Chap. II. 



AMERICA. 



*3 



alfo fhould here and there have a Trad of Land uninhabited ? Thefe might, 

 by reafon of their Barrennefs, be ufelefs, as many fuch places are found in the 

 midft of the moft Populous and fertile Countreys. But above all this, it is cer- 

 tain, that America to this day (notwithftanding almoft innumerable thoufands 

 of Indians formerly Slain and Maflacred by the Spaniards) is fo well in- 

 habited, that it may ftand in Competition with either Jfia or Europe. And 

 how could fuch vaft multitudes Plant the far=fpreading Countrey of America, 

 without the help of many Ages ? Moreover, This truth is not without iuffici- 

 ent Teftimonies • when any one looks on the lllands with which America lies 

 incompaiVd , he may fuppofe they did not willingly go from the Main Con- 

 tinent to the Ifles , but were driven thither by Wars among thcmfelves, or as 

 moft times it happens, becaufe of the vaft increafe of the Natives , the Coun* 

 trey muft difcharge its burden. 



Hereto is added , the feveral Languages us'd in America, as in Europe or any 

 other part of the known World ; whereby we may eafily guefs, that America 

 was Peopled prefently after the Confufion of Tongues at Babel. Furthermore, 

 If the Americans live a Rude Life,go meanly Habited,be without {lately Houfcs 5 

 fuch Cuftoms are even among us obferv'd by feveral People • as the Tartars, 

 Numidians, and others , which made their Antiquity be call'd in queftion. He 

 alfo muft needs have no knowledge of the Arts and Mechanick Sciences us'd by 

 the Americans, who concludes, that they fetled but lately in America. One Ar- 

 gument at prefent will be fufficient to contradict them all ; and in the further 

 Defcription, the contrary will be more manifeft. 



Hieronimus $enfo relates, That he flood amaz'd at the Gold and Silver Smiths 

 in the Territory of Onto, who without any Iron Tools, made Images, and all 

 manner of Veflels : Which work they performed thus, Firft, they made an Oval 

 Crucible of a good Lock , round about Parted with Earth , embody'd with 

 the Powder of Wood Coals ; which Crucible being Bak'd very hard in the 

 Sun, they fill with Pieces of Gold or Silver, and put in the Fire ; about which 

 Handing with five/ix^r more Pipes made of Canes,they blow the Fire fo long, 

 till the Mettal melts, which others fitting on the ground, run it into Moulds 

 of black Stone, and fo with little trouble, Caft into what fhape they pleafc. 

 Laftly, Though Mexico can reckon but a thoufand years, muft it therefore fol- 

 low , that the Inhabitants are no older ? How many famous places ( even 

 among our felves) have no longer Regifters, and if they have,they are common- 

 ly Fabulous, few Nations boafting truly their own Original ; which Argu- 

 ment, not onely contradi&s (as we fuppofe) Mr. furcbas, but all others afcri- 

 bing the Plantation of America to our later times. 



S 



E C 



T. L 



Amtrican GolJ-Smithf. 



After what manner the 

 Inhabitants of Amtric* 



$ TN the next place, let us enquire, how the Americans were tranfmitted thi- 

 *~ ther, whether by Sea, or Land? Both which are feafible two feveral 

 ways . if they made an Expedition thither, as Difcoverers, or were driven on 

 thofe Coafts by ftrefs of Weather. 



The firft is moft unlikely, and not feeming poflible, for how could they 

 Steer thorow fo vaft an Ocean, to Countreys they never heard of, without the 

 Compafs, and other Neceifaries for fuch a Voyage ? for when firft difcover'd, 

 their want of experience in Shipping for fo long a Voyage, knowing no fur- 

 ther than the ufc of final! Boats or Canons, plainly explode, that they willingly 



Steer'd 



