NARRATIVE OF AN 



befides which, there are many others whofe manners are 

 unknown to us. All thefe tribes of Indians are in gene- 

 ral of a copper-colour ; while the negroes of Africa, that 

 live under the fame degree of latitude, are perfedlly black. 

 This, however inconceiv^able it may appear, is eafily ac- 

 countedfor, when one confiders,firft, that the American In- 

 dians in Guiana are conftantly refreflied by the cooling fea 

 breeze, or eafterly wind, that blows between the tropics ; 

 and that thofe who dwell in Terra-Firma and Peru, on the 

 Weft coaft, enjoy that fame eafterly breeze, ftill kept cool 

 by the great chain of inland mountains over which it 

 pafles, and which have their fummits perpetually covered 

 with fnow. While the inhabitants of Africa, fouth of 

 the river Senegal, get the fame eaft wind rather heated 

 than cooled, by the prodigious quantity of inland, hot, 

 fandy deferts over which it paffes. 



Thefe are the moft probable reafons why the Americans 

 are of a copper-colour or red, and the inhabitants of Africa, 

 called Negroes, are black, viz. the one being more burnt 

 by the fun than the other, and not becaufe they are two 

 diftin6l races of people : lince no perfon who examines 

 and refleds, can avoid feeing that there is but one race 

 of people on the earth, who differ from each other only 

 according to the foil and the climate in which they live. 

 I am further of opinion, that thefe aborigines, or In- 

 dian natives, will appear to have ftill lefs title to be called 

 a diftindt people from thofe of the old continent, when 

 we conlider the proximity of Ruffia to North America,, 



whence: 



