Chap. III. ANTIENT METAPHYSICS. 37 



in the note below, as it contains feveral other curious fads concern- 

 ing wild men*. 



From 



* " Francis de la Vega, and Mary del Cafar, his wife, irihnbitants of the village of 

 " Llexganes, in the territory of Cudeyo, of the archbifliopric of Burgos, two leagues 

 " from Santander, had, befides other children, a fon called Francis, who, at the age 

 " of fifteen years, having been apprentice to a joiner for two years at Bilboa, went 

 " to fwim whh other boys, on the 23d of June in the year 1674, and difap- 

 *' peared ; nor was he again heard of, until he was caught like a fifh in the fea 

 '« near Cadiz, in the year 1679. He did not now fpeak any language; but 

 " having been brought to a convent of Francifcans, he pronounced the word 

 " Liexganes, the name of the village where he had been born. From this it 

 " was conjectured, that he mull: have been of that place, and thither he was con- 

 " dudted, and his mother immediately knew him. He remained there nine years : 

 " He ate what they gave him ; he put on his clothes and his ftockings and flioes, 

 " if he was deGred to do fo : He carried. a letter pundlualiy enough to the place he 

 " was ordered ; and, having been fent with one to Santander, he fwam over the 

 " bay, which is more than a league bro.d ; and when he had got the anfwer, he re- 

 " turned by the fame way. He was fix feet high ; his hair was red and ihort, like 

 " to 3 new bom child's ; his complexion was fair. He feemed to be incapable of 

 « reafoning by himfelf ; but capable of underftanding what he was commanded to 

 •' do. He had lolt the habit of fpeech : Litxgaties, pan, vino, tobacco, were all the 

 «' words that he fpoke, and thefe not to the purpofe. His two brothers were then 

 " alive, and Don 1 homas, the elder, was a prieft After nine years he difappeared 

 " again, and was never feen, that we know, any more." Thus far the account of 

 Francis de la Vega. 



" In the fame paper, Macanaz makes mention of Nicholas of Catania, in Sicily,, 

 who was wont to fwim round that ifland, and to carry meflages all around in that 

 manner. 



" He alfo mentions a woman, who was found on the coaft of Weft Frlezeland 

 in the year 1430, and could never be taught more than to eat as we do, and to fpin,. 



Hft 



