*

"descendant of Judah, the son of Jacob; and, according to others, of Benjamin, the brother "of Joseph. In a war, which raged between "the

21. "The surviving brother, by the Mosaic law, was to "raise seed to a deceased brother, who left a widow child"less. The Indian custom looks the very same way: yet it " is in this, as in their law of blood, the eldest brother can "redeem.

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23. "

Although other resemblances of the Indian rites and customs to those of the Hebrews might be pointed out, not "to seem tedious, I proceed to the last argument of the "origin of the Indian Americans; which shall be from their

own traditions, from the accounts of our English writers, "and from the testimonies which the Spanish writers have "given concerning the primitive inhabitants of Peru and "Mexico.

"The Indian tradition says, that their forefathers in very "remote ages came from a far distant country, where all the "people were of one colour; and that, in process of time, "they moved eastward to their present settlements. So that "what some of our writers have asserted is not just, who say "the Indians affirm, that there were originally three different "tribes in those countries." Here Mr. Adair gives a fabulous story. "This story sprung from the innovating "superstitious ignorance of the popish priests to the south"west of us. Our own Indian tradition is literal and not "allegorical; and ought to be received, because persons who "have been long separated from the rest of mankind must "know their own traditions the best, and could not be de"ceived in so material and frequently repeated an event. "Though they have been disjoined through different interests "time immemorial, yet (the rambling tribes of northern "Indians excepted they aver that they came over the

"the children of Israel and the Amalekites, the "latter, being victorious, plundered the Jews, " and obtained possession of the ark of the cove"nant.

"Missisippi from the westward, before they arrived at their "présent settlements. This we see verified by the western "old towns they have left behind them, and by the situation "of their old beloved towns or places of refuge lying about a west course from each different nation. Such places in “Judea were chiefly built in the most remote parts of the

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country; and the Indians deem those only as beloved "towns where they first settled. This tradition is corrobo"rated by a current report of the old Chikkasah Indians to

our traders, that about 40 years since" (this was written in the year 1775) "there came from Mexico some of the old "Chikkasah nation in quest of their brethren as far north as "the Aquakpah nation about 130 miles above the Nachee "old towns on the south side of the Missisippi; but, through "French policy, they were either killed or sent back, so as "to prevent their opening a brotherly intercourse as they had "proposed. And it is worthy of notice, that the Muskohgeh "cave, out of which one of their politicians persuaded them "their ancestors formerly ascended to their present terres"trial abode, lies in the Nanne Hamgeh old town, inhabited

by the Missisippi Nachee Indians, which is one of the most "western parts of their old inhabited country-The old "waste towns of the Chikkasah lie to the west and south"west, from whence they have lived since the time we "first opened a trade with them; on which course they "formerly went to war over the Missisippi, because they

knew it best, and had disputes with the natives of those "parts, when they first came from thence. Wisdom directed "them to connive at some injuries on account of their iti"nérant camp of women and children: for their tradition says

"nant. Considering this the god of the Jews, they threw it into the fire, which did not affect "it. They afterwards attempted to cleave it with 66 axes;

46

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says it consisted of 10,000 men besides women and chil"dren, when they came from the west and passed over the Missisippi. The fine breed of running wood horses, "which they brought with them, were the present Mexican or Spanish barbs. They also aver, that their ancestors cut "off and despoiled the greatest part of a caravan loaded with "gold and silver: but the carriage of it proved so trouble. some to them, that they threw it into a river, where it "could not benefit the enemy

"Ancient history is quite silent concerning America, which "indicates, that it has been time immemorial rent asunder "from the African continent, according to Plato's Timèus. "The north-east parts of Asia were also undiscovered till of "late. Many geographers have stretched Asia and America

so far as to join them together, and others have divided "those two quarters of the globe at a great distance from "each other. But the Russians, after several dangerous

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attempts, have clearly convinced the world that they are now "divided, and yet have a near communication together by a

narrow straight, in which several islands are situated, "through which there is an easy passage from the north-east "of Asia to the north-west of America by the way of "Kamschatka, which probably joined to the north-west point "of America, By this passage, supposing the main continents were separated, it was very practicable for the inha"bitants to go to this extensive new world, and afterwards to "have proceeded in quest of suitable climates, according to "the law of nature that directs every creature to such climes as are most convenient and agreeable. Such readers, as may dissent from my opinion of the Indian American ori

axes; but without success.

Every individual,

"who treated it with indignity, was punished for

“gin and descent, ought to inform us how the natives came "here, and by what means they formed the long chain of "rites, customs, &c. so similar to the usage of the Hebrew "nation, and in general dissimilar to the modes of the pagan world

"I presume, enough hath been said to point out the simi "larity between the rites and customs of the native American "Indians, and those of the Israelites; and that the Indian "system is derived from the moral, ceremonial, and judicial, "laws of the Hebrews, though now but a faint copy of the "divine original. Their religious rites, martial customs, "dress, music, dances, and domestic forms of life, seem "clearly to evince also, that they came to America in early "times before sects had sprung up among the Jews; which 66 was soon after their prophets ceased, and before arts and "sciences had arrived at any perfection: otherwise it is "likely they would have retained some knowledge of them, "at least where they first settled, it being a favourite climate; "and consequently they were in a more compact body, than 66 on this northern part of the American continent."

The recent discoveries of Captain Cook respecting the streight which separates Asia and America are now laid down in every modern map. Dr. Robertson is decidedly of opinion, that all the Americans are of Asiatic extraction with the sole exception of the Esquimaux. He further observes, that, according to the traditions of the Mexicans, "their ancestors came from a remote country, situated to the north-west of "Mexico. The Mexicans point out their various stations as แ they advanced from this into the interior provinces; and it "is precisely the same route which they must have held, if

"they

temple; but all their idols bowed to it. At length they fastened it upon a cow, which they "turned lose in the wilderness.

"When the prophet Samuel arose, the children "of Israel said to him, We have been totally sub"dued by the Amalekites, and have no king. "Raise to us a king, that we may be enabled to " contend for the glory of God. Samuel said, "In case you are led out to battle, are you deter"mined to fight? They answered, What has be- · fallen us that we should not fight against Infidels? That nation has banished us from our country and children. At this time the angel "Gabriel descended, and, delivering a wand, "said, It is the command of God, that the person, "whose stature shall correspond with this wand, "shall be king of Israel.

"Melic Talut was at that time a man of infe"rior condition, and performed the humble em"ployment of feeding the goats and cows of "others. One day a cow under his charge was accidentally lost. Being disappointed in his "searches, he was greatly distressed, and applied

"they had been emigrants from Asia." Hist, of America, B. IV. Sect. 8. p. 41, 42, 43.

With regard to the curious work of Mr. Adair, as I have no means of ascertaining its authenticity, I wish to be understood as giving no opinion whatsoever upon it. "Neque con"firmare argumentis, neque refellere, in animo est: ex " ingenio suo quisque demat, vel addat, fidem.”