312 



HISTORY OF MEXICO. 



of gems. The particular ufe of iron does not prove great 

 induftry in the Europeans. Invented by the firft men, 

 it palTed eafily from one to another ; and as the modern 

 Americans received it from the Europeans, in the fame 

 manner the ancient Europeans had it from the Afiatics. 

 The firft peoplers of America certainly knew the ufe of 

 iron, as the invention of it was cotemporary with the 

 world \ but it is probable, that that happened which we 

 have conjectured in our firft Diflertation, that is, not 

 having found at firft the mines of that metal in the north- 

 ern countries of America where they had fettled them- 

 felves, the memory of it was loft to their defcendants. 



But, finally, if thofe are barbarians who know not 

 the ufe of iron, what rauft they be who know not the 

 ufe of fire ? In all the vaft region of America, no nation 

 has been found, nor tribe fo rude, which did not know 

 the art of kindling fire, and employing it for the com- 

 mon purpofes of life ; but in the old world people have 

 been found fo barbarous, that they neither ufed nor had 

 any knowledge of fire. Such have been the inhabitants 

 of the Marian Iflands, to whom that element was totally 

 unknown until the Spaniards arrived there, as the hifto- 

 rians of thofe ifles atteft : yet M. de Paw would per- 

 fuade us that the American people are more favage than 

 all the favages of the old world. 



In other refpects, M. de Paw is as wrong in what he 

 fays of the iron of America as in what he thinks of the 

 copper. In New Spain, Chili, and many other countries 

 of America, numerous mines of good iron have been 

 difcovered, and if it was not prohibited to work them, 

 in prejudice of the commerce of Spain, America could 

 furnifti Europe all the neceflary iron in the fame manner 

 as die fupplies it with gold and filver. If M. de Paw 



had 



