SOME REMAINS of ANTIQUITY. ipr 



refpcdable ftate of improvement, favour the opinion that, 

 previoufly to our acquaintance with them, the .'Vmeri- 

 cans were both more numerous and cultivated than they 

 have been at any fubfequent period ? For it is certain that 

 ■x'e have not been the fole inlhaiments concerned in their 

 decline, and fall. 



^ Thirdly. The mythology of many of the American 

 tribes appears to be the remnant of the mythology of 

 certain Afiatic nations, who are much farther advanced 

 in civilization than any of the prefent Indian tribes of 

 North -America. 



Fourthly. The Mexicans are known to have made 

 confiderable progrefs in the fcience of aftronomy. Among 

 the rude nations of North-America, aftronomical prm~ 

 ciples were not found. But among thefe nations, we 

 have difcovered certain fmall fragments, which appear to 

 be parts of the IVkxican fyftem, or of the fyftem of fome 

 people to whom aftronomy, as a fcience, muft have been 

 known, however remote the period. 



Fifthly. The ftrud-ure of the languages of many 

 American tribes is favourable to the idea, that thele 

 people were, formerly, much more improved than they 

 are at prefent. Moreover, many of thefe languages are 

 much more fertile than has been commonly fuppofed. 



kept up. It Oiould even feem, that the Mmibiliani enjoyed a fort of pri- 

 macy in religion, over all the other nations in this part of Florida ; for 

 when any of their fires happened to be extinguifhed through cliance, or ne- 

 gligence, it was neceffary to kindle them again at theirs. But the temple 

 of the Natchez is the only one fubfifting at prefent (viz. in 1721 ), and is 

 held in great veneration by all the favage? inhabiting this vaft continent, the 

 decreafe of whofe numbers is as confiderable, and has been flill more fud- 

 den, than that of the people of Cmada, without its being poffible toalllgn 

 the true reafon of this event. Whole nations have entirely dilappearcd 

 Within the fpace of forty years at moft ; and thofe who ffiU remain, are no 

 more than tile (hadow of what they were, when M. De Sale difcovered this 

 country." Journal of a Voyage to North-America. By P. De Charlevoix, 

 V.)!. II. p, 273 and 274. Englifli Tranflation. London : 1761. 



B b 7, The 



