BOOK III. G H A P. I. 379 



alledge he is only the undefigning caufe, and for the effeft they 

 are obliged to the fertihty of the foil. Man's creation they allert 

 to have happened in the following manner: in the beginning, 

 black as well as white men were created; nay, if there was any 

 difference in time, the Blacks had the priority. To thefe, two forts 

 of favours were prefented ; to the Blacks, gold ; and to the Whites, 

 the knowledge of arts and fciences. It was from choice, that the 

 Blacks had gold for their fliare : and, to punifli their avarice, it was 

 decreed they fliould ever be flaves to the white men ; they are 

 fully perfuaded that no country but Afric produces gold, and that 

 Blacks can never attain the knowledge of letters [;«]. 



The Mocas not only worfliip, but eat, fnakes ; now adore, 

 and prefently devour, their deity. In this however they are not 

 unexampled by fome ftates in Europe; I mean thofe pious canibals, 

 one elfential part of whofe faith it is to believe, that they verily and 

 fubftantially eat the flelli, and quaff the blood, of their God. 



The fnake is likewife a favourite divinity among many other of 

 the Negroe ftates, and particularly the Whidahs. In 1697, a hog 

 that had been teazed for fome time by one of thefe reptiles, killed 

 and gobbled it up. The marbuts, or priefts, went with their 

 complaint in form to the king; and no one prefuming to appear 

 as council for defendant hog, he was convidted of the facrilege, 

 and a warrant iflued for a general malfacre of all his fpecies through- 

 out the kingdom. A thoufand chofen warriors, armed with cut- 

 lades, began the bloody execution ; and the whole race of fwine 

 would have been extirpated from Whidah, if the king (who loved 

 pork) had not put a flop to the dreadful carnage, by reprefenting 

 to the marbuts, that they ought to reft fatislied v.'ith the fevere 

 vengeance they had taken. 



Of fome Cifiofiis anmig thetn. 



In hot climates, bathing is one of the highefl luxuries; it is no 

 wonder then that we find their inhabitants'^ univerfally adopt this 

 agreeable pradlice, cfpecially as cattle, wild beafts, and other qua- 

 druped animals, ufe it for their refrefliment. The Negroes teach 

 their children to fwim at a very tender age; hence they become 



[«] Bofman. 



C c c 2 expert 



