questions deeply affecting human interests. We know how
true that is of abstruse topics, such as religion and questions of state
polity. It is also true of the entire field of scientific research. The
unknown is a vastly greater domain than the known, and men, after deep
and patient research, adopt widely different theories to explain the
same facts.

It need, therefore, occasion no surprise to learn that there is a
great difference of opinion as to the real state of culture among
the so-called civilized tribes of Mexico and Central America. We have
incidentally mentioned this difference in describing the ruins and their
probable purpose. As one of the objects we have in view, and perhaps the
most important one, is to learn what we can of the real state of society
amongst the prehistoric people we treat of, it becomes necessary to
examine these different views, and, if we can not decide in our own
minds what to accept as true, we will be prepared to receive additional
evidence that scholars are now bringing forward, and know to how weigh
them and compare them with others.

It has only been within the last few years that we have gained an
insight into the peculiar organization of Indian society. After some
centuries of contact between the various tribes of Indians and whites,
their social organization was still unknown. But we are now beginning
to understand this, and the important discovery has also been made that
this same system of government was very widely spread, indeed. This
subject has, however, been as extensively treated as is necessary in
chapter xii, so we need not stop longer. But if, with all the light of
modern learning, we have only lately gained a clear understanding of the
social organization of Indian tribes, it need occasion no surprise,
nor call for any indignant denial, to affirm that the Spaniards totally
misunderstood the social organization of the tribes with which they came
in contact in Mexico.

We must also take into consideration the political condition of Europe
at this time. Feudalism still exercised an influence on men's minds.
The Spanish writers, in order to convey to Europeans a knowledge of
the country and its inhabitants, applied European names and phrases to
American Indian (advanced though they were) personages and institutions.
But the means employed totally defeated the object sought. Instead of
imparting a clear idea, a very erroneous one was conveyed.

As an illustration of