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I have seen of man, white, red and black, and what has 

 been written of biin by authors, enhfrhtened themselves, 

 and writing- amidst an enlightened people. The Indian 

 of North Atnerica being more within our reach, I can 

 speak of him somewhat from my own knowledge, but 

 more from the information of others better acquainted 

 with him, and on whose truth and judgment I can rely. 

 From these sources I am able to say, in contradiction 

 to this ref)resentation, that he is neither more defective 

 in ardour, nor more impotent with his female, than the 

 white reduced to the same diet and exercise: that he 

 is brave, when an enterprise depends on bravery; edu- 

 cation with him making the point of honour consist in 

 the destruction of an enemy by stratagem, and in the 

 preservation of his own person free from injury: or 

 perhaps this is nature ; while it is education which 

 teaches us to* honour force more than finesse; that he 

 will defend himself against a host of enemies, always 

 choosing to be killed, rather than to surrender,! though 



* Sol Rodomonte sprezza di venire. 



Se non, dove la via ineiio e sicura. Ariosto. 14. 117. 



+ In so judicious an author as Don Ulloa, and one to whom 

 we arc indebted for the most precise information we have of 

 South America, i did not expect to find such assertions as the 

 following: 'Los Indios vencidos son los mas cohardes y pusi- 

 lanimes que se pueden ver : Se hacen inocentes, le humillan 

 hasta el desprecio, disculpan su inconsiderado arrnjo, y con las 

 suplicas y los ruegos dan seguras pruebus de su pusilanimiriad. — 

 6 lo qur- refieren las historias de la Conquista, sobre sus grandes 

 acciones, es en un sendito figurado, 6 el caracter de estas gentes 

 no es ahora segun era euionces ; pero lo que no tiene duda es, 

 que las naciones de la parte Septentrional subsisten en la misma 

 libertad que siempre han tenido, sin haber sido sojuzgados por 

 algun Principe extrano, y que viven segun su regimen y costum- 

 bres de toda la vide, sin que haya habido molivo para que mu ien 

 de caracter; y en eslos se ve lo mismo, que surede en los lei 

 Peru, y de toda la America Meridional, reducidos, y que ni' ^ca 

 ]o han estado.' Noticias Americanas, Entretenimiento xviii. 

 } 1. Don Ulloa here adfnits, that the authors who have describ- 

 ed the Indians of South America, before they were enslaved, had 

 represented theni as a brave people, and therefore seems to l.*.ve 



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