3^4 TRAVELS THRoysH 



" take falfe tails for real ortes ; alme>fl all the 

 " barbarous nations of America wore this orna- 

 " ment, efpccially when they went to war." 



The fimilarlty which has been obfcrved to'ex- 

 ift between the manners of feveral American na- 

 tions, and thofe of fome of the oideft nations on 

 our continent, ' feems to demonftrkte that this 

 country was not imknownin ancient times, and 

 chiefly proves riiat the known cr old parts fur- 

 nifhed the new one with men • how could that 

 fimilarity be explained, if this had not 'happen- 

 ed ? How great a refemblance is there in the 

 religion, manners, and cufloms of the Indians, 

 with thofe of fome ancient nations. Thefe de- 

 tails will always deftroy mofl of the bold fyflems 

 which have been ftarced on the population of 

 America. If they were a colony of people efca- 

 ped from the deluge, the univerfality of which 

 is in vain contefted, they would have brought 

 anti-diluvian cufloms into America. Thofe na- 

 tions that were born after this dreadful punifh- 

 ynent, do they refemble their ancedors that'were 

 buried under the floods ^ We have not yet light 

 enough upon this fubjed to make ajuft compa- 

 rifon •, we can anfwer nothing to thofe who fay, 

 nat the Almighty hand, which foived plants and 

 fruits in all farts of the world, could likewife pla^e 



nacH 



