The times., 1901-05-05
TRACING INDIAN DIALECTS
The Bureau of Ethnology Engaged
in This Work.

Origin of the Mysterious Red Nan
stsli Lost In Observation-Disclosures
"f Conflicting Nature mt Hand.
The Lost Tribes of Israel
The Bureau of EthnoloEy is engaged in
systematizing 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 completed for
number OF years. is OF the utmost ethno-
logical Importance, and IL Is expected that
the result will furnish the key to the nys-
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-
teriOus people is stfIl lost in obscurity.
but some remarkable results have follow
ed recent Investigations. For instance.
there has been discovered in North Caro-
lima an inscription ia an ancient
Indian village, which, on account OF
it's similarity 70 the Hebrew character.
language. The resemblance Of the facial
characteristics of the Indians 10 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 such a theory
that the waste OF ocean separating what
IS now the United States from Asia would
have offered a 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-
nian 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
dians 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
aImcst meet. made his way from the in
hoSpitabie north toward the south. where
ne reached more pleasant and congenial
cline.
The other argument against the diff .
heultieS OF an ocean voyage on the part Of
the Lost tribes IS 70 be found in the ira
dit1ons OF the Aztecs. or aboriginal iuhab-
ltantS Of South America. These people
nave recorded, in paintings. Inscriptions
etc, the story of the lost Atlantis, con-
tlnent which is said to be now sunk in
the depths of the ocean. but which form
erly connected Asia with America
The geography of the world may be en-
tiTely altered from the date of the Indian
migration. What is now great expanse
of water may have been then dry land. The
hypothesis of q direct connection By land
between the southern portion Of this couu-
try and Asia at some remote period IS
further borne out by some species Of fau-
ma found 10 this day in Florida and along
the Gulf coast. The coral snake for in
stance. belongs 10 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 a striking resemblance 10
the more ancient architecture OF AssyFia
and Babylon. specimens of which are be-
ing constantly brought 10 light by present
day explorers. Moreover. the religion of
the AZtecS appears TO have been practi-
cally the fre-wOrship 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 teuable
in the light Of recent research and the
theory that the North American Indian,
who. it has been determined is not in
digenOus TO this continent is in reality.
q descendant of the Lost Tribe of Israel
becomes extremely plausible.