These rapid sketches and views offer a connected picture of men and soil, in this hemisphere, during the ages past. The detailed local annals of the various nations, will enlarge the subject, and present the required outlines of the ancient and modern events of both.
After these general topics on American history, I had proposed to enter upon the peculiar annals of nations, beginning by Peru and Austral America; but wishing to give in this first volume something still more novel and striking, I have concluded to begin by the original unpublished annals of the Linapis, and the neglected traditions of the Haytians; who assert to have come into America, by the north west, and the second through the Atlantic Ocean. I hear besides that a French traveller D'Orbigny, is now publishing in Paris, his travels in Austral and Peruvian America, with 60 vocabularies of languages: where I may perhaps find additioned materials for the history of those regions.
_Original Annals and Historical Traditions of the_ LINAPIS, _from the creation to the flood, passage and settlements in America, as far as the Atlantic Ocean &c., till 1820 &c._
We have but few real American Annals, given in the original peculiar style. Those of Mexico, Guatimala, Apalacha, Hayti, Peru, &c., have all been translated by abridgements or paraphrases. Those of the _Ongwi_ by Cusick come nearest to the aboriginal form, using the usual personifications and animalizations of tribes, so common all over America and Asia; but so often misunderstood: having perplexed and disgusted the commentators or translators; who did not seize this form of style. Even in China, the primitive inhabitants often bear the names of beasts, _Lung_ dragons, _Chi_ birds, _Yao_ wolf, _Miao_ tygers. In India we find snakes, monkeys, lions &c. Early in Europe are dogs _Canari and Cynetes_, satyrs, lions &c., syrens, harpies, pegasus, centaurs, faunes, cyclops &c.(17)
In the Antilles the first inhabitants were called beasts or _Caracol_, turtles _Icota_, birds, opossums, seals, trees, stones, even gourds and fruits.--(Roman's Trad.) In Peru we find tygers, lions, giants, pygmies, snakes &c. In Mexico, birds, apes, snakes, tygers, giants &c. While throughout North America we find tribes of beavers, turtles, wolves, dogs, deer, birds. We must learn to appreciate this primitive form of speech and style, as allegorical names of men &c. It is very needful in order to understand the following narratives.