HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



273 



fuftenance, the clothing, and commerce of thofe provin- 

 ces ; and without them fo little can be done, that in the 

 year 1762, the harveft of wheat was abandoned in many- 

 places on account of a ficknefs which prevailed and pre- 

 vented the Indians from reaping it. But this is not all ; 

 the Americans are they who cut and tranfport all the 

 neceffary timber from the woods ; who cut, tranfport, 

 and w r ork the ftones ; who make lime, plafter, and 

 tiles ; who conftruci: all the buildings of that kingdom, 

 except a few places where none of them inhabit ; who 

 open and repair all the roads, who make the canals and 

 fluices, and clean the cities. They work in many mines 

 of gold, of filver, of copper, &c. they are the fhephcrds, 

 herdfmen, weavers, potters, baiket-makers, bakers, cou- 

 riers, day-labourers, &c. ; in a word, they are the per- 

 fons who bear all the burden of public labours. Thefe 

 are the employments of the weak, daftardly, and ufelefs 

 Americans, while the vigorous M. de Paw and other in- 

 defatigable Europeans are occupied in writing invectives 

 againft them. 



Thefe labours, in which the Indians are continually 

 employed, certainly atteft their healthinefs and ftrength ; 

 as, if they are able to undergo fuch fatigues, they can- 

 not be difeafed, nor have an exhaulted ftream of blood 

 in their veins, as M. de Paw infinuates. In order to 

 make it believed that their conftitutions are vitiated, he 

 copies whatever he finds written by hiftorians of Ame- 

 rica whether true or falfe, refpefting the difeafes which 

 reign in fome particular countries of that great conti- 

 nent ; and efpeciaily concerning the venereal diftemper, 

 which he conceives to be truly American. With re- , 

 fpecl: to the venereal diforder, we {hall treat of it at large 

 in another Differtation : concerning other difeafes, we 



Vol. III. N n grant, 



