Conservative.
PltK-COLUMIIIAN DISCOVERY OF
AMERICA.
The "Two Republics , " of October 25 ,
1000 , an English newspaper printed in
the City of Mexico , contains an an
nouncement of recent import archaeo
logical discoveries. The extracts here
given , relate to certain objects found ,
which furnish the text for the observa
tions that follow :
"The discovery of a part of the old
Aztec teocalli in the drainage excava
tions in Escalerillas street is the most
important archaeological discovery , per
haps that has ever been made in Mexico.
Its importance has been recognized by
the government , and $200,000 will be
spent in excavating in and around the
plaza and more if necessary.
'President Diaz is intensely interested
in the find. He has a number of the
objects at his home and has directed
that no money nor effort shall be spared
to find every remaining trace of the old
Aztec temple.
"Possibly the most important find thus
far made was about a thousand jade
beads. The quantity of these beads is
about a half bushel , or more than twice
as many genuine jade beads heretofore
known to bo in existence in Mexico.
These beads were found in different
places and at different times. Their
importance from an archaeological point
of view is that they tend to establish
the theory of Chinese origin of the origi
nal inhabitants of Mexico. Jade has
never been found in its natural state in
Mexico and the only place where it is
found , or ever has been found , so far as
is known , is in China.
"The beads just found range in color
from pale to dark green. They are all
highly polished and of various sizes and
shapes. The most common are about
two centimetres in diameter shaped like
ordinary beads. There are smaller and
larger ones of the same shape. There
are also cylindrical beads about one cen
timetre in diameter and five centimetres
in length and others in irregular shapes.
Some have carvings on them. These
beads were evidently worn in strings
around the necks as ornaments. Jade
beads were the diamonds of the Aztecs ,
their most valued personal adornments. "
The newspaper reporter is in error
in stating that jade is found only in
China , yet it is true that the stone is not
found in America , in sit a , and is found
only in Siberia , India , China and New
Zealand. If the stone found then in
other localities than in those where it
abounds in its natural state , that is evi
dence of communication , or that human
beings have transported such articles
from the place where such natural objects -
jects exist , to a place where they did not
exist in a state of nature. In plain
. words , men of different or widely separated -
rated regions have been brought together.
Proof of Communication With China.
* . " :
The discovery of jade ornaments in
Mexico , in a locality and under such
circumstances that we may be certain
they could not have been deposited there
by the Spaniards , is good evidence that
the ancient occupants of Mexican soil
had communication with China , or other
localities where jade is found in its
natural state.
Jade is a peculiar stone ; is not prec
ious , but it is rare and possesses some
qualities that are not to be found in
other stones ; it is not resplendent with
color but it has the quality that is recog
nized as rarity. The Chinese have
prized it for centuries ; it is known
among the semi civilized tribes of India
and is thus described by mineralogists :
True jade or nephrite is a native silicate
of calcium and magnesium. The Ency
clopedia Brittanica says ; "So far as is
at present known , no true jade has ever
been detected in situ , in Europe. It is
by the Chinese , that Jade has always
been most highly prized &nd notwith
standing its intractability most elabor
ately carved. To the Chinese it is
known under the name of yu , or yu-chi ,
yu stone. Jade is not found in Europe
in its natural state ; it has , however ,
been found in the ruins of the Lake
dwellings of Switzerland and by Schlei-
mann , in the ruins of Troy.
Edward P. Vining in his book , of near
800 pages , published in 1885 , has an ex
haustive account of all that has been
written within his knowlege of Chinese
contact with America. The book con
tains references to authors of the cen
turies since the birth of Christ and is
written in a scholarly manner and in a
calm , judicious spirit. Mr. Vining is ,
if anything , too modest in his claims to
public distinction and this charm is
observed throughout all the pages of the
work that he has designated "An In
glorious Columbus. " This Columbus
or discoverer of America is revealed in
the pages of the book in the person of
Hwui Shan , a Chinese explorer. In his
introduction Mr. Vining says :
"There is among the records of China ,
an account of a Buddhist priest , who in
the year 499 A. D. , reached China and
stated that he had returned from a trip
to a country lying an immense distance
east. It seems to be accepted that this
Buddhist succeeded in convincing the
Chinese Emperor and the scholars by
whom he was surrounded , of the truth
of his tale , and that he also obtained the
belief of the people of China and of all
Eastern Asia so thoroughly , that even
now after a lapse of some fourteen cen
turies , there is scarcely a man in China ,
Japan or Corea , who has not at least
some knowledge of the marvelous land
of Fusang , that was vsited by him.
The fact that he obtained such universal
credence is certainly of some weight.
An impostor would not be likely to be
so successful.
Route of China Explorer.
Mr. Vining in his book , goes so far as
to locate the exploits of Hwui Shan , be
ginning on the northeastern coast of
China , coasting the country on the east
ern side of the Asiatic continent , beyond
Corea and the Japanese islands , to the
Aleutian Islands in the North Pacific
Ocean. It is his theory that the ex
plorers were scarcely ever out of sight
of land but continued to coast until they
reached Alaska ; thence they followed
the western line of the American conti
nent in a southerly direction , until they
reached Mexico , which was named by
them as Fusang. It will be impossible
in an abbreviated article in a newspaper
to give full proofs to show that the
Chinese explorers visited the regions
described in their journey toward
Fnsang or Mexico. It will be sufficient
now to say that the Aleutian islands
may be identified , which at that time
were but stepping stones as it were , be
tween Asia and America. During the
past centuries small islands of the Aleu
tian group have disappeared and there
are traditions among the islanders that
many more disappeared in the centuries
before this. Aside from the incomplete
and unsatisfactory accounts , derived
from Chinese history that seem apocry
phal , because they are not of European
origin , there are certain facts that can
not be ignored.
The recent occupation of Alaskan
coast , on the borders of Bering sea and
straits , shows that migration between
Siberia in Asia , and Alaska in America
is not impossible.
The Indian of Tartar Parentage.
It is found that actual migrations took
place between the two continents , over
the ice , and that such migrations are
not unusual but have been habitual for
many years. There is , therefore , abso
lute proof of Asiatic contact with
America , and if such contact is now
possible , it has been so for centuries.
Therefore , there can be no further doubt
as to the intermingling of Asiatic and
American races. The Scythians were
Siberians , and ancient Scythians scalped
their captured enemies. The North
American Indians scalped their enemies ;
they also preserve in their features their
Tartar parentage. He who looks upon
the Indian of the plains and especially
a * " , i'vi
