The American Nations, Vol. I. / Or, Outlines of a National History of the Ancient and Modern Nations of North and South America

by C. S. Rafinesque

Such is my aim. American history has [pg 077] been so much despised or perverted, that few lessons, have been drawn from it: yet it affords ample scope for reflection, study and admiration. Nearly one half of the habitable globe, during all the past ages, cannot fail to offer a variety of subjects, to draw the attention of philosophy, wisdom and philanthropy: that mutual benevolence of mankind, which ought ever to be felt; but is so often discarded or forgotten through the contrary tendencies of pride, lust, cupidity, and all the baneful passions.

The connections of historical facts with all the sciences, afford another useful theme; that may vastly increase our comparative knowledge: much of it has arisen, besides observation, from accurate comparison, analysis and generalization, which combine to give results, enlarging the field and sphere of human knowledge, in all its branches.

If we go back, by the help of geology, to the most remote periods of existence and life in this hemisphere, we find it like the remainder of the globe, immersed under the Ocean. There, in the depths of the briny waves, the actual rocks now supporting the dry soil, were formed and matured: superposed and intermingled by aquatic and volcanic phenomena and cataclysms, if not by superadded aerial depositions. Then were formed the primitive strata of America, ere life had begun to vivify the waters; then were cast the Porphyries, Granites, [pg 078] Shales, Basalts, and other primitive or volcanic rocks, that are now chiefly found in Boreal and Western America, the Andes, Mts. Parima, and Brazil, the Austral and Boreal Islands, Hayti and the Antilles. This was the first period of terrestial Creation.

After this period of unknown length, began the epocha of aquatic life; when the breath of GOD, moving on the waters, gave life and motion to organized aquatic beings; 1. Plants and Fucites, 2. Spongites and Alcyonites, 3. Polyps and corals, 4. Worms and radials, 5. Sluggs and shells, 6. Mollusca and Cephalopodes, 7. Trilobites and Crustacites.... All incipient vegetating beings, or inferior unbony animals, gradually evolved and born in the waters of the Sea.... Followed by the more perfect vertebrated aquatic animals, 8. Fishes and Sharks, 9. Snakes and reptiles; lastly, 10. Seals and whales. Some of which require shallow water, to dwell and breed.... This was the second period of American Creation: Aquatic life.

The third epocha is that of the destruction of aquatic life, by cataclysms and depositions, submarine volcanic cavernous eruptions or other causes, throwing suddenly in a soft, sandy or muddy state, the substances that have formed the secondary mountains or strata of psamites, argillites, calcarites, carbonites, &c., that overwhelmed the aquatic tribes in their way; [pg 079] which becoming therein entombed as living medals of this globe, declare to us these mighty successive cataclysms or floods of sand, clay, lime and coal; now met in vast regions, the Alleghanies and Central North America, Florida and the Bahama Islands; the hills and plains of Brazil, Chili, East Peru, and Central Maragnon.... This was the second period of terrestrial formation in America, the third of successive eventful periods.

The fourth must have been the rise of the land above the waters, if not already partly begun. The epocha of terrestrial upheaving and distortion of strata, by an awful inward force; either volcanic, or calorific, or of growing crystalization; forming mountains and islands, raising them above the Ocean; to become the nucleus of future Continents. The American hemisphere had then probably two great islands, in the North and South, with many smaller islands between them, in the tropical sea: the Alleghany and Atlantis forming two others in the east, and many others studding the two polar regions. The insulated mountain tract between Lake Nicaragua and the long valley of Choco, must then have formed another Island of the Antilles. Guyana or Parima was also another large island: while Brazil was a vast peninsula attached to the Andes. I have endeavored to express this first configuration of America in my two maps of North and [pg 080] South America; when the Ocean was yet about 500 feet higher than it is actually. Whether this cataclysm was contemporaneous throughout, or by successive throes must be ascertained by Geogony.... This was the fourth period of terrestrial events in this hemisphere; but the first of terrestrial separate existence.

When the dry land had appeared, the creative power of God exerted upon the virgin mould of the mountains, drew forth into life, Plants and Flowers, Trees and Palms; with the successive terrestrial animals, 1. Worms and Slugs, 2. Insects and Spiders, 3. Snakes and Reptiles, 4. Birds and Fowls, 5. Beasts and Bats. Streams began to flow, valleys were excavated in the soft or yielding strata by heavy tides and powerful streams: then the fishes of the sea ascended the rivers, and filled the streams and lakes. A few shell and other aquatic animals sent also colonies into fresh waters.... This was the fifth period of terrestrial events; that of terrestrial life.

Meantime the land was continuing to rise, or the ocean to sink; the dry soil was extending: land volcanoes began to appear in the Andes and elsewhere, overwhelming some living tribes. The carbonic volcanoes had new paroxysms, slaty mud involved terrestrial plants and trees in successive eruptions: the clay mud or colored sand was forming tertiary strata on the shores, involving sea animals, shells, reptiles and [pg 081] fishes.... This was the sixth period of terrestrial events, that of land volcanoes.

After all these; mankind was created by God, and appeared as lord of the earth, and the complement of living creation.... This may be deemed another Period, if we like; although it was but the complement of the terrestrial living productions, begun in the 5th, and probably proceeding in the 6th. Where the first man or men appeared and dwelt, is unknown or very dubious. Asia is commonly deemed the first dwelling of mankind, and Central Asia or Thibet the cradle of our race: although China, India, Arabia, Syria, Ceylon, &c., claim the same honor. But few authors have placed this cradle in America, and even then not for the Adamites. Yet America had some inhabitants before the flood, if we are to believe the concurrent traditions of many American nations; who keep the memory of it, and point to their refuges.[5]

Of these American Anti-diluvians we know little or nothing: their traces are few and uncertain. It would be otherwise if we could identify them with the anti-diluvian Atlantes, or find their diluvial remains. The skeletons found in Guadaloupe, and on R. Santas of Brazil, by Captain Elliott (described by Meigs in the transactions of American philosophical society 1827) in tuffa with shells, may have been buried there; like the mummies of many American caves. Some of the American [pg 082] mounds have appeared anti-diluvian; but the fact is not well proved. The subterranean antiquities are also of an equivocal character. The town of log houses lately found in Georgia, buried under golden clysmian soil, cannot be so remote; the soil instead of diluvial, may be a deep alluvial. All the facts on these remote times, shall be hereafter collected, presented and examined carefully.