Tate fize; there is one called Ibitin, very long, which fufpending itself by the tail from the trunk of a tree, waits till ftags, bears, and also men pafs by, in order to attract them with its breadth, and devour them at once entirely:" from whence it is evident, that this very ancient fable has been common to both continents.

Further, it may be asked, In what country of America could M. de Paw find ants to equal thofe of the Philippine islands, called sulum, refpecting which Hernandez affirms, that they were fix fingers broad in length and one in breadth? Who has ever feen in America butterflies fo large as thofe of Bourbon, Ternate, the Philippine ifles, and all the Indian archipelago? The largest bat of America (native to hot fhady countries), which is that called by Buffon vampiro, is, according to him, of the fize of a pigeon. La rougette, one of the fpecies of Afia, is as large as a raven; and the roufette, another species of Asia, is as big as a large hen. Its wings, when extended, measure from tip to tip three Parisian feet, and according to Gemelli, who measured it in the Philippine ifles, fix palms. M. Buffon acknowledges the excefs in fize of the Afiatic bat over the American fpecies, but denies it as to number. Gemelli fays, that thofe of the island of Luzon were so numerous that they darkened the air, and that the noife which they made with their teeth, in eating the fruits of the woods, was heard at the distance of two miles. M. de Paw fays, in talking of ferpents, "it cannot be affirmed that the New World has shown any ferpents larger than those which Mr. Adanfon faw in the deferts of Africa." The greatest ferpent found in Mexico, after a diligent fearch made by Hernandez, was 18 feet long but this is not to be compared with that of the Moluccas, which Bomare fays is 33 feet in length; nor with the anocanjada of Ceylon, which the fame author fays is more than 33 feet long; nor with others of Afia and Africa, mentioned by the fame author. Lastly, the argument drawn from the multitude and fize of the American infects is fully as weighty as the argument drawn from the smallness and scarcity of quadrupeds, and both detect the fame ignorance, or rather the fame voluntary and ftudied forgetfulnefs, of the things of the old

continent.

With respect to what M. de Paw has faid of the tribute of lice in Mexico, in that as well as in many other things he discovers his ridiculous credulity. It is true that Cortes found bags of lice in the maga zines of the palace of king Axajacatl. It is also true, that Montezuma impofed fuch a tribute, not on all his fubjects, however, but only on those who were beggars; not on account of the extraordinary multitude of those infects, as M. de Paw affirms, but because Montezuma, who could

could not fuffer idlenefs in his subjects, refolved that that miferable fet of people, who could not labour, fhould at least be occupied in loufing themfelves. This was the true reafon of fuch an extravagant tribute, as Torquemada, Betancourt, and other hiftorians relate; and nobody ever before thought of that which M. de Paw affirms, merely because it fuited his prepofterous fyftem. Those disgusting infects poffibly abound as much in the hair and cloaths of American beggars, as of any poor and uncleanly low people in the world: but there is not a doubt, that if any fovereign of Europe was to exact fuch a tribute from the poor in his dominions, not only bags, but great veffels might be filled with them.

ABORIGENES. At the time America was difcovered, it was found inhabited by a race of men no lefs different from thofe in the other parts of the world, than the climate and natural productions of this continent are different from thofe of Europe, Afia, or Africa. One great peculiarity in the native Americans is their colour, and the identity of it throughout the whole extent of the continent. In Europe and Afia, the people who inhabit the northern countries are of a fairer complexion than those who dwell more to the fouthward. In the torrid zone, both in Africa and Afia, the natives are entirely black, or the next thing to it. This, however, muft be understood with fome limitation. The people of Lapland, who inhabit the most northerly part of Europe, are by no means fo fair as the inhabitants of Britain; nor are the Tartars fo fair as the inhabitants of Europe who lie under the fame parallels of latitude. Nevertheless, a Laplander is fair when compared with an Abyffinian, and a Tartar if compared with a native of the Molucca iflands. In America, this diftinction of colour was not to be found. In the torrid zone there were no negroes, and in the temperate and frigid zones there were no white people., All of them were of a kind of red copper colour, which Mr. Forfter obferved, in the Pefferays of · Terra del Fuego, to have fomething of a glofs refembling that metal. It doth not appear, however, that this matter hath ever been inquired into with fufficient accuracy. The inhabitants of the inland parts of South America, where the continent is wideft, and confequently the influence of the fun the moft powerful, have never been compared with thofe of Canada, or more northerly parts, at least by any person of credit. Yet this ought to have been done, and that in many inftances too, before it could be afferted so pofitively as most authors do, that there is not the least difference of complexion among the natives of America, Indeed, so many systems have been formed concerning them, that it is very difficult to obtain a true knowledge of the moft fimple facts. If we may believe the Abbé Raynal, the Californians are

fwarthier

fwarthier than the Mexicans; and fo pofitive is he in this opinion, that he gives a reason for it. "This difference of colour," fays he, “proves, that the civilized life of fociety fubverts, or totally changes, the order and laws of nature, fince we find, under the temperate zone, a favage. people that are blacker than the civilized nations of the torrid zone.” On the other hand, Dr. Robertfon claffes all the inhabitants of Spanish America together with regard to colour, whether they are civilized or uncivilized; and when he speaks of California, takes no notice of any peculiarity in their colour more than others. The general appearance of the indigenous Americans in various districts is thus described by the Chevalier Pinto: "They are all of a copper colour, with fome diversity of fhade, not in proportion to their distance from the equator, but ac-> cording to the degree of elevation of the territory in which they refide. Those who live in a high country are fairer than those in the marshy low lands on the coaft. Their face is round; farther removed, perhaps, than that of any people from an oval fhape. Their forehead is fmall; the extremity of their ears far from the face; their lips thick; their nofe flat; their eyes black, or of a chefnut colour, fmall, but capable of difcerning objects at a great distance. Their hair is always thick and fleek, and without any tendency to curl. At the first afpect, a South American appears to be mild and innocent; but, on a more attentive view, one difcovers in his countenance fomething wild, distrustful and fullen."

The following account of the native Americans is given by Don Antonio Ulloa, in a work intitled Memoires philofophiques, hiftoriques, et phyfiques, concernant la decouverte de l' Amerique, lately published.

The American Indians are naturally of a colour bordering upon red. Their frequent exposure to the fun and wind changes it to their ordinary dufky hue. The temperature of the air appears to have little or no influence in this refpect. There is no perceptible difference in complexion between the inhabitants of the high and those of the low parts of Peru; yet the climates are of an extreme difference. Nay, the Indians who live as far as 40 degrees and upwards fouth or north of the equator, are not to be distinguished, in point of colour, from those immediately under it.

There is also a general conformation of features and person, which, more or lefs, characterifeth them all. Their chief diftinctions in these refpects are a small forehead, partly covered with hair to the eye-brows, little eyes,. the nose thin, pointed, and bent towards the upper lip; a broad face, large ears, black, thick, and lank hair; the legs well formed, the feet fmall, the body thick and mufcular; little or no beard on the No. II.

N

face,

face, and that little never extending beyond a small part of the chin and upper lip. It may easily be fuppofed that this general description cannot apply, in all its parts, to every individual; but all of them partake fo much of it, that they may eafily be diftinguished even from the mulattoes, who come nearest to them in point of colour.

The refemblance among all the American tribes is not lefs remarkable in respect to their genius, character, manners, and particular customs. The most distant tribes are, in these respects, as fimilar as though they formed but one nation.

All the Indian nations have a peculiar pleasure in painting their bodies of a red colour, with a certain fpecies of earth. The mine of Guancavelica was formerly of no other ufe than to fupply them with this ma terial for dyeing their bodies; and the cinnabar extracted from it, was applied entirely to this purpose. The tribes in Louifiana and Canada have the fame paffion; hence minium is the commodity, moft in demand there.

It may feem fingular that thefe nations, whofe natural colour is red, fhould affect the fame colour as an artificial ornament. But it may be obferved, that they do nothing in this refpect but what correfponds to the practice of Europeans, who alfo ftudy to heighten and difplay to advantage the natural red and white of their complexions. The Indians of Peru have now indeed abandoned the cuftom of painting their bodies: but it was common among them before they were conquered by the Spaniards; and it ftill remains the custom of all thofe tribes who have preferved their liberty. The northern nations of America, befides the red colour which is predominant, employ alfo black, white, blue, and green, in painting their bodies.

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The adjustment of these colours is a matter of as great consideration with the Indians of Louifiana and the vast regions extending to the north, as the ornaments of dress among the moft polifhed nations. The bufinefs itself they call Matacher, and they do not fail to apply all their talents and affiduity to accomplish it in the most finished manner. lady of the greatest fashion ever confulted her mirror with more anxiety, than the Indians do while painting their bodies. The colours are applied with the utmoft accuracy and addrefs. Upon the eye-lids, precifely at the root of the eye-lashes, they draw two lines as fine as the fmalleft thread; the fame upon the lips, the openings of the noftrils, the eye-brows, and the ears; of which laft they even follow all the inflexions and infinuofities. As to the rest of the face, they diftribute various figures, in all which the red predominates, and the other colours are afforted to as to throw it out to the best advantage. The neck also re

ceives its proper ornaments: a thick coat of vermilion commonly diftinguishes the cheeks. Five or fix hours are requifite for accomplishing all this with the nicety which they affect. As their first attempts do not always fucceed to their wish, they efface them, and begin a-new upon a better plan. No coquette is more faftidious in her choice of ornament, none more vain when the important adjustment is finished. Their delight and felf-fatisfaction are then so great, that the mirror is hardly ever Taid down. An Indian Mactahed to his mind is the vaineft of all the human fpecies. The other parts of the body are left in their natural ftate, and, excepting what is called a cachecul, they go entirely naked.

Such of them as have made themselves eminent for bravery, or other qualifications, are diftinguifhed by figures painted on their bodies. They introduce the colours by making punctures on their skins, and the extent of furface which this ornament covers is proportioned to the exploits they have performed. Some paint only their arms, others both their arms and legs; others again their thighs, while those who have attained the fummit of warlike renown, have their bodies painted from the waift upwards. This is the heraldry of the Indians; the devices of which are probably more exactly adjusted to the merits of the perfons who bear them than those of more civilized countries.

Befides these ornaments, the warriors also carry plumes of feathers on their heads, their arms, and ancles. Thefe likewise are tokens of valour, and none but such as have been thus distinguished may wear them.

The propenfity to indolence is equal among all the tribes of Indians, civilized or favage. The only employment of those who have preferved their independence is hunting and fifhing. In fome diftricts the women exercise a little agriculture in raifing Indian corn and pompions, of which they form a fpecies of aliment, by bruifing them together: they alfo prepare the ordinary beverage in ufe among them, taking care, at the fame time, of the children, of whom the fathers take no charge.

The female Indians of all the conquered regions of South America practice what is called the urcu (a word which among them fignifies elevation). It confifts in throwing forward the hair from the crown of the head upon the brow, and cutting it round from the ears to above the eye; fo that the forehead and eye-brows are entirely covered. The fame cuftom takes place in the Northern countries. The female inhabitants of both regions tie the rest of their hair behind, so exactly on the fame fashion, that it might be fuppofed the effect of mutual imitation. This however being impoffible, from the vaft diftance that separates them, is thought to countenance the fuppofition of the whole of America being originally planted with one race of people.