New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-05

Lindsay Brine Member of Council of the Royal
Geographical and Hakiuyt Societies. Pp XVI,
4o9. Imported b. Charles Scribners sons
vice-Admrel Brine made one discovery in Cen
trail America which has an important bearing on
various theories respecting the origin Of the
American race In the course of his travels he
reached the coast town of Sisal in Yucatan,
whence he sail for Cuba. lie found his
vessel manned with crew Of Basque sailors
Great was his astonishmert to observe that these
sailors talking in their own language could make
themselves understood by the Indians who gath
cred about in their canoes. He asked the cap
tain of the brig for explanation OF the mys-
terry. The captains reply was that he could not
explain the fact, but fact 1t was that Basques
and the Indians Of almost the whole coast Of tho
region especially around Tabasco, Carmen and
the Bay Of Terminus, had no difficulty In con-
versng with each other even IL they had never
met before. To comprehend the meaning OF this
incident IT should be remembered that the
Basques are perhaps the sole remnant Of the pre-
historic population Of Europe. They preserve In
their language and institutions reminders Of the
times when the stone monuments of Europe w-e
raised and when the Egyptians were con-
structing the pyraml1s. Indeed. some eth
no,ogists think that the Basques and the Egyp
tlans were of the race The preservation Of
a language in America so nearly like that Of the
Basque that 1t can be understood by individuals
OF these ancient and exclusive people cannot be
a matter Of accident The author associates the
incident with legend which in one form
familiar to the medieval people Of the Old World
and in another 10 the natives Of America To the
civilized invaders of the New World this legend
was known as the Tale Of the Seven Cities. 1t
said that certain bishop of Spain or Por-
tugal. with number of priestly companions.
nod
found a refuge in a mysterious island far
away in the western ocean The tale was so
metbodical that it even located approximately
this island, which it called Anta. There were
anecdotes of travellers who claimed TO have
found their way this distant country. 1t was
said that the people still retained their mother
tongue and that their home was a sort of
earthly paradise. This romance has been tracked
IN so many different directions through so many
different ages that all reference 10 1t has been
discredited. Vice-Admiral Brine lays stress
on the details OF the story. The only feature
which he considers of any value is the point
that these supposed exies from the Iberian Pen
Ursula were white men; for certain native tribes
OF Mexico and Central America preserved ira
dition that their ancestors in the remote past
had been visited by venerable white man who
had taught them the arts with which they were
acquainted
To the minds of the Spanish conquerors this
vague tradition appealed with remarkable force.
In the first place. they were thoroughly con-
WINGED Of the truth of the legend of the Seven
Cities For years and years after the landing Of
Cortez in Mexico the Spaniards continued the
search southwark and northward for the cities
Of which they had heard. and they even sup
posed themselves TO have discovered the towers
and palaces of which they were in search when
Fray Marcos looked from a neighbor.ng height
upon the pueblos Of the Zunis. There were other
particulars that seemed 10 be even more con-
vincing. II astonished them beyond measure to
find that the priests in Mexico were called Papas.
the very word which they themselves used as
the designation Of the head Of the Catholic
Church Wherever they went they found the
cross the sacred symbol OF their religion.
This fact is not convincing to modern investi-
gators because the widespread Of this SYM
Dol is now well understood but Admiral Brine
calls attention to the fact that 1t almost un-
known to the native races Of America outside OF
the Central American region. He supposes that
there communication between Europe and
the Western World at intervals long before the
voyage Of Columbus. Much Of his argument in
various chapters of his interesting book is de-
voted to showing that the natives must have had
the aid Of civilized leaders 10 construct some or
their architectural marvels He had. at the out
set as he says. no theories TO establish, but ne
expected to find that the tribes in the West and
the Northwest resembled the Manchu Tartars Of
Northern China and that the natives OF Cen
trail America would be similar to the Malays.
He also imagined that the ruined temples OF
which ne had heard so much would show resem-
blances 10 the Buddhist monasteres of upper
Burmah and Cambodia 1t does not appear from
his narrative that these presuppostions were
confirmed. He found in the kitchen mddens Of
Massachusetts, and Maine indications Of consid
cradle antiquity. In the Lake Superior region he
examined the ancient copper mines. and in Ohio
he observed the Of copper In ornaments. He
praises Indian netallurgy more than 1t deserves.
Apparently he did not observe that all the
metallic objects Of native manufacture found in
prehistoric mounds were hammered cold from the
ore and that the art OF smelling was unknown.
II he had noticed this fact 1t might have affected
some Of his conclusions.
After examining the earthworks In the Ohio
valley he expressed the opinion that they were
TO be divided into two general classes-those Of
which the native origin was absolutely certain
and those in which there might be indications OF
foreign interference Curiousy enough one Of the
most important Of the Ohio relics belonged as
he thought TO the former class. lie described
Fort Ancient as one Of the most extraordinary
works OF It's kind in any age. Its situation proved
that its builders possessed not merely industry
but military skill. and yet he considered 1t the
product exclusively OF native genius. Not so with
what may be called the geometrical structures
of Newark Circleve and Marietta. II puzzled
him beyond measure TO divine how savages with
out surveying instruments could lay out square.
a circle. and above ali a poygon. For that
reason he puts the date Of these works as late
as possible. There are reasons for thinking that
he may be wrong in this. Some Of the toys
made by the most degraded Indians Of the pres
emit day, people who have conception OF
geometry and never saw white man who could