be found
among Indians in this country. In the Missis-
sippi valley. for instance, the Indian mounds
are identical with the mounds found in China. "
! In book entitled America Discovered by
the Welsh" by Bowen, appears the following:
I'm I16l Degngnes, a French soldier. made
known to the world that the Chinese discov-
cred America in the fifth century. He derived
! the knowledge from Chinese official annals.
He affirmed that in the year 499 A. d. Hoei
Shin Universal compassion), Chinese Buddhist
priest. returned to Singan. capital of China. and
| declared that he had been to Tahan (Kam.
chatka), and from thence on to \ country about
10000 Ii (short Chinese mies) or about ,00(
English miles. The measurements are taken "a
be about the distance between China and Cali
fornia or Mexico. He called the country
Fusang, from the name Of an abundant plant
| Mexican maguey or American aloe. He de-
scribed gold, silver, copper and other 6ndi
made.