270 HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



would be neceffary that the experiment of wreftling was 

 made between many individuals of each continent, and 

 that the victory fhould be attefted by the Americans as 

 well as the Europeans. But however that may be, we 

 do not pretend to maintain, that the Americans are 

 ftronger than the Europeans. They may be lefs ftrong 

 without the human fpecies having degenerated in them. 

 The Swifs are ftronger than the Italians, and (till we do 

 not believe the Italians are degenerated, nor do we tax 

 the climate of Italy. The inftance of two hundred thou- 

 fand Americans having died in one year, under the 

 weight of baggage, were it true, would not convince 

 us fo much of the weaknefs of the Americans, as of the 

 inhumanity of the Europeans. In the fame manner that 

 thofe two hundred thoufand Americans perifhed, two 

 hundred thoufand Pruffians would alfo have periflied 

 had they been obliged to make a journey of between 

 three and four hundred miles, with a hundred pounds 

 of burden upon their backs ; if they had collars of iron 

 about their necks, and were obliged to carry that load 

 over rocks and mountains ; if thofe who became exhauft- 

 ed with fatigue, or wounded their feet fo as to impede 

 their progrefs, had their heads cut off that they might 

 not retard the pace of the reft ; and if they were not 

 allowed but a fmall morfel of bread to enable them to 

 fupport fo fevere a toil. The fame author (m) from 

 whom M. de Paw got the account of the two hundred 

 thoufand Americans who died under the fatigue of car- 

 rying baggage, relates alfo all the above mentioned cir- 

 cumftances. If that author therefore is to be credited 

 in the laft, he is alfo to be credited in the firft. But a 



philofopher 



(m) Las Cafas. 



