manifest that the Mexicans and Egyptians had intercourse in the most remote antiquity, and that they had one and the same system of mythology. Humboldt affirms that the ape forms one of the Mexican, Mongul, Mandshnr, Tartar, and Chinese zodiacs; and this analogy is a further confirmation of the migration of the Americans from the Old World.

It is remarkable that the people have preserved, in their traditions and paintings, a record of the creation of the world, the building of Babel, and the consequent confusion of languages. The artificial mounds and apparent sites of extensive cities, the weapons of war and other implements which have been found, some bearing Roman characters indicative of their being made in the time of the Cæsars, together with utensils composed of alloyed metals denoting the past existence of an art at present unknown to the natives of the new continent, are further proofs that the last hypothesis is more than conjectural, and that there is every reason to believe the inhabitants of America had their origin from the Eastern hemisphere. Mr. Ferrell states, that at the Bull Shoals, each a branch of White River in Missouri, several feet below the surface, relics were found which indicated that the spot had formerly been the seat of metallurgical operations, where the alloy appeared to be lead united with silver. Arrow heads cut out of flint and earthenware that had undergone the action of fire, were also found in the same place. LieutenantColonel Galindo, while governor of Poten in Central America, discovered the ruins of an extensive city called Palenque, extending for more than 20 miles along the summits of the ridge which separates the country of the wild Maya Indians from the State of Chicapas, in the ancient kingdom of Gautemala. The principal buildings were erected on the most prominent heights, and in several of them there exist remains of stairs formed of stone and plaster. The stones of the edifices are about 18 inches long, 9 broad, and 2 thick, gradually inclining where they form a roof, but always placed horizontally. The eaves are supported by large stones which project about two feet. The wood-work has disappeared, and the windows are small, circular, and square perforations. Human figures in alto-relievo are frequent on small pillars, and filigree work imitating boughs and feathers, is perceptible in several places. Some of the sculptured ornaments looked like the Corinthian foliage of the ancient architects. These ruins are buried in a thick forest; and the adjacent country for leagues contains remains of the ancient labours of the people, consisting of bridges, reservoirs, monumental inscriptions, &c. Baron

Humboldt observes, that the half civilized people met with in 1537, by the conqueror Queseda, were clothed in cotton garments, and had the most intimate relation with the people of Japan. Colonel Galindo is decidedly of opinion that the Mayscas or Maya language was derived from the Japanese, and that the builders of the city of Palenque must have dated their antiquity at a period long anterior to that of Mexico, and their civilisation must have surpassed that of the Peruvians. In fact, Palenque is, in its historical importance, considered the Thebes of America.

A circus and several stone pyramids in the valley of Copon, in Honduras, are rather more celebrated than the ruins of Palenque, or those formed near Ocosingo, in the same part of this continent, and bespeak a high state of civilisation.

Other testimonials have been found, intimating that the inhabitants of the old world had early visited America. A circumstance related in the Universal Gazette of Bogota for 1832, is worthy of notice. A planter discovered a tumulary stone near the village of Dolores, about two leagues from Monte Video, covered with unknown characters. On removing this stone, he found a vault of brick-work containing antique swords, a helmet, and buckler, much worn with rust, and an earthen amphora of large dimensions. The following words in Greek characters were deciphered :-" Alexander son of Philip, was king of Macedon, about the sixty-third Olympiad-In these places Ptolemy"-On the hilt of the sword was an engraved portrait, which appeared to be that of Alexander; and on the helmet, chased work representing Achilles dragging the dead body of Hector round the walls of Troy. From this it has been inferred that Brazil

was explored by a contemporary of Aristotle, and that it is probable that Ptolemy, the celebrated commander of Alexander's fleet, driven by tempests into what the ancients called the Great Ocean, was cast on the shore of the new continent, and had marked the event by the erection of this monument.

During an expedition to the west of Montreal, undertaken by some French travellers, pillars of stone were found at a distance of 900 miles from that capital, of great magnificence, and manifestly of human structure, but of which the natives had no tradition; nor did they exhibit any marks relative to their origin or purport. One stone, however, was discovered having another set in it bearing an inscription in unknown characters, which was afterwards sent to France to be deposited in the Royal Museum. The country in which these pillars were discovered had the appearance of having been

once the seat of civilisation, still retaining the vestiges of agricultural labour.*

From the preceding facts and observations, as well as the high state of civilisation found in Mexico and Peru, when first visited by the Spaniards, it is evident that the inhabitants were descended from a superior race of people; and that the knowledge of malting, brewing, and fermenting, so well known to those two nations in particular, indicates an origin from a country in which these were perfectly familiar.

In the United States, the distillation of spirits is a manufacture of considerable importance. It was practised, though rudely, by some of the early settlers, and has continued to increase in proportion to the progress of agriculture. The resources of the country are great, and, as fuel is plentiful, there is scarcely any check to the efforts of the industrious in this branch of trade. In a table of the Addenda will be found a summary of the distilleries and breweries existing in the United States, the only collected view that could be obtained. This return was made by the marshals of the districts, and by the Secretaries of the territories; but it is thought to fall considerably short of the actual number of stills and gallons of sp rits, &c. The value of the whole distilled and fermented liquors of the States, in 1810, was said to amount to 16,528,207 dollars; and if its increase have kept pace with the population, the amount must now be prodigious. Mr. Seybert, in his Statistical Annals of the States, published in Philadelphia, in 1818, says that the number of the distilleries was about 15,000. To encourage these and the brewing establishments,→ as well as the making of wine, government has made such salutary regulations, as cannot fail to render them of great service to the agricultural interests of the country. The restriction on home-manufacture is comparatively trifling, and has been computed to amount to little more, throughout all the States, than about one cent or scarcely a penny per gallon, while on all beer, ale, and porter, imported in bottles, a duty is imposed of fifteen cents, or if imported otherwise than in bottles, of ten cents per gallon; and on spirits from grain, first proof, forty-two; second, forty-five; third, forty-eight; fourth, fifty-two; fifth, sixty; and on all above the fifth proof seventy-five cents per gallon. If the spirits should be made from any other materials than grain, the duty on the first and second proof is thirty-eight cents; on the third, forty-two; on the fourth, forty-eight; on the fifth,

* Vide Kalm and Carver's Travels through North America.

fifty-seven; and upon all above that number, seventy cents per gallon. On wines imported from Madeira, on Burgundy, Champagne, Rhenish, and Tokay, one hundred cents; and on Sherry and St. Lucar wines, sixty cents. On wines not enumerated above, when imported in bottles or cases, seventy cents. Lisbon, Oporto, and other wines of Portugal and Sicily, fifty cents. On the wines of Teneriffe, Fayal, and other western islands, forty cents; and on different kinds not imported in cases and bottles, twenty-five cents per gallon. The foreign spirits imported into America are considerable. It appears by the public returns, that in the year 1790, 3,678,199 gallons were imported; and in 1792, 4,869,992 gallons; while in the latter year, 948,115 gallons of spirits, the produce of the United States, were exported. During the years 1806 and 1807, 9,750,000 gallons a year were imported. The imports from various parts of the world were, at a medium, during the same years, for wine 3,881,000 gallons; while those of rum from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, amounted to 41,836 proof gallons in the period of five years, from 1826 to 1830, both inclusive.*

The Americans export spirits to Manilla, the Philippine islands, and other parts of the East Indies; to the Floridas, Honduras, Campeachy, and the Mosquito shore; also to the Spanish West Indies, to their colonies, and even to China. In 1812, 101,243 gallons of whiskey, besides wine and geneva, were sent to those places. Large importations of wine are made from Madeira in return for other merchandise. The wine is purchased at about 160 dollars a pipe, and what is not consumed in the States is carried to the East and West Indies.

The immense number of navigable lakes and rivers which intersect this vast continent, affords great facility for the transportation of spirits, and the interchange of commodities between the different States. In the course of eleven months, terminating on the 1st July, 1811, among other articles, 3,768 barrels of whiskey were sent down the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers; whilst the spirits made at Brownsville, near Pittsburg, are in such repute that they are frequently sent to New Orleans, a distance of nearly 2,000 miles. In the year 1822, 7,500 barrels of whiskey, value 500,000 dollars, 3,000 barrels of cider, value 9,000 dollars, and 3,000 barrels of porter, value 15,000 dollars, were sent from the Western States for consump

* Vide Parliamentary Papers.

tion; giving a tolerably correct view of the increase of agriculture and husbandry in this portion of America.*

In 1810, as appears by the report of the Secretary of the Treasury, the quantity of malt liquors made in the States was nearly equal to the consumption. The annual importation was reduced to 185,000 gallons, while the exportation of native beer, ale, and cider amounted annually to 187,000. According to Bristed, 25,000,000 gallons of spirits were yearly distilled and consumed in the United States, as calculated in 1817, which must have since considerably increased.

In the early stages of the manufacture, the distillers and brewers seemed to have no other object in view than to meet the consumption of the States, and of the Indian tribes connected with them. But they have long since turned their attention to foreign markets; and from the ease and cheapness with which they can now procure and manufacture the raw materials, they are likely to become successful rivals of all the nations of Europe. The government viewing this trade as of some consequence to the revenue of the country, in 1813, imposed a duty on all the stills, and the spirits distilled within the states. This duty stood as follows :—viz.

Stills employed in distilling from native materials, such as rye, Indian corn, apples, &c. including the content of the head :

Stills employed on foreign materials, such as molasses, &c :—

In 1814, these duties were increased; but at the close of the war in 1815, the additional duties were repealed. The internal imports remaining in 1817, were those on licenses for stills, boilers, refined sugar, &c., the collection of which depended on the oath of the manufacturer, a collector, but no other officer, being employed. To collect any description of revenue by means of oaths, is manifestly impolitic,

Vid. Excursion through the United States and Canada, in 1822 and 3, p. 118.