Origin of the American Nations, 2*41 



The favage Americans of Brazil, according to Pifo, put to 

 death thofe who laboured under incurable difeafes. When 

 any perfon in the province of Terra Firma was fick, he was 

 carrried by his relations to the neareft mountain, where he 

 was put into a hammock which was fufpended from a tree, 

 and the relations danced and fung around it the whole day. 

 They then left food and drink to lerve him for feveral days, 

 and departed. If he recovered his ftrength fo far as to be 

 able to return home, they received him with every demon- 

 ftration of joy; if he remained fick, they provided for him a 

 new fupply of food and water; but if they found him dead, 

 he was immediately put into a deep hole made on the fpot, 

 with a little food and water. 



io. Virginity little valued among the Barbarians. 



Marco Polo, in his defcription of the eaftern countries, 

 fays, that in the kingdom of Thibet it was not cuftomary to 

 marry a virgin. Married women carried their daughters to 

 Grangers, that they might cohabit with them during their 

 flay in the country : and when a young girl Separated from 

 her lover, fhe requeued from him fome fmall prefent, as a 

 memorial and a token that (he had flept with him. This 

 fhe wore as an ornament when fhe went abroad ; and thofe 

 who had the greateft number of fuch marks were always 

 mod efteemed. The fame thing is related by Rennefort of 

 the inhabitants of Madagascar, and by Gerber of the people 

 ofTauliftan. 



In Brazil, the young women before they are married refign 

 themfelves, without fhame, to the embraces of the unmarried 

 men. Their relations frequently offer them to the flrft perfon 

 that occurs; fo that, according to the teftimony of Leri, not 

 a fingle virgin is found among thofe who enter into the ftate 

 of marriage. The favages of Quito, according to Ulloa, are 

 fo foolifh as to imagine, that if the perfon they have chofen 

 for their bride has not before had intercourfe with another 

 man, it is an undoubted fign of her not being of great value. 

 To their honour, however, it muft be added, that when they 

 once enter into the ftate of wedlock they abftain from all 

 intercourfe with other men; and among thefe people adul- 

 tery is punifhed with death. 



Among fome favage nations, however, it is cuftomary for 

 the men to proftitute their wives* It is aflerted by Muller 

 that this is the cafe among the Tfchukti ; and Regnard gives 

 the fame account of the Laplanders. In Cumana, a diftxidt 

 of the continent of South America, a woman does 'not lofe 

 her honour or reputation if fhe fubmits to 'the embraces of 



Vol. X. * • Q^ l -" " another 



