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[Page 25]

the wounds were not mortal, and she shortly afterwards recovered, but lived everafterwards in constant terror of her own tribe. -
    
The difference of language of the Eastern & Western & Southern tribes also perplexes the enquirer, & renders  it difficult to trace the origin of the Aborigines of this country - We incur less perplexity - with respect to the origin of the inhabitants of numerous islands scattered in the Pacific Ocean, for it has been ascertained that the natives of New Zealand, the Society, Friendly, Sandwich & other islands, can pretty well understand each other. Some Peruvians arrived at Othaheite, in a Spanish vessel, about 36 years since, and the people from Peru spoke nearly the same language as those of Othaheite, and were similar to them in complexion & appearance. Hence it may be inferred that the South Sea islanders came originally from America, and sought at some former period shelter from the cruelties of the Spanish invaders. I have made this argument with a view of shewing that the inhabitants of this island can by no means be identified with any of the other natives of islands in the Pacific, and that first off my conjecture may be correct that the natives of V.D Land must be of Asiatic origin, -however difficult it may appear to un-

[marin note half obscured]  

 

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