STUDY X. 6l 



have traced upon them, in a red which cannot be 

 effaced. From this river they forced their way 

 through the lakes, by means of leathern boats, to 

 the Baltic ; or coafted along the northern and 

 weftern (bores of Europe. 



This track was known to the Indians, even 

 from the time of the ancient Romans ; for Cor~ 

 tielius Nepos relates, that a King of the Suevi made 

 a prefent to Metellas Celer of two Indians, who had 

 been thrown, by flrefs of weather, with their lea- 

 thern canoe, on the coafts adjacent to the mouth 

 of the Elbe. It is not eafy to conceive what thofe 

 Indians, the inhabitants of a warm country, were 

 going in queft of, fo far to the North. What ufe 

 could they have made, in India, of the furs of Si- 

 beria ? It would appear they went thither infearch 

 of gold, which might then be frequently difco- 

 verable to the North, at the furface of the earth. 



Whatever may be in this, it is prefumable that, 

 as mines of gold are placed in the moft elevated 

 regions of the Continent, their marrices collect, 

 in the Atmofphere, the volatilized particles of 

 gold, which afcend thither with the foffil and 

 aquatic emanations, conveyed by the winds from 

 every quarter. But they exercife over men, at- 

 tractions flill much more powerful, 



It 



