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befides, I am as yet at a lofs where I am to find 

 materials to fill it. For you muft certainly know, 

 that I am fent into a country, where 1 fhall often 

 be obliged to travel a hundred leagues and upwards, 

 without fo much as meeting with one human crea- 

 ture, or indeed any thing elfe but one continued 

 profpect of rivers, lakes, woods, and mountains. 

 And befides, what fort of men mail I meet with ? 

 With favages, whofe language I do not underftand, 

 and who are equally unacquainted with mine. Be- 

 fides, what can men, who live in the moft barba- 

 rous ignorance, fay to me, that can affect me ; or 

 what can I find to fay to them, who are full as in- 

 different and unconcerned as to what paries in Eu- 

 rope, and as little affected with it, as you and I 

 Madam are, with what relates to their private con- 

 cerns. 



In the fecond place, mould I make ufe of the 

 priviledge of a traveller, T know you too well to 

 venture upon taking that liberty with you, or to 

 flatter myfelf I mould find any credit with you, 

 mould I attempt it. You may therefore lay afide 

 ali fuch apprehenfions in myfelf, for I feel no man- 

 ner of inclination to forge adventures : I have al- 

 ready had an experimental proof of the truth of 

 what is faid by an ancient author, that men carry 

 their own. peculiar genius and manners about with 

 them crofs all feas, and through all changes of cli- 

 mate, let therr^go where they will and 1, for my 

 part, hope to preserve that fincerity, for which you 

 know me, crofs thb vaft regions of America, and 

 through thofe feas, which feparate that New World 

 from ours. You are ^leafed to exprefs fome con- 

 cern for my health, whiqi you do not think fuffici- 

 ently confirmed to undertake fo long and fatiguing 

 a voyage but thank God, I gather ftrength daily, 



