The evening times., 1898-11-24
The AzTEgS AND ASIA.

One of flie most interesting things In
Sener ". Romero's recent book on Mexico
is a discussion of the question whether
the original Inhabitants of that country
are in any way related to the people OF
Japan. Mr.. Romero calls attention to the
fact thai there is great deal of similar
ity between the Mexican Indians and the
Malay Asiatic races. especially the Japa-
nese branch, which gives foundation to
the idea that the aborgines Of Mexico
came originally from Asia, or vice versa.
Their intensely black hair and eyes. their
brown or yellow color. their small stat
ure and the slight obliquty in their eyes
are features common 10 the Mexican In
dams and the Japanese. Mr. Romero,
who is well known as the Mexican minis
ter To this country, gives the following
impression OF the japanese on his first
arrival ati1ne National Capital:
When iirst ca:ls TO Washington. at
the end of 1883. not having been out of
Mexicp before, | retained very vivid recol-
leatlnrs of the Mex can Indians. with
whom | had been somewhat e.osely asso-
ciated and shortly afterward the first
japanese embassy came to this country.
aud was received in a very solemn man
ner ny MIR. Buchanan, then President of
the United States. The embassy Consist
ed of about forty persons altogether. COM
prls;rg ministers, secretaries, interpre
ters, servants, etc. who were dressed in
their national gala costumes. not having
Yet adopted the European one. The diplo-
matte corps having been invited to the re-
ception | attended a member of the
same, and was greatly struck by the re-
markabIe similarity which | found be-
ba Tan - h.
bassy and the Mexican Indians whom |
had just left. 1t seemed TO me that had
] collected at random forty Mexican In
dams and dressed them in the same eor-
geous costumes that the Japanese wore.
nobody could have detected the difference.
Some of the Indian languages. he
added, seem to me strongly to resemble
the Oriental ones, though of course
cannot speak with authority, as | do not
know any of those languages and have
neard only the Chinese, japanese and Ko-
rean spoken: but am sure that If any edu-
/. Gated and intelligent Chinese should go
to Mexico and spend some time among
the Indians he would find traces In the
language which would contribute greatly
to clear up this problem. Mr. Tateno, a
former .hRanese minister who visited
Mexico. found during his short stay in
| that country several words that are used
! in Japan and that have the same mean
| ing in both countries. | am aware that
Senior Pimentel, very learned philolo-
| gist, who made special study of the IAN
! guages of the Mexican Indians, finds no
| similarity at all between them and the
| Chinese or Oriental languages: and that
/ the otomi language, which is monosylla-
! bic, he finds to have no similarity 10 the
| Chinese. But Notwithstanding that great
authority, I-belieye that the aboriginess q
! both continents-that Is, Asiatic and
| American-were originally of the same
| race. and that there must be some 1ela-
| uonship between their languages
! The reports made to the Polynesian So
ciety Of Australia by F. ". Christian are
| also important. Mr. Christian returned
| to sydney last year after an extended
tour OF the islands of the South Seas, the
| Caroline group especially, where he made
| a successful search for ethnological speci-
| mems. He discovered extensive traces OF
| the Chinese and japanese in the islands
of the Pacific. together with evidence
| pointing 10 the existence of a civilization
! of 1000 years ago, linked with ancient
| civilization in Central America, and prob
ably explaining the origin of the Aztecs
| For nearly two years he looked for
| traces of the Chinese In the islands. and
was fortunate enough to find ancient rec
| ords, specimens of handiwork and weap-
| ons which prove that Asiatic races were
| extensive traders among the South Sea
! group many centuries ago. A large trade
| was carried on by way of the Caroline
group between China and Central Ameri-
ca. The evidence all goes to show that
! the Torres Straits route to the Pacific
was not taken. but that voyages were
made 10 many of the Carolines.
Another coincidence which is of special
| interest is contained in a dispatch from
| Hermosillo, Mexico, saying that a rock
has been discovered In the mountains OF
| Masdalena district, state of Sonora
| which is covered with Chinese inscrip.
tions. Sen Yup. well-educated Chinese
of Guayamas, after visiting the stone
said the writing is undoubtedly Chinese
| and that IL was inscribed at least ZOO
| years ago.