The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-16
WAS AMERICA FOUND
FIRST BY THE CHINESE?
Old twui Shan, Centuries Ago, Visited the Land
Of the Mulberry Tree.
Explorer From the Orient Called the Country Fusang Many
Traces OF Buddhist influence Are to Be Found
in the Natives of Mexico.

they got this civilization has often been
asked
The Toltecs appear to be the first of the
aboriginal races who had attained any de-
gree of civilization. They inhabited the
valley of Anahuac fthe valley of Mex
ico). built cities and temples and did not
indulge any fiendish desire for human sac
rifices. The Aztees, a fierce. warlike tribe.
came down from the north. desolated
their cities. drove the Toitecs south into
Central America and Yucatan. and took
to themselves some of their arts and in
dustries. SO that we see the civilization
Of the Aztecs was that of the Toltecs.
Now we have the remains OF the Mayas
In Yucatan, who were evidently Toltec,
and what do We find?
Epfderces Of Chinese Influence.
In the National museum at Madrid there
Is preserved one of the books of the
Mayas. which escaped the general auto
da fe of the Bishop Landa who burned
these books whenever found. The paper
resembles very much +Ae-paper manufac-
tured by the Chinese, and 1t consists of
long strip doubled In folds between two
boards, like their EARL books The text
consists of hefoglyphics and picture writ
ing which is the only thing about 1t not
resembling the Chinese. II is, indeed. a
x 49, piece q aboriginal book max
In Mexico there existed traditions of
the visit of strange people TO the coun-
try who taught many things, and Alex
ander Won Humboldt. In his Views of
the Cordlleras," mentions q number of
surprising condolences between the Mex-
lean and Asiatic civilizations.
OF course, IL old Hwui Shans account
of Fusang Is correct, and that country
is really Mexico. his five Buddhist mis-
sionaries left there could not be expected
to change the physiological characteristics
Of the people. though the effect of reli-
sion, education and training is evident In
single generation of our own people
Nevertheless, the Mayas of Yucatan
closely resemble the Chinese. Some years
ago an English company, endeavorng TO
start sugar plantation in the colony OF
British Honduras, imported several hum
dred Cinnamon. fndentured for number
Of years, to work their plantation. II was
not long before these Cinnamon disap-
peared They had seen some of the MAYA
Indians. and discovering some similarity
between them and themselves, had taken
to the bush with them. Among the peo-
pie inhahiting the lake city of Peten, ON
the southern borders of Yucatan, the
writer of this article discovered a China
man whom he did not distinguish from
any OF the natives. although he was gen
orally called the ''Chnaman." He was
oHt VI TUG SdisiNoiS VI the cOOIe tfafnF
to British Honduras and when questioned
talked freely of the little he could remem
Der OF his past. He did not seem speeua-
tive enough to discuss any affinity be-
tween his own race and the Mayas,
though he spoke their language, probably,
better than he did Spanish. He showed
me the wooden outside door OF house
which one OF his countrymen had artis-
ticaliy painted with pigments and brushes
OF his own discovery and invention
Asfafic Origin Of The Toitecs.
When We come to search the remains OF
the Toltecs, or whoever the builders of
those cities were. now scattered I'm ruins
throughout lower Mexico and Yucatan, we
find In many places the counterpart OF
such Buddhist temples as are found in
Java and many other Asiatic countries to
which the Buddhist religion was carried
nj. Desire Charnay. In his Ancient Cities
of the New World gives drawing from
photograph Of the Temple Of the SUM-