48 Of the Checks to Population Bk. i. 



ture, as the air of their houses cannot be much 

 purer than the atmosphere of the most crowded 

 cities. 



Those who escape the dangers of infancy and of 

 disease, are constantly exposed to the chances of 

 war; and notwithstanding the extreme caution of 

 the Americans in conducting their military opera- 

 tions, yet, as they seldom enjoy any interval of 

 peace, the waste of their numbers in war is con- 

 siderable.* The rudest of the American nations 

 are well acquainted with the rights of each com- 

 munity to its own domains.-f- And as it is of the 

 utmost consequence to prevent others from de- 

 stroying the game in their hunting grounds, they 

 guard this national property with a jealous atten- 

 tion. Innumerable subjects of dispute necessarily 

 arise. The neighbouring nations live in a perpe- 

 tual state of hostility with each other.J The very 

 act of increasing in one tribe must be an act of ag- 

 gression on its neighbours; as a larger range of 

 territory will be necessary to support its increased 

 numbers. The contest will in this case naturally 

 continue, either till the equilibrium is restored by 

 mutual losses, or till the weaker party is exter- 

 minated, or driven from its country. When the 

 irruption of an enemy desolates their cultivated 

 lands, or drives them from their hunting-grounds; 



* Charlevoix, Hist, de la Nouv. France, torn. iii. 202, 203, 

 429. 



f Robertson, b. iv. p. 147. 



% Robertson, b. iv. p. 1 47. Lettres Edit', torn. viii. p. 40, 86, & pas- 

 sim. Cook's 3d Voy. vol. ii. p. 324. Meares's Voy. ch. xxiv. p. 267. 



