^e^ec, 121 



The Europeans have never been able to 

 find any charadters, much lefs writings, or 

 books, among the Indians^ who have in- 

 habited North-America fince time imme- 

 morial, and feem to be all of one nation, 

 and fpeak the fame language. Thefe /«• 

 dians have therefore lived in the greateil 

 ignorance and darknefs, during fome cen- 

 turies, and are totally unacquainted with 

 the flate of their country before the arri- 

 val of the 'Europeans^ and all their know- 

 ledge of it confifts in vague traditions, and 

 mere fables. It is not certain whether any 

 other nations pofTefTed America, before the 

 prefent Indian inhabitants came into it, or 

 whether any other nations vifited this part 

 of the globe, before Columbus difcovered 

 it. It is equally unknown, whether the 

 Chrijiian religion was ever preached here 

 in former times. I converfed with feveral 

 Jefuits, who undertook long journies in 

 this extenlive country, and a/ked them, 

 whether they had met with any marks that 

 there had formerly been fome Chrijlians 

 among the Indians which lived here ? but 

 they all anfwered, they had not found any. 

 The Indians have ever been as ignorant of 

 architedlure and manual labour, as of 

 fcience and writing. In vain does one 

 feek for well built towns and houfes, ar- 

 tificial 



