Hi/lorie of the Indie?, lib. i, 77 



fhall beleeve the Scriptures that bee Afotrftfa ) make 

 more againft them then for their purpofe : for hee faith 

 in that place , that the ten tribes went from the multi 

 tude of theHeathen , to keepe their ftith and ceremo- 

 nies^and we fee the Indians given to all the Idolatries in 

 the world. And thofe which holde this opinion, fee 

 well if the entries of the River Euphrates ftretdi to the 

 Indies, and whether it be neceffary for the Indies to i e^ 

 pafle that way,as it is written. BefidesJ know not how 

 you can name them peaceable, feeing they be ahvaies 

 inwarreamongftthemfelves. To conclude, I cannot 

 fee how that Euphratesm Efdras Apocrypha , fliould be 

 a more convenient paflage to goe to the new world, 

 then the inchanted & fabulous AtUnitke Hand of Plata, 



Tkercafonwhym can findnolcginmngoftbe Indians* 

 CHAP. 24. 



^ 



IT is eafier to refute and con tradid the falle opinions 

 concey ved of^the Originall of the Indians , then to 

 fet dovvnea true and certaine refolution for that there 

 is no writing among the Indians , nor any certaine re 

 membrances of their founders : neyther is there any 

 mention made of this new world in their bookes that * 

 have knowledge of letters : our Ancients held , that in 

 thofe parts ,there were neyther men 3 land, nor haven. 

 So as hee fliould fceme ra(h and prefumptuous , that 

 fhouid thinke to difcovcr the firft beginning of the In 

 dians. Bu t we may iudge a fane off,by the forma* di 

 courfe, that thefe Indians came by little and little to 

 this newe world , and that by the helpe and meanes of 

 the neerenefle of lands , or by fbme navigation 5 the 



which 



