a del Fuego, where the glaciers stretch down to the
sea, and even into it.[541:3]

Chas. Darwin, during his voyage round the world in H. M. S. Beagle, was
particularly struck with the hardiness of the Fuegians, who go in a
state of nudity, or almost entirely so. He says:

"Among these central tribes the men generally have an
otter-skin, or some small scrap, about as large as a
pocket-handkerchief, to cover their nakedness, which is barely
sufficient to cover their backs as low down as their
loins."[541:4]

One day while going on shore near Wollaston Island, Mr. Darwin's party
pulled alongside a canoe which contained six Fuegians, who were, he
says, "quite naked, and even one full-grown woman was absolutely so. It
was raining heavily, and the fresh water, together with the spray,
trickled down her body. In another harbor not far distant, a woman, who
was suckling a recently-born child, came one day alongside the vessel,
and remained there out of mere curiosity, whilst the sleet fell and
thawed on her naked bosom, and on the skin of her naked baby!"[542:1]

This was during the winter season.

A few pages farther on Mr. Darwin says that on the night of the 22d
December, a small family of Fuegians--who were living in a cove near the
quarters--"soon joined our party round a blazing fire. We were well
clothed, and though sitting close to the fire were far from too warm;
yet these naked savages, though further off, were observed, to our great
surprise, to be streaming with perspiration at undergoing such a
scorching. They seemed, however, very well pleased, and all joined in
the chorus of the seamen's songs; but the manner in which they were
invariably a little behind was quite ludicrous."[542:2]

The Asiatics who first crossed over to the American continent were
evidently in a very barbarous stage, although they may have known how to
produce fire, and use bows and arrows.[542:3] The tribe who inhabited
Mexico at the time it was discovered by the Spaniards was not the first
to settle there; they had driven out a people, and had taken the country
from them.[542:4]

That Mexico was visited by Orientals, who brought and planted their
religion there, in a comparatively recent period, is very probable. Mr.
Chas. G. Leland, who has made this subject a special study, says:

"While the proofs of the existence or residence of Orientals
in America are extremely vague and uncertain, and while t