Hittorieof the Indies lib.r. 51 



from the firft man: without doubt wefhall be forced to 

 beleeveandconfefle,that men havepaflcd hither from 

 Europe, Afia or Affrickc , yet muft wee difcover by what 

 meaaes they could pafle. It is not likely that there was 

 an other Noes Arke, by the which men might be tranf- 

 ported into the Indies, and much lefle any Angell to 

 cane the firft man to this new world , holding him by 

 the haireof the head, like to the Prophet ^stbacuc.-fa 

 we intreat not of the mightie power of God 5 but only 

 of that which is conformable vntoreafbn, & the order 

 and difpofition of humane things. Wherefore thefe 

 two things ought to be held for wonderfulland wor- 

 thie of admiration, yea, to bee numbred among the 

 fecretsof God. The one is ; how man could pafTefo 

 huge a paflage by Sea and Lande. Thootheris- that 

 there beeing fuch multitudes of people, they have yet 

 beene vnknowne fb many ages. For this caufe I de- 

 maund, by what refolution, mrce or induftrie, the In 

 dians could pafle (b large a Sea, and who might be the 

 Inventer of fo ftrange a paflage? Truely I have often 

 times confidered thereof with my felfe, ( as many o- 

 thers have done) but never could I finde any thing to 

 fatisfie mec. Yet will I fay what I have conceived, and 

 what comes prefently into my minde, feeing that tefti- 

 monies faile mee, whom I might follow , fuffcring my 

 felfe to be guided by the rule of reafon, (d-houghit be 

 very fubtill.) It is moft ceitaine, that the firft men came 

 to this land of Pent by one of thefe two meanes, either 

 by land or by fea. If they came byfea/itwascafiially, 

 and by chance,or willingly ,& of purpofe. I vnderftand 

 by chance, being caft by force of fome ftorme or tern- 

 peft,as it happens in tcmpeftuous times. I meane done 

 of purpofe, when they prepared flcetes to difcover new 



E z lands. 



