The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-05-05
TRACING INDIAN DIALECTS
The Bureau of Ethnology Engaged
in This Work.
Origin of the Mysterious Red Man
st;u Lost In Observation-Disclosures
of Conflicting Nature mt Hand.
The Lost Tribes of IsrseI.


The Bureau of Ethnology Is engaged I'm
systematizug and comparing all the
known dialects of this country with a
view to determining to what branch In
the family of languages. the Indian may
be ascribed. This unique task. which is
now engaging the Iabors of most of the
leading Indian scholars of the country,
and which will not be cor-,Dleted for
number of years. Is of the utmost ethno-
logical Importance, and II is expected that
the rs.iult will furnish the key to the niys-
terry at present enyeloping the origin of
the Red Man.
An extraordinary amount OF attention
has been given lately by the Bureau OF
Ethnology to the genesis of the North
American Indian. The origin of this mys-
FERROUS people is still lost in obscurity.
but some remarkable results have follow
ed recent Investigations. For instance,
there has been discovered in North Caro-
lima an inscription in an ancient
Indian village, which. on account OF
its similarity to the Hebrew character.
has beei: interpreted by the aid OF that
language. The resemblance of the facial
characteristics of the Indians to those OF
the Hebrews-the high cheek bones. prom
inent nose and general contour of visage
long ago gave rise to the speculation that
the former are the descendants of one of
the Lost Tribes of Israel.
1t has been urged against sIlch a theory
that the waste of ocean separating what
is now the United States from Asia would
have offered complete barrier to a mi
grafton of any of the Lost Tribes to this
country. But either of two facts may be
adduced against such a contention
Prof. Thomas Wilson. of the Smithso-
MAN Institution, who is, perhaps, the best
Informed scientist living concerning the
early history of the Indians as gathered
from the ancient remains throughout the
country, is under the belief that the In
dams migrated from the extreme northern
part of this continent southwark This
would imply that the Red Man upon land
ing on this continent from Asia,
whence he crossed by way of Behring
Strait. at which the two great continents
almost meet. made his way from the in
hosptable north toward the south where
ne reached a more pleasant and congenial
cline
The other argument against the DIFF
heulttes OF an ocean voyage on the part of
the Lost Tribes is to De found in the ira
ditions of the Aztecs. or aboriginal inhab-
1tants of South America. These people
have recorded, in paintings. Inscriptions.
etc. the story of the lost Atlantis, a con-
Liile!ll winch IS SAID 10 De now sunk In
the depths of the ocean. but which form
erly connected Asia with America
The geography of the world may be en-
tirely altered from the date of the Indian
migration. What is now a great expanse
of water may have been then dry land. The
hypothesis of a direct connection by land
between the southern portion of this coun-
try and Asia at some remote period Is
further borne out by some species of fau-
ma found to this day in Florida and along
the Gulf coast The coral SNAKE for in
stance. belongs 70 the Asiatic variety of
serpents. and a peculiar species of lizard
found in the lower Gulf States has its
counterpart in Asia and nowhere else.
The ruins found in Central and South
America bear striking resemblance to
the more ancient architecture of Assyria
and Babylon. specimens of which are be-
ing constantly brought to light by present.
day explorers. Moreover. the religion of
the Aztecs appears to have been practi-
cally the fire-worsfip of the East.
Thus it is that the argument against
the migration of the Indians OF this coun-
try from Asia. based upon the difficulties
of an ocean voyage. is scarcely tenable
in the light of recent research. and the
theory that the North American Indian,
who. il has been determined. is not in
digenous TO this continent. is in reality.
a descendant of the Lost Tribe of Israel
becomes extremely plausible