150 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



teftimony of Acofta, on the almoft infinite number of 

 lakes and marfties, on the veins of heavy metals, which 

 are found almoft on the furface of the earth, on the ma- 

 rine bodies which are found heaped together lying in 

 the moft low inland places, on the deftru&ion of the 

 great quadrupeds, and, laftly, on the unanimous tradi- 

 tion of the Mexicans, Peruvians, and all the favages 

 from the land of Magellan to the river St. Lawrence, 

 who all teftify of their anceftors on the mountains dur- 

 ing the time the valleys were laid under water. 



It is true that Acofta, in book L chap. 25 of his hif- 

 tory, doubts whether that which the Americans fay of 

 the deluge ought to be underftood of that of Noah, or 

 of fome other particular one which happened in their 

 land, as thofe of Deucalion and Ogyges in Greece ; and 

 it appears alfo that he inclines to adhere to this opinion 

 which he fays has been adopted by fome judicious men : 

 but, notwithstanding, in book V. chap. 19, fpeaking of 

 the firft conqueft of the Incas, he gives us to underftand 

 that he firmly believed, that it ought to be underftood 

 of the deluge of Noah. " The pretext, (he fays) under 

 which they conquered and rendered themfelves mafters 

 of the land was that of feigning that after the univerfal 

 deluge (of which all thofe Indians had knowledge) they 

 had new peopled the world, feven of them ifluing from 

 the cave of Pacaritambo, and that all other men there- 

 fore ought to render them homage as their progenitors." 

 Acofta, therefore, knew that that tradition of the Ame- 

 ricans refpe&ed the univerfal deluge, and that the fa- 

 bles with which it was blended had been invented by the 

 Incas to eftablifli the right of their empire. What 

 would that author have faid, if he had had thofe proofs 

 in favour of the tradition which we have ? The Mexi- 



cans, 



