journey which we were fortunate enough to make in his company. A part of the way he travelled, as he assured us, required clearing with hatchets, although it had been cleared in a similar manner only the preceding season, by a German traveller. Not long after that time, the late Dr. Akerly received several boxes of curious objects, taken from several parts of those ruins by another investigator: a German who had resided for some years in that country. These objects and the accompanying correspondence we took much interest in. The former were sent to be forwarded to Europe, and comprehended a number of small human and other figures of baked clay, hollow and forming whistles of different notes, generally accordant, and were supposed by the dis coverer to have heen ranged on the top of a temple wall, to be sounded by the winds. He stated that he had found some of different materials and one of gold. However, we intended, in introducing this subject to our readers, in a future number, to acquaint them briefly with some of the publications and opinions of the inhabitants of the country in which those wonderful remains are found. We have before us a few numbers of the " Registro Trimestre," or Quarterly Register of Mexico, commenced in that city in 1932, by an association of gentlemen, which contains several articles on this subject. ants. Padre Torquemada (Lib. 1, ch. 14) conjectures that the country was peopled before the deluge, and that the inhabitants were gi The latter supposition was corroborated by the discovery of colossal men. genealogical charts disprove the former conjecture. In our own days mummies have been found, of wonderful size. But Torquemada adds, (without, however, quoting his authorities,) that some believe the first inhabitants of those regions to have been the Romans, who governed Spain, and that this is confirmed by the words, uli, candela and others, used by the Mexicans; and by their having statutes of the vestals, after the manner of the Latins, roads, the same mode of collecting tribute, &c. "Padre Garcia believed that the Indians were the descendants of the Greeks, from the words in their languages resembling those of the latter. Alexis Venegas maintains that they are descended from the Carthaginians. Gonzalo Fernandez de Oviedo, in his Indian History, and Padre St. Thomas Marulanda say they are derived from Spaniards, who peopled Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the other leeward islands, whence they sent out colonies to the continent. Other historians have adopted theories of the Spanish origin of the people of these countries, supposing that bodies of fugitives from the Peninsula, driven out either by the incursions of the northern barbarians or the Moors, or by their predecessors, the Phoeni cians, Greeks, Carthaginians or Romans, put to sea and landed in the tropical regions of America. The few facts ever adduced to corroborate any of these suppositions can hardly be considered as sufficient to deprive them of the character of theories of the pu rest kind. Arias Montano, in his Indian History, (book 2, chap. 3,) labors to show that the Mexicans and Peruvians are descended from Ophir, son of Joktan: while Friar Augustin Betancourt combines all other theories in one, and makes the people of those parts of America first known to the Spaniards, to be derived from Canaanites, Chinese, Jews, Romans, Tartars, &c. We hardly need to remark, that the va rious languages and dialects on which the author rested for proof of this sweeping theory, afford nothing but contradiction to such an idea: as they almost all agree in having one plan of construction, while they differ from the languages of the nations mentioned, in that fundamental and most important point, still more than in the sounds of words, which can hardly be looked upon as more than accidental. The "Registro Trimestre" remarks that history has lost the interesting and certain records of the origin of those American nations, by the burning of the libraries of the Mexican kings and emperors by Bishop Zumarraga, who condemned them to the flames, because among their hieroglyphics were fig ures which he supposed to be instruments of sorcery. The editors give us accounts of the skill of the Mexicans in arts now lost, and never known to any other people, as evidence of their high civilization; and then add long details from hieroglyphical records of that people. For the most complete and satisfactory treatise on that subject, however, and many collateral topics, we would refer our readers to the late admirable essay of the Hon. Albert Gallatin, in the first volume of Transactions of the American Ethnological Society, of which we have given notices and extracts, particularly in the 25th number of the Am. Penny Magazine, page 388. Having the pleasure of being a member of that association, and of course a witness of the interest and assiduity, the labor, penetration and perseverance of that experienced and devoted friend of this important but difficult branch of research, we feel it a duty to recommend this, his latest and one of his most valuable works, to the attention of every reader of subtantial and truly valuable books. Mr. Stephens remarks, that the chief reason advanced by Captain Dupaix, in favor of the theory of the antedcluvian origin of those cities, is the accumulation of earth above some of the buildings; but this, he adds, is proved to be without force, by the fact, that where he had cleared away the earth, Mr. Stephens found it already accumulated nearly to the same depth, although in the short space of thirty years. He pronounces that "they are not Cyclopean," and that "they do not resemble the works of Greek or Roman." He finds no resemblance to the architecture of China; and the ancient Hindu excavated rocks and mountains, to form subterranean temples, while "among all these American ruins there is not a single excavation," although the surface, abounding in. mountain sides, seems to invite it." On the contrary, "the buildings stand on lofty artificial elevations." "In sculpture, too, the Hindus differ entirely; the subjects are far more hideous, being in general representations of human beings distorted, deformed and unnatural, very often three-headed, or with three or four arms or legs thrown out from the same body." They are said to resemble the Egyptians in often constructing pyramids. But Mr. Stephens assures us, that not an entire and complete pyramid has yet been found by him, nor evidence that any such ever existed. The constructions at Copan which have been so called, were connected with walls or edifices, as foundations or parts of them, having never had four sides completed. They are also solid, while the Egyptian pyramids, (or at least some of them,) had chambers within; and they have steps on their sides, while the others were smooth. 723 The stones used in the American buildings are very small compared with the immense blocks used by the Egyptians; and columns, so important a feature in their temples, are here wholly unknown. In sculpture, too, Mr. Stephens declares there is a total want of similarity: and he presents us, in the second volume of his "Incidents of Travels in Chiapas and Yucatan, (page 441,) with specimens of Egyptian sculpture, furnished by his intelligent, experienced, and accurate companion, Mr. Catherwood, and concludes, that there is a total want of similarity be tween the American and Egyptian sculpture. "Unless I am wrong," he adds, "we have a conclusion far more interesting than that of connecting the builders of these cities with the Egyptians or any other people,”—that is an independent origin, for the civilized nation who constructed these wonderful western cities. He thinks they were built by "the races who occupied the country at the time of the invasion by the Spaniards, or of some not very distant progenitors." The effects of the annual rains, and the luxuriant vegetation would probably be the total destruction of such edifices in two thousand years: but even wooden beams exist, in exposed situations, at Uxmal. The Spanish historian Herrera speaks of "many stately stone buildings," in all the eighteen districts of Yucatan; and Bernal Diaz saw large towers, "buildings of lime and stone," &c., not in ruins, but in use. Indeed, what we know of the architecture and condition of the Mexicans, if we but reflect upon it, will incline us to adopt the theory of the modern date of those ruinous cities. We will only add here, that the subject of American antiquities, is one of great interest, which claims the attention of every person of taste and intelligence. We find numerous evidences to show that great truths may be brought from obscurity, by the discovery of a few objects, perhaps otherwise insignificant; and therefore it is desirable that every trace of antiquity may be preserved. In breaking up new grounds, in passing by the falling banks of streams, &c., an attentive eye may possibly discover some objects, whose form may show the traces of some human hand, which the learned investigator may perceive, relating to something far distant, and essential to complete an important chain of evidence. TRISTAN D' ACUNHA. It is a long time since we heard anything from this dreary and desolate spot-this island in the midst of the South Atlantic ocean, and more than a thousand miles distant from any other land. The cluster of three islands is situated in south latitude about 37 degreesand longitude about 15 degrees west, being nearly south from St. Helena, and to the westward and southward of the Cape of Good Hope. The other islands are called Inaccessible Island, and Nightingale Island, and have never been inhabited, excepting temporarily by the unfortunate survivors of the crews of vessels that have been wrecked on the rocks in the night. Tristan d'Acunha is about fifteen miles in circumference. A high mountain rises in the midst of it, which may be seen sixty miles off in clear weather. The peak is covered with eternal snow-near the sea shore there is some level land, which is susceptible of cultivation-and there bushes and trees grow in abundance. The rocks are all of volcanic character, resembling lava. There is no harbor in these islands. But vessels sometimes attempt to land at Tristan d' Acunha, to procure water, lying off and on, or anchoring within half a mile of the shore in ten or fifteen fathoms-rills being seen in the offing, rushing down from the mountains. The weather in that neighborhood is boisterousit seldom being calm, and heavy gales, espe cially in the winter season, are frequent-and there is consequently a constant dashing of the waves upon the rocks, making it difficult to land. Besides which, the shore is lined with sea-weed and kelp, which are found in such quantities as almost to prevent any boat from reaching the shore. This place, desolate as it must seem, in the midst of a tempestuous ocean, and with hardly any other native inhabitants than penguins and seals, has notwithstanding become at different times, the abode of man. Indeed du ring the present century, we believe that it has at no time been entirely uninhabited by human beings-who sought in this wild spot, a resting place and a home. Whaling ships and other vessels bound to the East Indies, have, therefore, not unfrequently attempted to land here and procure water and vegetables-especially potatoes, which are easily raised on that island. About twenty-five years ago, an old East India captain from Salem, named Lambert, who had several times seen Tristan d' Acunha on his passages to the Indies, and by some strange reasoning entertained rather exalted notions of its capabilities and its character as an asylum, and being somewhat disgusted with the civilized world-formed the strange determination to proceed to Tristan d' Acunha, and there establish his abode for life: He induced a number of restless, dissatisfied spirits to accompany him in his strange undertaking-and the colony was sately conveyed to the desired place, by a Salem ship bound to Calcutta, and landed with their ef fects, consisting of clothing, seeds, tools, agricultural implements, boats, muskets, &c. It was Lambert's intention to collect seal oil and skins, and barter them with any vessels that might touch, for what necessaries he or his party might desire. But Lambert's schemes, although apparent ly well digested, did not succeed. He had hardly got well established on his island, and provided a code of laws and regulations, when his boats were capsized, it was said, while returning to Tristan d' Acunha from one of the other islands, and this unfortunate mariner, who had struggled against misfortune for many years, was drowned with nearly all his companions. The best description of Tristan d' Acunha is found in a book published in London a number of years ago, entitled "A Narrative of a Residence of nine months in New Zea land in 1827, together with a journal of a residence at Tristan d' Acunha, by Augustus Earle." Mr. Earle had been educated for a draughtsman, but appears to have indulged a most unconquerable love of roving, a fondness for adventure, and evidently had opportunities to gratify his passion to its utmost extent.After visiting many places in Brazil, Chili and Peru, he was desirous to proceed to the East Indies, and took passage in an English sloop from Rio Janeiro to the Cape of Good Hope. On the voyage, his vessel encountered severe weather and head winds. which induced the captain to stop at Tristan d' Acunha, with the object of procuring water, &c. The captain finding that the inhabitants bad plenty of potatoes, resolved to take in a large quantity, and as the operation of transferring his purchases to his vessel would necessarily occupy a considerable time, Mr, Earle, tired of being knocked about at sea, was glad of the opportunity to go ashore. And upon this desolate spot it was his fate to pass several months! This island had hitherto been unvisited by any artist, and hoping to be able to add more novelty to his portfolio, Mr. Earle took with him his sketch book, a dog, a gun and a boat cloak, and bent his way to a small village composed of half a dozen houses, which he was equally surprised and pleased to find constructed with every attention to cleanliness and comfort. It was still more delightful for him to find that the settlers spoke his own language, being all of them British subjects, and that they were most anxious to show him every possible kindness. After spending here three days scrambling round the rocks and making sketches, he prepared to return to the vessel, and was already placed in a boat for that purpose, when he beheld the vessel standing out to sea. "I concluded," he observes, "that she was only making a long stretch, and waited on the beach some hours: but she stood quite off to sea, and I never beheld her more!" Thus the author found himself (29th of March, 1825) left on the island, with one of the men belonging to the sloop, with no other provision in the way of clothes than those they had on, and with litttle hope of a chance vessel coming in sight, as the winter season was now approaching. He resolved, however, to bear his lot patiently, and to cultivate the friendship of the settlers. Their chief, or governor was Glass, a Scotchman, a ci-devan! corporal of artillery drivers at the Cape, and a very kind-hearted man. His three compa nions or subjects had all been seamen, who chose to remain upon the island, and for the purpose of earning a subsistence by procuring sea-elephant and other oils, which they bartered with vessels that touched there. They were honest, rough, British tars, and as they had been accustomed to be either in their whale boat pulling through the most dreadful surf that can be conceived or covered with blood and grease, killing and preparing for use the marine animals which assembled round the island, it could not be expected that their manners or appearance should partake much of elegance or refinement. The scene, however, was altogether novel, and we are not surprised to learn that Earle took delight in hearing them relate their different adventures in their own phraseology. Glass was a married man, and had a numerous rising family. One of the settlers, White, had also a female partner, a half-caste Portu guese from Bombay. They were both very exemplary housewives, devoting all their care to their families. The personal history of these settlers is not without its interest. Glass was one of the garrison which the British_government had sent some years before to Tristan d' Acunha from the Cape. The idea of retaining the garrison was soon given up, when Glass and his wife requested and obtained permission to stay. When the garrison first landed, the only persons they found on the island were an old Italian named Thomas, and a wretched-looking half-caste Portuguese. These persons gave out that that they were the only survivors of a party of Americans, who had settled here under Lambert,-and they reported further, that their former companions had all perished together, as they were crossing in a boat to one of the neighboring islands. But it was believed that these two survivors had in fact despatched their com rades by some unfair means! The Portuguese made his escape in one of the ships that came with the garrison, but the Italian, who remained behind, seemed to be possessed of great deal of money, which enabled him to get drunk every day at the military canteen. In his moments of intoxication he frequently threw out dark allusions as to the fate of Lambert, which showed that he knew more upon that subject than in his sober moments he would wish to acknowledge. He told every body that he was possessed of immense treasures, which he had buried in a spot known to nobody but himself. He thus 2 secured general attention, as he flattered those who behaved kindly towards him with the hope that he would remember them in his will. One day after a course of more than ordinary intemperance, he died suddenly, without explaining to any body where his treasure lay concealed. A universal search, says Earle, was commenced after his death; but neither money nor papers have ever been discovered and even I, when not better occupied, used to examine every cranny and hole in the rocks about the houses, in hopes of finding old Thomas's treasure; for Glass said it must be near the houses, as he used to be away but a very short time when he visited his hoard for money. I once thought I had really made the discovery; for, in a cieft in the rock, in a very remote corner. I found an old kettle stuffed with rags, but, unfortunately with no other treasure. Glass well remembered the kettle belonging to Thomas by the remarkable circumstance of its kaving a wooden bottom! Glass's motives for remaining on the island, after the garrison was recalled, were marked by the usual prudence of his native land. 66 Why," he used to say, "what could I possibly do, when I reached my own country, after being disbanded? I have no trade, and am now too old to learn one!" The officers gave him every article they could spare; among the rest, two cattle and a few sheep, and with his economy and care, he promised soon to become the possessor of numerous flocks and herds. His "second in cominand" was a man of the name of Taylor, who had formerly served in a squadron stationed at the Cape which, during the time when the garrison occupied the island, paid it an occa sional visit. Taylor and a comrade of his took a fancy afterwards to join Glass, and obtained permission for that purpose from the Admiralty. The third man, White, was a cast-away from an Indiaman, which was wrecked in the neighborhood. He had for. merly an attachment to one of the servant girls on board, and it so happened that they were among the persons saved. The circumstances bound them still more closely together, and "no two people," observes the author, “could be happier." The island is filled with wild cats, and at one time abounded with poultry, of which the different species also became wild, on account of the rapid manner in which they had multiplied. But the cats have since thinned their numbers. Goats are found on the sides of the mountains, but they are so shy and swift of foot, that it is difficult to get a shot at them. The mountains, which occupy a great part of the island, are nearly perpendi cular. The only arable soil is a slip of land at their foot, which slopes towards the sea, about three quarters of a mile in width, and five or six miles in length. Wherever it has been cleared of the underwood, it is capable of producing any vegetable, and is particularly favorable to the growth of potatoes, pro ducing, Earle asserts, the finest he ever tasted. From the Peak," he adds, "in the centre of the island, to the sea-shore, the earth is cut into gullies, apparently by torrents. These in the plains are deep, and cut straight to the sea. Two of those gullies, which are near our settlement, are, I should imagine fifty feet wide, and as many deep, filled with huge masses of black lava. All the rocks of the island are of the same dismal hue, which gives a most melancholy aspect to all its scenery." The dangers of the coast are chiefly caused by the tremendous and sudden swell of the sea, which, without any apparent cause, rushes in upon the beach in immense rolling waves. These rollers as they are called, generally precede a storm. The navigator is often in peril of being caught in a squall, which sometimes hurries him off to sea, whether he be or be not prepared for such a trip. Mrs. Glass once went off to pay a visit on board a ship: but one of these squalls arising, the ship was obliged to stand off, and it was ten days before the lady could return to her disconsolate husband. A similar accident occurred to Mrs. White. The author gives the following account of his situation and proceedings towards the end of May. "Our house is (and all are built nearly after the same model) a complete proof of the nationality of an Englishman, and his partiality for a comfortable fireside. Though the latitude is temperate, each room is furnished with a noble fire-place; and in what we call The Government House,' we meet every night, and sit round a large and cheerful blaze, each telling his story, or adventures, or singing his song; and we manage to pass the time pleasantly enough. Looking out from my abode, no spot in the world can be more desolate; particularly on a blowing night. The roar of the sea is almost deafening; and the wind rushing down the perpendicular sides of the mountains, which are nearly nine hundred feet high, and are masses of craggy rocks, has the most ex. traordinary appearance. Here our food is of the coarsest description: bread we never see; milk and potatoes are our standing dishes; fish we have when we chance to catch them; and flesh when we can bring down a goat. In order to procure materials to furnish forth a dinner, I go early in the morning to the mountains; and the exertions I go through make me ready to retire to bed by eight o'clock in the evening, when I enjoy the soundest sleep; snd though certainly I have nothing here to exhilerate my spirits,-on the contrary, much to depress them, an anxiety for absent friends, who are ignorant of my fate and my irksome situation, thus shut out from the world-yet, in spite of every disagreeable, I never enjoyed so calm and even a flow of spirits, which is, doubtless, caused by my abstemious living, and the exercise I am obliged to take. These last four months' experience Las done more to convince me of the beauty of temperance' than all the books that ever were written could have done." While Mr. Earle remained on the island several vessels passed within a short distance, but the weather was so rough that no boat could leave the ships. After having been for several months on the island, he says in his journal: "I feel now the sickening sensation of the hope deferred.' From one week's end to another I station myself upon the rocks, straining my eyes with looking along the horizon in search of a sail, often fancying the form of one where nothing is, and when at length one actually presents itself, and the cheering sound of A sail! a sail is heard, it puts all hands' into commotion, as all these island settlers are anxious to communicate with every vessel that passes-we see she notices our signal fires- she lays too for ús, but an insurmountable barrier is still between us, all attempts to launch the boat are in vain,-she passes on her trackless way: again the horizon becomes vacant, and again I return to my lodging with increased melancholy and disappointment!" It was not until the 29th of November, that our adventurer was able to get away from this miserable island. On that day the "Admiral Cockburn " came in sight, and with some difficulty he succeeded in getting on board, when he found that she was bound to Van Dieman's Land, where he arrived in safety. From this island he proceeded to New South Wales, and there he became acquainted with Mr. Shand, whom he persuaded to accompany him on a tour to New Zealand. The savage character for which that region had already been notorious, and which had rendered it the terror of every mariner, would have prevented most men from voluntarily exposing their lives amongst its inhabitants. But Earle was not to be easily driven from his purpose. His curiosity for novel scenery and manners was so insatiable, that he was resolved to afford it even temporary indulgence at any price. After expending some time in New Zealand, which the author found extremely interesting, he returned to Sydney. He next proceeded to the Eastern Archipelago, the Manillas, Madras, and the Mauritius, where he executed a variety of estimable drawings. Upon his return to England, he was employ ed as a draughtsman to his Majesty's ship. Beagle," commanded by Captain Fitzoy, which proceeded on a voyage of discovery. 66 We are not aware of the fate of Governor Glass, and his companions, although we recollect of hearing, occasionally, of the old recluse, from vessels that have touched at the island or Tristan d'Acunha. If any of our readers can furnish information respecting that island, its present inhabitants and resources, it will be read with interest by many.-Leed's Journal. |