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graphers, that in fome iflands near the coafl: of 

 Africa, amongft: which are the Canaries, fome an- 

 cient edifices have been feen, and which are a cer- 

 tain proof that thefe iflands were inhabited before 

 they were difcovered by the Europeans : now it is 

 certain, fays he, that fince they were afterwards en- 

 tirely deferred, the inhabitants muft have retired 

 elfewhere ; and there is great reafon to believe that 

 they pafled over to America, the paflfage being nei- 

 ther long nor difficult. 



This migration, according to the calculation of 

 thefe authors, muft have happened about two thou- 

 fand years ago : at that time, the Spaniards were 

 much infefted by the Carthaginians, and a fliort 

 while afterwards, no lefs fo by the Romans. Now 

 is it not natural to think, that feveral amongft thofe 

 mould bethink themfelves of taking refuge in a 

 country, where they might have nothing to fear 

 from the ambition of their enemies ; and what 

 could have hindered them from retiring to the An- 

 tilles by way of the weftern iflands, which are fitu- 

 ated exactly half way in that voyage ? the vefltls of 

 the Carthaginians were very proper for this naviga- 

 tion, and might very well ferve the Spaniards for 

 models, by which to build others of the fame con- 

 ftruction. They had the ftill recent example of 

 Hanno, the famous Carthaginian, before their eyes, 

 who had failed very far to the weftward. It is no 

 lefs probable, that people might have crofted from 

 the Cape Yerd Iflands to Brazil. The Autololes, 

 whom Pliny has placed in their neighbourhood, 

 were Getulians, and not Ethiopians ; their colour 

 and manners fufficiently correfpond with thofe of 

 the Brafilians. 



£ BUREAU OF 1 ' 



AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY j HrPlf 



JL I H A. K Y 



