£20 An Hiftorlcal Journal of^ 



It is not fo eafy to give a Reafon yjhy they have not a Haîp 



mv thev ha^e 5^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^y' ^^c^P^ing^^e Hairs ofi 

 no Beards their Head, which they have all very black, 



the Eye Lafhes, and Eyebrows, which fome 

 alfo pluck oiF ; and 'tis the fame Cafe with almoft all the Ame- 

 ricans. What makes itftill more furprifmg, is, that their Chil- 

 dren are born with a thin Hair, and pretty long, all over their Bo- 

 dies, but which difappears after eight Days. The old Men have 

 alfo fome Hairs on the Chin, as we fee fome old Women have 

 with us. I have known fome who attribute this Singularity to 

 the confiant Cuflom the Americans have of fmoking, and which 

 is common to both Sexes. Others think it more natural to fay, 

 that this proceeds from the Quality of their Blood ; which be- 

 ing more pure, becaufe of the Plainnefs of their Aliments, pro- 

 duces lefs of thofe Superfluities, which our's, being more grofs, 

 fupplies fo plentifully ; or that having fewer Salts, it is lefs fit for 

 thefe Sort of Productions. There is no Doubt tkat it is at leaft 

 this Plainnefs of Food which renders the Savages fo fwift of 

 Foot. I have feen a Man who came from an Ifland not far from 

 J^apany who, before he had eat any Bread, aflured me that he 

 could travel on Foot thirty Leagues a Day, commonly without 

 Fatigue ; butfincehe had been ufed to Bread, he could not tra- 

 vel with the fame Eafe. 



This is certain, that our Savages think it a very great Beauty 

 to have no Hair but on the Head ; that if they have any 

 grow on their Chin, they pluck it off diredlly ; that the Euro^ 

 Z^^;?/, the iirfl Time they faw them, appeared frightful to them 

 with their long Beards, as was then the Fafhion ; that they do 

 not think our white Colour handfome ; and that they found the 

 Flefh of the EngUJh and French^ when they eat it, of a bad 

 Tafle, becaufe it was fait. 



Thus, A^adam, the Idea which we formerly had in Europe oî 

 Savages, which were reprefented as hairy Men, is not only en- 

 tirely the Reverfe of the Americans^ but it is exaétly that which 

 they at firilhad of us, becaufe they thought all our Bodies were 

 like our BreaHs and Chins. 



I amy See. 



LETTER. 



