OF NATURAL HISTORY, 199 



gorous. We are, however, happy to remark, that, by the efforts of 

 philofophers and phyficians, the pradice of employing tight ban- 

 dages has of late become lefs general, efpecially among intelligent 

 midwives and mothers. But, to eradicate long eflabliflied prejudices, 

 and to difFufe more enlightened and falutary notions through a whole 

 country, cannot be efTeded without a great length of time and vigo- 

 rous exertions. 



From what caufes or circumftances particular modes in the ma- 

 nagement of infants originate, it is difficult to determine. But it is 

 certain that favages, and the ruder nations, in their treatment of in- 

 fants, often difcover more difcernment, and propriety of condudl, 

 than are to be found in the moft polifhed ftages of fociety. The 

 negroes, the favages of Canada, of Virginia, ofBrafil, and the na- 

 tives of almoft the whole of South America, inftead of ufing fwad- 

 rfling-bands, lay their infants naked into hammocks, or hanging beds 

 of cotton, or into cradles lined with fur. The Peruvians leave the 

 arms of their infants perfectly loofe in a kind of fwathing-bag. 

 When a little older, they are put, up to the middle, in a hole dug 

 cut of the earth, and lined with linen or cotton. By this contri- 

 vance, their arms and head are perfedlly free, and they can bend 

 their bodies, and move their arms and head, without the fmalleft 

 danger of falling, or of receiving any injury. To entice them to 

 walk, whenever they are able to ftep, the breaft is prefented to them 

 at a little diftance. The children of negroes, when very young, 

 cling round, with their knees and legs, one of their mother's 

 haunches, and grafp the breaft with their hands. In this pofition 

 they adhere fo firmly, that they fupport themfelves without any af- 

 fiftance, and continue to fuck without danger of falling, though the 

 mother moves forward, or works at her ufual labour. Thefe chil- 

 dren, at the end of the fecond month, begin to creep on their hands 

 and knees J and, in this fituation, they acquire, by habit, the faculty 

 of junning with furprifing quicknefs. 



. Savages 



