John de Laet observes out of Peter Martyr, and other Writers concerning the West-Indies, That there are several Languages and strange Words spoken among the divers Inhabitants of America; for the Hurones call a Head Sionta; the Mexicans, Tzontecontli; the Inhabitants of New-Netherland, Anonsi; the Brasilians, Acanga; the Jaos, Boppe: the Figures One, Two, Three, and Four, the Hurones tell thus, Escate, Teni, Hachin, Dac; the Mexicans, Ce, Ome, Yei, Nabuy; the Sankikanders, Cotte, Nysse, Nacha, Wyve; the Brasilians, Oyepe, Mocoy, Mocapir, Oirundi; the Jaos, Tewyn, Tage, Terrewaw, Tagyne; the Natives of New-Netherland, Onsat, Tiggani, Asse, Cayere. Moreover the Hurones call a Father Aystan; the Mexicans, Tathli; the Canadensers, Notaovi; in New-Netherland, Ragina; in Brasile, Tuba: And so it is generally with all other Words, which agree not in the least one with the other; so that every Territory hath not only a several Dialect, but in many Places they use besides two, three, or more distinct Speeches, not relating in the least one to another, in one Province, by which the People inhabiting Towns and Villages are distinguish’d. The Islanders discover’d by the Spaniards, and destroy’d, have left few Words behind them; yet Peter Martyr sets down some of them, which were formerly us’d in Hispaniola: They call’d Heaven Tures; a House, Boa; Gold, Cauni; a good Man, Tayno. It is worthy of observation, that they pronounce no H in their Language, but what is spoken with a Vowel, and then give it a strong Aspiration, like the warbling guttural ע Ghain of the Hebrews.
Gen. 9. v. 25, 26, 27.
Gen. 10. v. 15.
Last Testimonies of the Americans Extract from the Phenicians.
Is contradicted.
Franc. Burman. in Gen. 25. 30.
Phenicians deriv’d from Esau.
Our last and chiefest Testimony is Moses, who says thus in Genesis, Cursed be Canaan, a Servant of Servants shall he be unto his Brethren. Moreover he said, Blessed be the Lord God of Shem, and Canaan shall be his Servant: God shall inlarge Japhet, and he shall dwell in the Tents of Shem; and Canaan shall be his Servant. And in the next Chapter, Canaan begat Sidon. These Scriptures are explain’d as a Testimony of the Americans Extract from the Phenicians, which they ground on these following Reasons: The Phenicians are Canaan’s Successors from Sidon, who gave name to their chief City. Tubal the Issue of Japhet, whose Tents God promis’d to enlarge, and that Canaan should be his Servant, planted Spain. The Phenicians, descendants from Sydon, (say they) Peopled America; the Spaniards sprung from Tubal, of Japhet, have subjected the Americans, descended from Sydon, of Canaan; wherein is fulfill’d that Prophecy of Moses, That Canaan should be Servant to Japhet; but it seems a great mistake, so to derive the Phenicians from Canaan, for they are Extracted from Shem, Heber, Abraham, and Esau, sirnam’d Edom, from his saying, Adom, Adom, when he ask’d of Jacob, That Red, That Red, because he knew not how to call the prepared Pottage by its proper Name; And Edom setling himself on Mount Seir, a part of the Stony Arabia, and on the Coast of the Red-Sea, gave denomination to it, because that Sea was much frequented and Navigated by his Successors. The Greeks call it Erythreum, from Erythros, who is the same with Esau, and likewise signifies Red. Hereto is added, That Phænix and Erythros have the same signification in the Greek; So then, these Idumeans taking the name of Phenicians, from the great Phœnix, spread themselves far and near under mighty Kings, by Navigation in the Red-Sea, and from thence Planted several Coasts and Islands, removing at last to Syria.
Gen. 36. 39.
Com. in Jer. l. 4. c. 25.