CHAPTER II.

Hebrew Analogies with the Tribes of the North--Contrasted with the Natives of Mexican America--Circumcision--Scalping--Its great Antiquity--THE CRUCIFIXION not known to the Natives of the North--Their Traditional Knowledge of the Deluge--Their Practice of the Laws of MOSES--The conclusive Proofs of the _two_ Races--The Formation of a new Epochian Table for the History of Ancient America--The announcement of the Historical Theory, and the First Epoch.

The Hebrew analogies now claim investigation; and as Woman is first in the affections and in memory, she claims by right upon this, as upon all occasions, the natural precedence.

The Northern mother, after childbirth, is secluded for a given number of days, _varying according to the sex of the new-born infant_. By the law of MOSES, the mother's purification was to last 40 days for a male, and 80 days for a female child. _All other seclusions_ are as strict as when the wife becomes a mother. When a wife becomes a widow, and is childless, _her husband's brother marries her_,--these were essential laws of the Hebrew, and especially the latter,--that a name should not be lost in Israel.

As a mother she considers it a religious duty, that the child should receive its nourishment from the breast that gave it life: and such is the feeling in the performance of this maternal duty, that she often nurses her offspring until it attains three or four years of age. From this fact an important problem is solved, viz., the apparent tardiness in the ratio increase of the Aborigines of the North:--for it is the rule in Nature's female code (and should there be an exception, it only proves the rule), that while that affection continues from the fond practice of the mother, no other shall arise to destroy that which already exists: but, as that ceases and the first-born is put away, Nature jealous of her supremacy, again bestows upon the mother a second joy, and so continues in her undeviating course. There is, also, a direct physical analogy between the Northern mothers and those of ancient Israel; if there were not, the negative might be brought against this theory: we therefore take advantage of the affirmative. The only cause of Pharaoh's _political_ action against the Hebrews was, that from the rapid ratio in which they multiplied, they would eventually rebel, and with, or without the assistance of any other nation entirely subdue Egypt. The ease of childbirth by the Hebrew mother is distinctly stated in Holy-Writ, in contrast to the dangerous sufferings of the Egyptian parent; from which fact may be gathered the cause of the gradual, but certain increase of the Israelites over the Egyptian population. The same peculiar facility of childbirth is one of the chief characteristics of the Northern female, for in the Rocky Mountains, while journeying in cavalcade, and being taken in travail, the mother will leave her companions alone, and within an hour, will remount her horse, and overtake her associates, with the new-born infant in her arms! The cause why the population of the Aborigines of the North is not in ratio with the ancient Hebrews, has already been alluded to, in reference to the mother's belief and practice of extended maternal duty and fondness.

If, as we believe, the great ancestresses of these Northern women were _Leah_ and _Rachel_--the "tender-eyed," the "beautiful and well-favoured,"--then have their daughters on the Western continent lost no features of the mothers of Israel;--for they might hang _their_ harps upon the willows of their fate, as emblems of Jerusalem's children in captivity, and feel no shame in comparison of sorrow, grace, or beauty!

The Northern Aborigines have a traditional knowledge of the Deluge and the Dove of peace, which to them under the name of the "medicine," or "_mystery_ bird," is sacred from the arrow of the hunter. They have their _Ark of Covenant_, in which is deposited some mystery, _seen only by the priests_ of the Tribe,--it is said to be a shell, and supposed to give out oracular sounds: this is in analogy to the Book of the Laws placed in the Ark of Covenant by MOSES, preceding his death on Mount Nebo,--the oracular wisdom of which has guided civilization to this day. The ark is _never suffered to touch the earth_, but is always raised on a stand of wood or stone; it is invariably carried by a Tribe when they march to battle,--a similitude is here to JOSHUA at the siege of Jericho. When it is in their peaceful encampment, it is surrounded by _twelve stones_, indicative of the original number of the Tribes of their ancestors;--this is strictly in analogy with the twelve statues (probably rude blocks of stone) erected by MOSES around the Altar of the Covenant to personify the twelve tribes of Israel. JOSHUA, also, after the passage of the Jordan, erected _twelve stones_ in his encampment at Gilgal, and the same number in the river at the place of the passage. They select their "medicine men" (_i. e._ priests or prophets) from among a portion of the tribe _not warriors_; here is the custom of the Levites, or descendants of AARON being in the sacred office of priesthood, for with the Israelites they were not to be taken from the ranks of the soldiery. These Aborigines "dwell in booths," as when "brought out of the land of Egypt," for they are still wanderers. [Lev. xxiii.] They offer a flesh, or burnt-offering from the chase, which is first cast into the flames, before even a starving family may eat. They have their corn and harvest feasts; also, one in observance of every new moon,--another in festivity of the first-fruits,--_and the great feast in direct analogy with the Hebrew Passover_, even to the blood being stained upon the posts and lintels, and the mingling of the most bitter herbs! Then their fastings and purifications are practised with the greatest severity. The breastplate, or ornament worn by their religious prophets, containing _twelve shells_, or stones of value, is in direct imitation of the ancient Pectoral worn by the Hebrew high-priest, and which contained _twelve precious stones_, inscribed with the names of all the twelve original tribes of Israel. They have their _cities of refuge_, or huts of safety, where the most deadly foe dare not enter for his victim. They never violate a female captive, and upon the Hebrew principle, that their blood shall not be contaminated by interunion;--this has been strictly followed in all their wars with the Europeans. They also reject the savage practice _of civilization_ upon the lofty principle of manly virtue!

The "medicine-bag" or pouch is carried by every member of the Tribe;--it is suspended to a bead-belt, which crosses the breast by passing over the left shoulder, and hangs on the right side; it contains, as they say and believe, _preservatives_ to keep them from sickness or defeat. These are essentially the _phylacteries_ referred to by THE {SAVIOUR}, and previously condemned by MOSES; for the word _phylactery_ is derived from the Greek tongue, and denotes a _preservative_; and in the time of MOSES they were worn by his people in great excess; and so by the Northern native. MOSES checked the excessive use of the "preservatives" and changed the custom; for by his command the priesthood alone wore the phylactery, which was at last a frontlet of parchment for the forehead, upon which was written an extract from the laws, that "those that run might read."

Then the absence of all idols or symbolical devices, and the worship of _the One God_ (_i. e._ Great Spirit); their never pronouncing _the name_, JEHOVAH, but in syllables, and those separated by long ceremonies, thus truly fulfilling the Hebrew law, "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD THY GOD in vain." The name with them sounds as if written, _Ye-hoh-vah_, and is only pronounced by the Aaron of the tribe. In their hymns of rejoicing, the word _Hal-le-lu-yah_ is distinctly uttered. To the foregone analogies is to be added the general and firm belief in _the Immortality of the soul!_ But beyond all this as proof of their origin, is the practice of the great covenant between the ALMIGHTY FATHER and the Patriarch Abraham--viz., _Circumcision!_ And it does not exist, as in parts of Egypt and the Asiatic nations, for the purpose of supposed health, (in which belief it was practised in ancient Egypt by _both_ sexes,) but as a _religious_ custom, handed down from time immemorial! The custom now is not general, but it does exist; and we must be understood as referring back at least two hundred years in our review, to the period of the Pilgrim Fathers, when the Northern Aborigines numbered _fifteen millions_,--now they scarcely number two and a half! All the customs, however, noticed, are practised at the present period by the uncontrolled Aboriginal. If all other evidences were not received, that of Circumcision, as a _religious_ ceremony, must be viewed by the most sceptical, as direct proof of identity between the Northern Aborigines and the ancient Hebrews. The custom we have written is not general, it is only found in the more _settled_ tribes; this even supports our belief, for in this very fact is traced again the precedent ordained by MOSES; for circumcision was _discontinued_ by the great Lawgiver for forty years, during his journeying with his followers through the wilderness; the custom was re-established by JOSHUA. May not this innovation by MOSES in the covenanted custom be imitated by these descendants? Are they not still wanderers in the wilderness in the western, as their ancestors were in the eastern hemisphere? The affirmative has existed for ages, and it even now continues. They have not yet returned to Jerusalem!

One fact is of great importance in proof of their great antiquity--viz., they have no knowledge or tradition in the North of the Life or Crucifixion of CHRIST, yet they have a knowledge of the Deluge, and actually practise the laws of Moses. Again we must repeat, that we are writing of these Aborigines as they were at the time of European colonization.

The above singular fact enables us at once to place them in a chronological position. It must be _after_ Moses but _before_ THE SAVIOR; but another fact brings their circle of time still narrower--viz., they have no tradition of the destruction of the first Temple of Jerusalem. This event occurred 588 years before CHRIST, it must, therefore, be _anterior_ to that national calamity, that they trace their origin. Of this, hereafter, when in the next volume the history of the Israelites will be given; but, even now, justice to this race compels us to offer a few words in their defence as a people, for being already sufficiently shewn that they are of the great Hebrew family, they may fall in the estimation of some readers upon religious principles. It has been shewn that they have no tradition of the Crucifixion, or of the desolation of the Temple. Is there no sentiment in the mind of the Christian reader as the first fact is unfolded, other than that of historical data? Upon a moment's thought it must be apparent that, _the blood of_ CHRIST _cannot be upon them or their children_! Their ancestors never shouted in the streets of Jerusalem, "Crucify him! crucify him!" The Aborigines of the North are _Israelites_, and of the house of Jeroboam, _not Jews_, _i. e._, of the House of Judah; a distinction of all importance, as the pages of the subsequent volume will prove.

The custom of Scalping cannot be said with truth to be original with the Northern native: it has, however, been so asserted, as proof that they are more modern as a people than this theory would establish; but the declaration "melts into air, into thin air," from the fact, that both Herodotus and Polybius mention scalping as being practised among the most ancient nations of the world. The assertion, therefore, has only brought forward its refutation. Scalping was introduced originally by the ancients for the express purpose of counting and recording the number of the foe slain in battle: and especially was this custom practised by the Scythians: this is established upon the authority of the accurate Herodotus. For the same reason is the custom followed by the Aborigines of the North--viz., to number the slain of the enemy. Again, Scythia was the ancient name of the country now known by the modern name of Tartary. This is important, as will be shewn in the next volume, in tracing the encampments of the _Israelites_ after their escape from captivity; for in the Scythian Tartary they will be found: and consequently the custom may have been derived from their own remote ancestors, who obtained it from the Scythians. The custom with both was (and in the North still _is_), only for a trophy of the _dead_, and, therefore the scalp is never taken from a _living_ enemy. Polybius, however, has a Draconian record--viz., that upon the occasion of _Gisco_ the Carthaginian being made prisoner, together with 700 of his soldiers, they were all scalped _alive_ by the rebel mercenaries under Spondius. The ancients, also, wore the long scalp-locks as the flowing hair to their rude helmets and weapons: the natives of the North do the same as records of their personal victories. This subject has been dwelt upon, in order to prove its great antiquity.

We may here remark that the mutilation of the dead for the purpose of numbering, was nearly a general practice among all the ancients. The Scythian, it has been shewn, took the scalp and the hair-lock; but the Assyrian and the Egyptian had another method--viz., by the number of _ears_ sent to the king or general. This is glanced at in Ezekiel