INHABITANTS OP PEJlU. 



283 



approach to lift them from the earth. In that case, they rear 

 and love them afFe6tionately. Can it be credited, however, 

 that a mother can refuse to stretch out her arms, at the joyful 

 moment when she receives the fruit of her pangs ? When the 

 tender cries of the infant put in motion all the afFe6lion of 

 which the human heart is susceptible, will she be desirous that 

 her offspring should pass from her own bowels into those of 

 the earth ? These Indians may perhaps think the days of man 

 so unhappy, that they confer on him a kindness, when they 

 abridge the term of his misfortunes ; but they would not do 

 this in so cruel a manner. They are in possession of poisons. 

 It is beyond a doubt, that the Carthaginians sacrificed their 

 children to their false deities ; and that the Chinese expose 

 them on the highways, to want, and the inclemency of the 

 weather ; — certainly a most barbarous and infallible death, 

 unless they are succoured by the piety of the passenger. But 

 the Indians have neither the fanaticism nor the indigence of 

 those nations. They live in a manner naked, and have not 

 any hand which oppresses them, nor any gods which require 

 bloody holocausts : securi adversus homines, securi adversus deos* ; 

 and it is necessary that they should multiply, to cultivate their 

 fields, and to maintain the mutual and constant wars which 

 are fomented. 



They find some difficulty in subsisting without implements 

 of husbandry, which is not owing to any deficiency of soil and 

 rivers, since these are most fertile in fruits, birds, quadrupeds, 

 and fishes ; but they cannot dispense with certain roots which 

 require culture. Of these the principal is the yuca, with 



* Corn. Tacit, de Moribus Germ. 

 O O 2 



which 



