HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



Ill 



It is not lefs incredible, that thofe animals were tran- 

 fported there by men in mips, efpecially if we fuppofe 

 their arrival on the coafts of America to have been acci- 

 dental and fortuitous. If fuch voyage was undertaken 

 from defign, they might have carried fome fquirrels and 

 curious apes with them for amufement, fome rabbits, 

 hares and techichis, that, after multiplying, they might 

 ferve for food, and fome deer, martins, and even tygers, 

 for their fkins to clothe them ; but to what purpofe car- 

 ry wolves, foxes, American lions, &c. which, inftead of 

 being of any ufe, might prove detractive to them ? For 

 the chafe ? But might they not have enjoyed this re- 

 creation without any injury from animals lefs ferocious ? 

 And if, laftly, we fuppofe thofe firfl peoplers fo foolifh 

 as to carry fuch pernicious animals to new countries to 

 hunt them, we cannot dill think them to have been fo 

 mad as to take alfo fo many fpecies of ferpents, for the 

 pleafure of killing them afterwards. 



With refpecl to the third folution, that God had 

 created the animals in America, as he had created them 

 in Afia, that would unqueftionably cut off every diffi- 

 culty, were it not contradictory to facred hiftory. 



There remains another folution of the palfage of 

 beafts, which is the fame that we mentioned in treating 

 of men. It may be imagined, that beads might pafs 

 over fome frozen {Trait of the fea ; but can any perfon 

 perfuade himfelf, that feveral fpecies of voracious ani- 

 mals mould tranfport themfelves to thofe regions defti- 

 tute of every thing which could ferve for their food ; 

 and that others, whofe natures were repugnant to cold, 

 fhould dare to venture, in the rigor of winter, over re- 

 gions of ice ? 



As 



