34 ' TRAVELS IN 
ditions only remain, as a folitary tePcimony 
through fucceffive ages. 
The lot of thefe unhappy fugitives, mar- 
tyrs of their religion, whatever it be, who 
have forfaken euery things even the tombs of 
their anceilors, to tranfplant themfelves to the 
extremities of Africa, excited in my breaft 
the mofl tender commiferation, of which they 
little fufpeded the caufe. Since my return to 
France, though immenfe oceans feparate'us 
from each other, this interefl: has daily in- 
creafed. Liberty would willingly efface the 
very remembrance of fo dafcardly a profcrip- 
tion. The younger children of thefe wretched 
parents will perhaps one day find, in their 
old country, the enjoyment of all the bleffings 
which the rage of priefts and the fatal com- 
plaifance of a defpot have robbed them of. 
Lean nowhere fo properly relate as here 
the manner in which grants of land were 
formerly made in this fo long uncultivated 
country, and the iifages that ftill take place 
upon the fubjecl. I could wifh the reader to 
be particularly attentive to this account, in 
which he will difcover fomething of the ori- 
gin of human poffeffions and eftablifliments. 
I owe 
