HISTORICAL SKETCH. 213 



rican States ; but if they do not, some of 

 the tribes may still preserve their inde- 

 pendence, without its being possible, per- 

 haps, for any of the states, should it even 

 be their wish, to reduce them to obedi- 

 ence. 



The Indian, as a general description, 

 may be said to have a large head, a nar- 

 row forehead, hair black, lank and long, 

 eyes of middling size, sharp nose, wide 

 mouth, thick lips, and broad face. The 

 colour, which is that of copper, varies in 

 its shades in different parts of the two 

 Americas ; the stature also differs from 

 four and a half to six feet. Their limbs, 

 large and muscular, have the appearance 

 of great strength ; an appearance which 

 probably deceived their first conquerors, 

 who supposed them, in consequence, to 

 be capable of supporting hard labour: The 

 fact, however, is not so, as the Spaniards 



