TheHijtoryof BookII, 



a ppint wherein the ancient Pagans faw as little as our Caribbe- 

 an* : There is alfo a fmall fpark of it among the Indians of Pe- 

 r«j as rnoft Authors affirm. 



But though the Caribbians have fo little knowledge ami feat 

 of God, as we have reprefented, yet are they extreamly afraid 

 of his voice, that is Thunder } that dreadful voice which makes 

 fuch a ftir in the clouds, which is attended by fuch flames of 

 fire,which {hakes the foundations of the Mountains, ana 1 make9 

 the Nem/ and Caligulaes of this world to tremble : Our Sava- 

 ges therefore aflbon as they perceive the approaches of the 

 Tempeft, which commonly comes along with that voice, make 

 altthe hafte they can to their little houfes^and fit down on low 

 ftools about the fire, covering their faces and refting their heads 

 on their hands and knees^and in that pofture they fall a weepings 

 and fay in their Gibberilh, Maboya mouche fache coxtre Caraibe, 

 that is, Maboya is very angry with them : and they (ay the fame 

 when there happens a Hurricane : They give not over that la- 

 menting exercife, till the Hurricane ^ quite over and they 

 are extreamly aftonifti'd, that the Christians flaoujd exprefs fo 

 fo little affli&ion and; fear upon thofe occafions. Thus the 

 Rubriques Grand Tartars^ mightily afraid of Thunder, and when they 

 inbisTra- hear it, they drive all ft rangers out of their houfes,, and wrap 

 vels into themfel ves up in Garment of coarfe cloth, which they put; 

 Tartary. not Q ff t \\\ thenoiie be over > And divers other barbarous Na- 

 tions are no lefs frighted than theCar ibbians upon the fike occar 

 fions .* Nay it is reported that the Peruvians, the Cnmvefis^ the* 

 Chinejes 3 and the Moluckefisjwkate them in lamentations and 

 frights, when there happens a# Eclipfe. 



Yet is it true, that fince the Caribbians have converted rami- 

 liarly with the Chriftians, fome of them; are grown fo refolut© 

 as not to be afraidof the Thunder: fya foms have, been feentQs 

 laugh when it thundred moft, and others countecfeited the 

 noife, pronouncing a word which is n.ofi eafily written, and 

 whereof the found comes iomewbat nee* thefe letters,Wr^e- 

 tenni : But it is vervj certain w^hajlijrtii^^^heyvdo^heirnatu^ 

 ral inclination a great violence when they pretend. that they 

 are not afraidipC the Thunder, and; Jtki^FUt^Manity which 

 eggs them on to perforate that confidence^ m peufvyade thofe 

 who fee them, that upon thofe emergencies their ggnerofity is 

 as great as that of the Ghriftians i For fome of the &ewh In- 

 habitants of Martinico who,ba\5e f furjpri?iditliemin-their Qyar-> 

 ters when^t thundred and lighinedi affirm, ttoatrtheyifound the 

 moft refolute among them ihiyering with fear in tbek poon 

 Huts. • » 



Now ,t>js .trouble and thefe difturbanas whioh they jdi&over 

 at the hearing of that cceleftial voice,are they not a vifibieefTecl 

 of the fentiment they have of an infinite and >fovereign Power* 

 imprinted byNature on the minds of alimeu, and a pregnant 



proof, 



