278 STUDIES OF NATURE. 



our firft and mod prefling neceffities had been 

 overlooked, if He had negleded to care for our 

 habitation. 



The inundations of rivers, fuch as thofe of the 

 Amazon, of the Oroonoko, and a great many 

 others, are periodicaL They manure the lands 

 which they inundate. It is well known, befides, 

 that the banks of thefe rivers fvvarmed with popu- 

 lous nations, before any European had formed a 

 fettlement there. The inhabitants derived much 

 benefit from thefe inundations, partly from the 

 abundance of the fiflieries, partly from the fertility 

 communicated to the lands. So far from confider- 

 ing them as convulfions of Nature, they received 

 them as bleffings from Heaven, juft as the Egyp- 

 tians prized the overflowings of the Nile. Was it, 

 then, a mortifying fpedacle to them, to fee their 

 deep forefts interfered with long alleys of water, 

 which they could without trouble traverfe, in all 

 diredions, in their canoes, and pick the fruits at 

 their eafe ? Nay, certain tribes, fuch as thofe of 

 the Oroonoko, determined by thefe accommoda- 

 tions, had acquired the fmgular habit of dwelling 

 on the tops of trees, and of feeking under their 

 foliage, like the birds, an habitation, and food, and 

 a fortrefs. Whatever may be in this, mofl of 

 them inhabited only the banks of the rivers, and 



preferred 



