( i& > 



The firft land of America which is di (covered on 

 a. voyage from France to Canada is Newfoundland, 

 one of the iargeft iOands we are acquainted with. 

 It has never yet been fully determined, whether its 

 inhabitants are natives of the country, and its bar- 

 jrennefs, were it really as great as it is fuppofed to 

 be, would be no fufficient proof that they are not % 

 for hunting and frilling afford fufficient fubfiftence 

 for Indians. What is certain is, that none but Ef- 

 kimaux have ever been feen upon it, who are not 

 originally of this iRand. Their real native country 

 is the land of Labor ador, or Labrador., it is there, 

 at lea it, they pafs the greater! part of the year for, 

 in my opinion, it would be profaning the grateful 

 appellation of a native country, to apply it to wan- 

 dering barbarians who have no affe&ion for any 

 country, and who being fcarce able to people two 

 or three villages, yet occupy an immenfe extent of 

 land. In effect:, be fides the coafts of Newfound* 

 land, which the Efkimaux wander over in the fu ai- 

 mer- time, there are none but that people to be feen 

 throughout all that vaft continent lying betwixt the 

 river St. L awrence, Canada, and the North fea. 

 Some of them have been even found at a great dif- 

 tance from hence up the river Bourbon, which runs 

 from the weftvvard, and falls into Hudibn's-Bay, 



The origin of their name is not certain, but it is 

 probably derived from the Abenaquife word Efqui- 

 wantris, which fignifies an eater of raw fiefh. The 

 Efquimaux are in fact the only lavages we know of 

 who eat raw flefh, though they are like wife in ufe 

 to broil or dry it in the fum, it is likewife certain, 

 that there is no nation known in America, which 

 anfwers better to the firft idea Europeans are apt to 

 conceive of favages. They are almoft the only na- 

 tion amongft whom the men have beards, which 



Vol. L S grow 



