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izx ICtbris 
 
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A N 
 
 ACCOUNT 
 
 OF THE 
 
 European Settlements 
 
 I N 
 
 A M E RICA. 
 
 In Six Parts. 
 
 I A fhort Hiftory of the Dif- 
 covery of that Part of the 
 World. 
 
 II.The Manners and Cuftoms 
 of the original Inhabitants. 
 
 Ill Of the Spanifh Settlements. 
 
 IV. Of the Portuguefe. 
 
 V. Of the French, Dutch, 
 and Danifh. 
 
 VI. Of the Englifli. 
 
 Each Part contains 
 
 An accurate Defcription of the Settlements in it," 
 their Extent, Climate, Productions, Trade, Genius 
 and Difpofition of their Inhabitants : the Interefts 
 of the feveral Powers of Europe with refpecr. to 
 thofe Settlements •, and their Political and Commer- 
 cial Views with regard to each other. 
 
 In TWO VOLUMES. 
 
 VOL. I. 
 
 LONDON: 
 Printed for R. and J. Dodslev in Pall-Mall. 
 
 MDCCLVII 
 
»4$ 
 
THE 
 
 PREFACE. 
 
 cr^HE affairs of America have lately en- 
 gaged a great deal of the public attention. 
 Before the prefent war there were but a very 
 few who made the hi/lory of that quarter of 
 the world any part of their ftudy ; though the 
 matter is certainly very curious in itfelf and 
 extremely inter efting to us as a trading people* 
 The hi/lory oj a country which, though vajl 
 in extent, is the property of only four nations - 9 
 and which, though peopled probably for a feries 
 of ages, is only known to the refi of the world 
 for about two centuries, does not naturally af- 
 jord matter for many volumes. Tet it is cer- 
 tain, that to acquire a proper knowledge of the 
 hijlory of the events in America, an idea of 
 it's prefent Jlate, and a competent judgment 
 oj it's trade, a great deal of reading has 
 been found requijite. And I may add, that 
 the reading on many parts of this fubjedl is 
 dry and difgujling that authors have treated 
 A 2 on 
 
The PREFAC E. 
 
 on it, fome without a fufficient knowledge of the 
 fubjeff, and others in fuch a manner as ?io 
 k?iow ledge of the fubjetl in the author could in- 
 duce any body to become readers. That fane are 
 haded with a lumber of matter that can inter eft 
 very few, and that others obfcure the truth in 
 many particular s? to gratify the low prejudices 
 of parties , and I may fay of nations. Whatever 
 is written by the Etiglifh fettled in our colo- 
 nies, is to be read with great caution , becaufe 
 very few of them write without a bias to the 
 inter efl of the particular province to which 
 they belongy or perhaps to a particular faction 
 in that province. It is only by comparing the 
 printed accounts with one another, and thofe 
 with the beft private informations, and corr eff- 
 ing all by authentic matter of record? that one 
 can dif cover the truth ; and this hath been a 
 7iiatter of fome difficulty. 
 
 With regard to the foreign fettlements y re- 
 course was had to the beft printed accounts of 
 travellers and others - 7 and in fome points to 
 private informationjrom intelligent traders. 
 
 The 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 The materials for the foreign fettlements are 
 far from being as perfect, or as much to be 
 def ended upon as we could wijh ; it was very 
 feldom that I could venture to iranfcribe any 
 thing direBIy from them without fome addition 
 $r fome corrective. 
 
 In the hijlorical part \ of this work, I fixed 
 my eye principally on fome capital matters, 
 which might the mojl fully engage and heft 
 reward the attention of the reader ; and in 
 treating of thofe I dwelt only upon fuch events 
 as feemedtome to afford fome political infrac- 
 tion, or to open the characters of the principal 
 aBors in thofe great fcenes. The affairs which 
 feemed mojl worthy of an account of any 
 length, are thofe fplendid and remarkable 
 events of the difcovery of America, and the 
 conquejl of the only two civilized kingdoms it 
 contained. 
 
 In treating of other parts, I have given Jo 
 much of the hi ft or y of each country as may ferve 
 to Jhew, when and upon what principles it was 
 planted, to enable the reader the better to judge 
 
 of 
 
Wbe PREFACE. 
 
 of ifsprefent condition. Thefe accounts arc very 
 Jhort ; and confidering of what fort of matter 
 their hi/lories are compofed, 1 believe I Jhall 
 deferve as much for what I have omitted, as 
 for what I have infer ted. If I could not write 
 well upon any fubjetf, I have endeavoured 
 always to write concifely. 
 
 My principal view in treating of the feve- 
 ralfettlements, was to draw every thing towards 
 their trade, which is the point that concerns 
 us the mo/l materially $ for which reafon I 
 have but little confidered their civil, and yet 
 lefs their natural hi/lory, further than as they 
 tended to throw feme light upon the commerce 
 of thefe countries ; except where the matters 
 were very curious, and ferved to diverffy the 
 work. 
 
 It is not to be expected that a performance of 
 this kind can be written equally throughout* 
 In feme places the fubjeB rcfufes all ornament \ 
 a?id the matter, dry in itfelf, is by no art to 
 be made otherwife : in feme a contagion commit- 
 nicated from the dulncfs of materials, which 
 t yet 
 
"The PREFACE. 
 
 yet were necejfary to the work, may probably 
 appear ; in many, and perhaps the mo/I blame- 
 able parts, the author alone muft be anfwer- 
 able ; however there are fome errors of the 
 prefs, efpecially towards the beginning, which 
 are owing to the author s abfence from it. 
 
 Having fpoken perhaps a little too hardly 
 of my ma terials, I mujl except the ajfijlance 
 I have had from the judicious colleciioh called 
 Harris's voyages. Inhere are not many finer 
 pieces than the hi/lory of Brazil in that col- 
 lection ; the- light in which the author fets the 
 events in that hi/lory is fine and inflruBive an 
 uncommon Jpirit prevails through it \ and his 
 remarks are every where Jlriking and deep. The 
 little Jketch I have given in the part of Portu- 
 guefe America, if it has any merit, it is entire- 
 ly due to that original. However the accounts 
 given of many things in that part of his 
 work which relates to the Englijh and French 
 fettlements may be defective, and fuited ra- 
 ther to the ancient than to the prefent Jlate 
 of a fairs in that part of the world: his 
 
 remarks, 
 
The PREFACE. 
 
 remarks have rarely this fault ; and where 1 
 differ from him in any refpecl, it is with defe- 
 rence to the judgment of a writer to whom 
 this nation is much obliged, for endeavouring 
 every where with fo much good fenfe and elo- 
 quence to rouze that fpirit of generous enter- 
 prize^ that can alone make any nation powerful 
 or glorious. 
 
 ERRATA. 
 
 P. L. Vol. I. 
 
 20 25 for numberlefs read a number.. 
 
 21 5 for it in future read a fortune. 
 
 22 12 for were, read was, 
 
 37 2 4 f or happening read hoping. 
 
 40 26 for conceal read cancel. 
 
 48 20 for acquainted read acquitted. 
 
 66 10 for fufpended read fuperfeded. 
 
 70 1 7 for remote read remoteft. 
 
 82 17 /*r mall more be delivered them? read more 
 mall be delivered them. 
 
 79 16 for invention read intention. 
 
 86 30 for went read he went. 
 
 89 8 for their read and their. 
 I0 3 2 7 f or indifpofition read ill difpofition. 
 Ill 22 for unto read into. 
 115 21 f or deferted read defeated. 
 J 39 & for buried read burned. 
 140 8 for relieved read released. 
 
 Vol. II. 
 
 283 19 after the wWlatitude read 54. 
 
 3 
 
A N 
 
 ACCOUNT 
 
 OFJHE 
 EUROPEAN SETTLEMENTS 
 I N 
 
 AMERICA. 
 
 B 
 
t 3 3 
 
 PART I. 
 
 The difcovery of America^ and the 
 reduEtion of Mexico and Peru. 
 
 CHAP. I 
 
 HERE was an extraordinary 
 coincidence of events at the 
 time that the difcovery of 
 America made one of the 
 principal - y the invention of 
 printing, the making of gun- 
 powder, the improvement of navigation, 
 the revival of ancient learning, and the re- 
 formation ; all of thefe confpired to change 
 the face of Europe entirely. At this time 
 the principal monarchies began to knit, and 
 to acquire the ftrength, and take the form they 
 have at this day. Before this period the manners 
 of Europe were whollv barbarous ; even in 
 Italy, where the natural mildnefs of the climate, 
 and the dawning of literature had a little foften- 
 ed the minds of the people, and introduced 
 fomething approaching towards politenefs, 
 the hiftory preceding this asra, and indeed for 
 fome time after it, is nothing but one feries of 
 Vol. I. B 2 treafons, 
 
4 An Account of the European 
 
 treafons, ufurpations, murders, and maflacres : 
 nothing of a manly courage, nothing of a folid 
 and rational policy Scarce any ftate had then 
 very extenfive views, or looked much further 
 than to the prefent advantage. They did not 
 well comprehend the complicated lyftem of 
 interefts that Europe formed even long before 
 this. Lewis the eleventh, who was looked 
 upon as one of the wifeft princes in his time, 
 and one who facrificed every thing to his am- 
 bition, facrificed one of the faireft objects of 
 that ambition to a pique, which lince his 
 time could have little influence on the counfels 
 of any prince. His fon, Charles the eighth, 
 as he won Italy without either courage or con- 
 duct, fo he loft it by a chain of falfe meafures, 
 fuch as we may venture to fay has no parallel 
 in later times. A wild romantic courage in 
 the Northern and Weftern parts of Europe, 
 and a wicked policy in the Italian ftates, was 
 the character of that age. If we look into the 
 manners of the courts, there appear but very 
 faint marks of cultivation and politenefs. The 
 interview between our Edward the fourth and 
 his brother of France, wherein they were 
 both caged up like wild beafts, fhews difpofi- 
 tions very remote from a true fenfe of honour, 
 from the dignity of their ftation, or any juft 
 ideas of politenefs and humanity. All the 
 anecdotes which remain of thefe and other 
 courts, are in the fame fpirrt. 
 
 If 
 
Settlements in America. 5 
 
 If the courts had made fnch poor advances 
 in policy and in politenefs, which might feem 
 the natural growth of courts at any time, both 
 the courts and the people were yet lefs ad- 
 vanced in ufeful knowledge. The little learning 
 which then fubfifted, was only the dotage of 
 the fcholaftick philofophy of words ; together 
 with the infancy of politer learning, which 
 only concerned words too, tho' in another 
 way. The elegance and purity of the Latin 
 tongue was then the higheft, and almoft the 
 only point of a fcholar's ambition. Mathe- 
 matical learning was little valued or cultivated. 
 The true fyftem of the heavens was not 
 dreamed of. There was no knowledge at all 
 of the real form of the earth ; and in general 
 the ideas of mankind were not extended be- 
 yond their fenfible horizon. 
 
 In this ftate of affairs Chriftopher Colum- 
 bus, a native of Genoa, undertook to extend 
 the boundaries which ignorance had given to 
 the world. This man's defign arofe from the 
 juft idea he had formed of the figure of the 
 earth ; though the maps, more erroneous than 
 his conjectures, made him miftakethe object. 
 His defign was to find a paiTage to China and 
 India by the Weftern ocean. It is not im- 
 probable, that befides the glory attending fuch 
 a difcovery, and the private advantages of for- 
 tune he might propofe to derive from it, Co- 
 lumbus had a further incentive from national 
 B 3 jealoufy 
 
6 An Account, of the European 
 
 jealoufy and refentment. Venice and Genoa 
 were then almoft the only trading powers in 
 Europe ; and they had no other fupport of 
 their power but their commerce. This bred a 
 rivalfhip, a jealoufy, and frequent wars be- 
 tween them ; but in traffick Venice was 
 much fuperior ; me had drawn to herfelf al- 
 moft the whole commerce of India, always 
 one of the moft valuable in the world, and then 
 carried on only by the way of Egypt and the 
 Red Sea. An emulation of this kind might 
 probably have put Columbus on finding ano- 
 ther and more direct paffage to the Eaft-lndies, 
 and by that means transferring this profitable 
 trade to his own country. But neither that 
 which he fought, nor that which he found, 
 was deftined for his country. However, he 
 performed the duty of a good citizen, and 
 made his firft propofal at home ; at home it 
 was rejected Discharged of this obligation, 
 he applied to the court of France, and meeting 
 no better fuccefs there, he offered next his 
 fervices to our Henry the feventh. This 
 prince was rather a prudent fteward and ma- 
 nager of a kingdom than a great king, and one 
 of rhofe defenfive geniufeswho are the la ft in 
 the world to relifh a great but problematical 
 defign. It is therefore no wonder that his 
 brother, whom Columbus had employed to 
 follicit in England, after feveral years fpent 
 here, had little fuccefs in his negotiation. But 
 
Settlements in America. 7 
 
 in Portugal, where he applied himfelf after his 
 failure here, his offers were not on J y Reeled, 
 but he was infulted and ridiculed > he found, 
 however, in thefe infults, and this ridicule, a 
 new incitement to purfue his fcheme, urged 
 forward by the ftings of anger and refentment. 
 
 Laft of all he exercifed his intereft and his 
 patience for eight years together at the court of 
 Ferdinand and Ifabella. There is a fort of 
 enthufiafm in all projectors, abfolutely necef- 
 fary for their affairs, which makes them proof 
 againft the moft fatiguing delays, the mod 
 mortifying difappointments, the moft (hock- 
 ing infults 5 and what is feverer than all, 
 the prefumptuous judgments of the ignorant 
 upon their deiigns. Columbus had a fufficient 
 mare of this quality. He had every day, 
 during this long fpace, to combat with every 
 objection that want of knowledge, or that a 
 falfe knowledge could propofe. Some held 
 that the known world, which they thought 
 was all that could be known, floated like a vaft 
 fcum upon the ocean ; that the ocean itfelf 
 was infinite. Others, who entertained more 
 juft notions, and believed that the whole of 
 the earth and waters compofed one vaft globe, 
 drew a confequence from it as abfurd as the 
 former opinion. For they argued, that if 
 Columbus fhould fail beyond a certain point, 
 the convexity of this globe would prevent his 
 return. As is ufual in fuch cafes, every one 
 
 Vol. L li 4 abounded 
 
8 An Account of the Europe am 
 
 abounded with objections. His whole time 
 was fpent in fruitlels endeavours to enlighten 
 ignorance, to remove prejudice, and to van- 
 quifh that obftinate incredulity, which is of 
 all others the greateft enemy to improvement, 
 rejecting every thing as falfe and abfurd, which 
 is ever fo little out of the track of common ex^ 
 perience j and it is of the more dangerous con- 
 sequence, as it carries a delufive air of coolnefs, 
 of temper and wifdom. With all this he had 
 yet greater difficulties from the interefts of 
 mankind, than from their malignity and igno- 
 rance. The expence of the undertaking, in- 
 confiderable as this expence was, was at the 
 bottom the chief fupport of the other ob- 
 jections, and had more weight than all the reft 
 together. However, with an affiduity and 
 firmnefs of mind, never enough to be admired 
 and applauded, he at length overcame all diffi- 
 culties ; and, to his inexprefiible joy, with a 
 fleets of three fhips, and the title and command 
 of an admiral, fet fail on the third of Auguft, 
 1492, on a voyage the mod daring and grand 
 in the defign, and in the event of which the 
 world was the moft concerned of any that ever 
 yet was undertaken. 
 
 It muft not be omitted here, in honour to 
 the fex, and in juftice to lobelia, that this 
 fcheme was fir ft countenanced, and the equip- 
 ment made by the queen only ; the king 
 had no (hare in it 5 Ihe even railed the mo- 
 ney 
 
Settlements in America. 
 
 ney neceflary for the defign upon her own 
 jewels. 
 
 I do not propofe to relate all the particulars 
 of Columbus's voyage in a track now fo well 
 known, and fo much frequented ; but then 
 there was no chart to direct him, no lights 
 from former navigators, no experience of the 
 winds and currents peculiar to thole feas. Ke 
 had no guide but his own genius, nor anv 
 thing to comfort and appeafe his companions, 
 difcouraged and mutinous with the length and 
 hopelefsnefs of the voyage, but fome indica- 
 tions which he drew from the cafual appear- 
 ances of land birds, and floating fea- weeds, 
 moft of them little to be depended upon, but 
 which this wife commander, well acquainted 
 with the human heart, always knew how 
 to turn to the beft advantage. It, wets in this 
 expedition that the variation of the compafs 
 was firft obferved ; an appearance which has 
 ever fince puzzled all philofophers, and which 
 at this time made a great impreffion upon 
 Columbus's pilots % when in an unknown and 
 boundlefs ccean, far from the road of all for- 
 mer navigation, nature itfelf feemed altered, 
 and the only guide thev had left, appeared to 
 be upon the point of forfaiting them. But 
 Columbus, with a wonderful quicknefs and fa- 
 gacity, pretended to difcover a phyfical caufe 
 for this appearance, which, though it did not 
 fatisfy himfelf, was plaufible enough to remove 
 
 fome- 
 
io An Account of the European 
 
 fomething of the terror of his mariners. Ex- 
 pedients of this kind were daily wanting, and 
 the fertile genius of this difcoverer invented 
 them daily. At laft by ufe they began to lofe 
 their effedt \ the crew infifted on his returning, 
 and grew loud and infolent in their demand. 
 They even talked of throwing him overboard. 
 Even his own invention, and almofl his hopes 
 were near exhaufted, when the only thing 
 which could appeafe them happened, the clear 
 difcovery of land, after a voyage of thirty- 
 three days, the longeft ever any man was 
 known to be from fight of fhore before that 
 time. 
 
 They landed on one of the iflands now 
 called Lucayos, or Bahamas, which is remark- 
 able for nothing but this event > and here it 
 was, that the two worlds, if I may ufe the ex- 
 preffion, were firfl introduced to one another ; 
 a meeting of an extraordinary nature, and 
 which produced great changes in both. The 
 firft thing Columbus did, after thanking God 
 for the fuccefs of his important voyage, was to 
 take poffeffion of the ifland in the name of their 
 Catholick majefties, by fetting up a crofs upon 
 the fhore ; great multitudes of the inhabi- 
 tants looking on, ignorant and unconcerned at 
 a ceremony which was to deprive them of na- 
 tural liberty. The ftay of the Spaniards in 
 this ifland was but fhort , they found from the 
 extreme poverty of the people, that this was 
 
Settlements in America. h 
 
 by no means the Indies, which thev fought 
 for. 
 
 Columbus at his departure very prudently 
 took with him fome of the natives, that they 
 might learn the Spanifh tongue, and be his 
 guides and interpreters in this new fcene of 
 affairs ; ncr were they unwilling to accom- 
 pany him. He touched on feveral of the 
 iflands in the fame clufter, enquiring every 
 where for gold, which was the only objed: of 
 commerce he thought worth his care, becaufe 
 the only thing that could give the court of 
 Spain an high opinion of his difcoveries. All 
 directed him to a great ifland called Bohio, of 
 which they fpoke extraordinary things, and 
 principally that it abounded in gold. They 
 told him it lay to the Southward : to the 
 Southward he fleered his courfe, and found 
 the ifland, which he called Hifpaniola, no 
 ways inferior to the reports; commodious har- 
 bours, an agreeable climate, a good foil, and, 
 what was of mod confequence, a country that 
 promifed from fome lamples a great abundance 
 of gold; inhabited by an humane and hofpitable 
 people, in a ftate of fimplicity fit to be worked 
 upon. Thefe circumftances determined Co- 
 lumbus to make this ifland the center of his 
 defigns, to plant a colony there, and to eftablifli 
 things in fome permanent order before he pro- 
 ceeded to further difcoveries. But to carry his 
 defigns of a fettlement here, and his fchemes of 
 
 future 
 
12 An Account of the European 
 
 future difcoveries into execution, it was necef- 
 fary that he fhould return to Spain and equip 
 himfelf with a proper force. He had now 
 colleded a fufficient quantity of gold to give 
 credit to his voyage at court, and fuch a num- 
 ber of curiofities of "all kinds as might ftrike 
 the imaginations, and engage the attention of 
 the people. Before he parted, he took care to 
 fecure the friendfliip of the principal king of 
 the ifland by careffes and prefents, and under 
 pretence of leaving him a force fufficient to 
 affift him againft his enemies, he laid the 
 ground- work of a colony. He built a fort, and 
 put afmall garrifon of Spaniards into it, with 
 fuch direftions for their condud: as might en- 
 fure their fafety and the good offices of the 
 inhabitants, if the men had not been of that 
 kind, who are incapable of adting prudently 
 either from their own or other people's wifdom. 
 He did every thing to gain the efteem of the 
 natives, by the juftice, and even generofity of 
 his dealings, and the politenefs and humanity 
 with which he behaved upon every occafion. 
 He {hewed them too, that though it was not 
 in his will, it was not the lefs in his power to 
 do them mifchief, if they adled fo as to force 
 him upon hariher meafures. The furprizing 
 effe&s of his cannon, and the {harpnefs of the 
 Spanifh fwords, of which he made an innocent 
 oftentation, convinced them of this . 
 
 When 
 
Settlements in America. 13 
 
 When the Spaniards firft arrived in that 
 country, they were taken for men come from 
 heaven ; and it was no wonder, considering 
 the extreme novelty of their appearance, and 
 the prodigious fuperiority they had in every 
 refpect over a people in all the nakednefs of 
 mere nature. Whatever therefore the Indians 
 got from them, they valued in an high de- 
 gree, not only as curious and ufeful, but even 
 as things facred and the perfons of the 
 Spaniards were refpected in the fame light. 
 Columbus, who knew the value of opinion, 
 did all he could to keep them in their error ; 
 and indeed no action of his, either of weak- 
 nefs or cruelty, could furnifh matter to unde- 
 ceive them. For which reafon, on his depar- 
 ture, he left the people with the beft inclina- 
 tions imaginable to nurfe his infant colony. 
 And when he defired fome of the inhabitants 
 to carry into Spain, he was more at a lofs 
 whom he fhould accept, than how he fhould 
 ^prevail upon them to go. 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 ON his return homewards, ftill attentive to 
 his defign, he aimed at fuch difcoveries 
 as could be prolecuted without deviating con- 
 fiderably from his courfe. He touched upon 
 feveral iflands to the Southward, and disco- 
 vered the Caribbees, of the barbarity of whofe 
 
 inhabi- 
 
14 An Account of the European 
 
 inhabitants he had heard terrible accounts in 
 Hifpaniola. He had before landed upon Cu- 
 ba in his palTage from the Bahamas. So that 
 in this his firft voyage, he gained a general 
 knowledge of all the iflands, which lie in fuch 
 an aftonifhing number in that great fea which 
 divides North and South America. But hither- 
 to he neither knew nor fufpe&ed any conti- 
 nent between him and China. 
 
 He returned to Europe after an abfence of 
 above fix months, and was driven by a great 
 ftorm into the harbour of Lifbon. This he 
 did not look upon as a misfortune ; fince here, 
 he had the fatisfaftion of convincing the Por- 
 tuguefe demonstratively of what an error they 
 were guilty in rejecting his propofals. It was 
 now his turn to triumph. Thofe who want 
 fagacity to difcern the advantages of an offer, 
 when it is made to themfelves, and treat it 
 with the greateft fcorn, are always moft ftung 
 with envy when they adtually fee thefe advan- 
 tages in the hands of another. The Portu- 
 guefe had fome time before this begun to 
 make a figure : their {hips had coafted Africa 
 for a greater length than any had done before 
 them, which opened to them a profitable trade 
 to Guinea. This gave them a reputation. 
 They confidered difcovery as their proper pro- 
 vince ; and they were enraged to fee that the 
 Caftilians were now let into the fame path, in 
 confequence of an offer which they had re- 
 jected. 
 
Settlements ih America. 15 
 
 jefted. Some propofed to murder the ad- 
 miral ; but all were agreed to treat him in the 
 moft unworthy manner. However, their de- 
 fign of infulting him gave Columbus an oppor- 
 tunity at once of gratifying his refentment, 
 maintaining his own dignity, and afferting the 
 honour of the flag of Caftile. He fent to the 
 king at his firft entering the harbour, to de- 
 fire a liberty to come up to Lifbon and refrefli, 
 as he had his matter's orders not to avoid his 
 ports j adding, that he was not from Guinea, 
 but the Indies. An officer of the king of Por- 
 tugal came aboard him with an armed force, 
 and ordered him to come afliore, and give an 
 account of himfelf to the king's officers. Co- 
 lumbus told him he had the honour of ferving 
 the king of Caftile, and would own himfelf 
 accountable to no other. The Portuguefe then 
 defired him to fend the mafter of his fhip ; this 
 he likewife refufed, faying, that the admirals of 
 Caftile always chofe rather to die than deliver 
 up themfelves, or even the meaneft of their 
 men ; and if violence was intended, he was 
 prepared to meet force with force. A fpirited 
 behaviour, in almoft any circumftance of 
 ftrength 3 is the moft politick as well as the moft 
 honourable courfe ; we preferve a refpect at 
 leaftby it, and with that we generally preferve 
 every thing ; but when we lofe refpedt, every 
 thing is loft. We invite rather than fuffer in- 
 fults, and the firft is the only one we can refift 
 
 with 
 
1 6 An Account of the European 
 
 with prudence. Columbus found this ; die of- 
 ficer did not purfue his demands ; the admiral 
 had all the refrefhments he wanted ; and was 
 even received at court with particular marks 
 of diilinAion. 
 
 From Lifbon he proceeded to Seville ; the 
 court was then at Barcelona. But before he 
 went to give an account of his voyage, he 
 took all the care he could to provide for ano- 
 ther. He wrote an abftradt of his proceedings, 
 and fent with it a memorial of all fuch things 
 as were neceffary for the eftabliuhment of a co- 
 lony, and for further difcoveries foon after he 
 began his journey to Barcelona, every where 
 followed by the admiration and applaufes of 
 the people, who crowded to fee him from all 
 parts. He entered the city in a fort of triumph ; 
 there never was a more innocent triumph, nor 
 one that formed a more new and pleafing 
 fpedacle. He had not deftroyed, but difco- 
 vered nations. The Americans he had brought 
 with him appeared in all the uncouth finery 
 of their own country, wonder'd at by every 
 body, and themfelves admiring every thing 
 they faw. The feveral animals, many highly 
 beautiful, and all Grangers to this part of the 
 world, were fo difpofed as to be feen without 
 difficulty ; the other curiofities of the new 
 world were difplayed in the mod: advantage- 
 ous manner ; the utenfils, the arms, and the 
 ornaments of a people fo remote from us in 
 
 fituation 
 
Settlements in America, 17 
 
 fituation and manners ; fome valuable for the 
 materials ; even the rudenefs of the workman- 
 £hip in many made them the more curious, 
 when it was confidered by whom, and with 
 what inftruments they were wrought. The 
 gold was not forgot. The admiral himfelf 
 clofed the proceffion. He was received by the 
 king and queen with all imaginable marks of 
 efteem and regard, and they ordered a magnifi- 
 cent throne to be erefted in publick to do him 
 the greater honour. A chair was prepared for 
 him, in which he fat, and gave in prefence of 
 the whole court a full and circumftantial ac- 
 count of all his difcoveries, with that com- 
 pofednefs and gravity, which is fo extremely 
 agreeable to the Spanifh humour, and with the 
 modefty of a man who knows he has done 
 things which do not need to be proclaimed 
 by himfelf. The fuccefsful merit of Colum- 
 bus was now underftood by every body, and 
 when the king and queen led the way, all the 
 grandees and nobility of the court vied with 
 each other in their civilities and carelfes. 
 
 Thefe honours did not fatisfy Columbus. 
 He prepared with all expedition for a fecond 
 voyage. The difficulties attending the firft 
 were all vanifhed. The importance of the 
 objedl appeared every day more clearly, and 
 the court was willing to fecond the vivacity of 
 his defires to the full. But before his depar- 
 ture there was one thing which they judged 
 C wanting 
 
1 8 An Account of the European 
 
 wanting to give them a clear and unqueftion- 
 able right to the countries, which fhould be 
 difcovered. This was a grant of them from 
 the pope. The Portuguefe feme time before 
 had a grant of fuch lands as they fhould difcover 
 within certain latitudes; and this grant made 
 a firnilar one to the Spaniards more neceffary. 
 The pope accordingly gave a very ample bull 
 in their favour, very liberally conceding coun- 
 tries, of which he was fo far from having any 
 pofTeffion, that he had no knowledge of them. 
 The limits of this grant was a line drawn from 
 pole to pole, an hundred leagues to the Weft- 
 ward of the Azores ; on the other fide no 
 bounds at all were fet. This was afterwards 
 a fubject of much controverfy between the 
 crowns of Spain and Portugal, the latter having 
 got a grant of all that fhould be difcovered to 
 the Eaft, as the former had of all to the Weft- 
 ward ; thofe who drew the bulls not having 
 known enough of the figure of the earth to 
 fee, that thefe grants muft neceffarily clafh 
 with one another : and the powers which de- 
 fired them, were perhaps not forry to find 
 their pretenfions fuch as they might extend or 
 con trad at pleafure. 
 
 Whatever the validity of this ample grant 
 might be, Columbus was made governor with 
 the higheft authority over all that it contained. 
 But he had fomewhat with him more material 
 for his poffelfion than any charters -> this was 
 
 a fleet 
 
Settlements in America; 19 
 
 a fleet of feventeen fail of mips, with all man- 
 ner of neceflaries for fettlement or conqueft, 
 and fifteen hundred men on board, fome of 
 them of the beft families in Spain. With 
 this fleet he fet foil on his fecond voyage the 
 25th of September, 1493. ^ e S ave eac ^ °f 
 the captains inftruclions for their courfe fealed, 
 with orders not to open them, unlefs in diftrefs, 
 and feparated from the fleet, that he might 
 create fuch an abfolute dependence of all up- 
 on himfelf as mould preferve an uniformity 
 in their defigns. On the fecond of November 
 they made land, which is the ifland now 
 called Dominica. But his defign was firft to 
 fettle his colony before he attempted any new 
 difcovery, therefore he made no flay here, 
 nor at feveral other iflands at which he touch- 
 ed before he could make Hifpaniola. 
 
 On his arrival he found the fort he had 
 built utterly demolished, and all his men 
 killed. They had firft fallen out amongft 
 themfelves, upon the ufual fubje&s of ftrife, 
 women and gold ; and afterwards preferving as 
 little harmony with the natives, and obferving 
 no decency in their behaviour, or juftice in 
 their dealings, they quickly loft their efteem, 
 and were every man murdered, after having 
 been difperfed into different parts of the ifland. 
 The prince, whom they were left to defend, 
 was himfelf wounded in their defence, and 
 bore this mark of his affedion and good faith, 
 C 2 when 
 
20 An Account of the European 
 
 when Columbus returned to the ifland. The 
 admiral very wifely forbore to make any nice 
 enquiry into the affair, or to commence hofti- 
 lities in revenge* for the lofs of his foldiers 5 but 
 he took the moft effectual meafures to prevent 
 fuch an evil for the future ; he chofe a more 
 commodious ftation for his colony, on the 
 North-Eaft part of the ifland, which had a 
 good port, great conveniency of water, and a' 
 good foil, and lay near that part where he was 
 informed the richeft mines of the country 
 were found : in gratitude to his royal patronefs 
 he called it Ifabella. He engaged in the fet- 
 tlement with great warmth, and never allowed 
 himfelf a moment's repofe from fuperintending 
 the fortifications, the private houfes, and the 
 works of agriculture \ in all which the fatigue 
 was infinite ; for he had not only the natural 
 difficulties attending all fuch undertakings, but 
 he had the infuperable lazinefs of the Spaniards 
 to contend with. So that fpent with the fa- 
 tigues of fo long a voyage, and the greater fa- 
 tigues he had endured fince he came on fhore, 
 he fell into a dangerous illnefs. Of this acci- 
 dent numberlefs of his men took the advantage 
 to begin a rebellion, to undo all he had done, 
 and to throw every thing into the moft terrible 
 confufion. Thefe people on their leaving 
 Spain, had fancied to themfelves that gold was 
 to be found every where in this country, and 
 that there required nothing further to make 
 
 ample 
 
Settlements in America.' 
 
 21 
 
 ample eftates, than to be tranfported into it ; 
 but finding their miftake, and that inftead of 
 receiving thefe golden Ihowers without any 
 pains, they fared ill, laboured hard, and that 
 their profpects of it in future, if any at all, were 
 emote and uncertain, their difcontent was 
 general $ and the mutinous difpofition increafed 
 fo faft, and was carried to fuch extremities, that 
 if the admiral had not recovered at a very criti- 
 cal time, and on his recovery had not acted in 
 the moft refolute and effectual manner, all his 
 hopes of a fettlement in Hifpaniola had been 
 at an end. He was fatisfied with imprifoning 
 fome of the chiefs. This was neither a time 
 or place for very extenfive or rigorous juftice. 
 He quelled this fedition, but he faw at the 
 fame time that his work was not yet done ; he 
 faw another danger, againft which he was to 
 provide with equal diligence. He had good 
 reafons to apprehend, that the Americans were 
 not well affe&ed to their new guefts, and 
 might probably meditate to cut them off, 
 whilft they faw them divided amongft them- 
 felves. To prevent this, as well as to banifli 
 idlenefs from amongft his men, and to revive 
 military difcipline, he marched into the heart 
 of the country,, through the moft frequented 
 parts of it, in order of battle, colours flying, 
 and trumpets founding, with the flower of his 
 troops, to the mountains of Cibao; where lav the 
 C 3 richeft 
 
2a An Account of the European 
 
 richeft mines then difcovered in the ifland. 
 Here he built a fort to fecure this advantage- 
 ous poft, and overawe the country ; and then 
 he returned in the fame pomp and order, to the 
 inexpreflible terror of the inhabitants, who 
 had now no profped of withftanding a force,- 
 which to them feemed more than human. 
 
 In this expedition Columbus made great 
 orientation of his cavalry. This was the firft 
 time the Indians of America had ever feen 
 horfes. Their dread of thefe animals and their 
 riders were extreme ; they thought both form- 
 ed but one animal, and the impetuofity of their 
 charge appeared irrefiftible to thefe naked and 
 ill- armed people. Wherever they appeared, 
 thofe Indians, who intended any hoftility, im- 
 mediately fled < nor did they think the inter- 
 vention of the deepeft and moft rapid rivers 
 any fecurity ; they believed that the horfes 
 could fly, and that nothing was impoffible to 
 creatures fo extraordinary. But Columbus 
 did not rely upon thofe prejudices, though he 
 made all imaginable ufe of them, knowing 
 that thofe things which appear mo ft terrible 
 at flrft, become every day lefs affeding by ufe, 
 and that they even grow contemptible, when 
 their real power is once well known, for 
 which reafon he neglected none of his former 
 methods of cultivating the affedions of the 
 natives $ he ftill flic wed them all manner of 
 rcfped, and when he had taken two perfons of 
 
 their 
 
Settlements in America. 23 
 
 their nation, who had committed fome acts of 
 hoftilitv, and was at the point of putting them 
 to death, he pardoned and fet them free at the 
 intercefficn of a prince of the country, with 
 whom he was in alliance. On the other hand, 
 he faw how neceflary it was to preferve a 
 ftridt difcipline amongft the Spaniards, to keep 
 them from that idlenefs to which they had 
 fuch a propenfity, and which naturally re- 
 tarded the growth of the colony, at the fame 
 time that it nourifhed difcontent and fedition. 
 He employed them in cutting roads through 
 the country, a work which the natives never 
 attempted themfelves, nor now endeavoured 
 to oppofe, though it be one of the beft inftru- 
 ments of enilaving any barbarous people. 
 This wife governor obferved befides, that the 
 Spaniards conformed with great difficulty to 
 the Indian manner of living, to which, how- 
 ever, they were neceffitated, but from which, 
 for want of ufe, they fuffered great hardihips. 
 To remedy this evil, he daily fent out fmall 
 parties upon expeditions into the country ; 
 from which he derived two material advan- 
 tages. Firft, he enured, by degrees, all his peo- 
 ple to the manner of living in the country > 
 and fecondly, he taught them to know it per- 
 fectly, left a war fhould find them unprovided 
 in the only point in which the Indians were 
 their fuperiors, and a point which in a woody 
 and mountainous country is certainly of the 
 C 4 greateft 
 
24 An Account of the European 
 
 greateft importance. All this he did without 
 any material hazard to the fum of his affairs. 
 At home he endeavoured to withdraw the 
 Spaniards from their romantick hopes of mi- 
 raculous treafures, and to fix them to a rational 
 and induftrious courfe of life. He reprefent- 
 ed to them, that there was no real wealth but 
 what arofe from labour ; and that a garden, a 
 corn ground, and a mill, were riches more to 
 their prefent purpofe, than all the gold they 
 were in expedition of meeting in the Indies. 
 In fhort, he laboured for the eftablifhment of 
 this colony with as much affiduity, as though 
 his views had extended no further; at the fame 
 time that he meditated the greateft difcoveries, 
 and confidered thofe things which had afto- 
 nifhed the world, only as the earneft of his 
 future performances. 
 
 I have before mentioned his having put in 
 at Cuba. He had reafon to believe this a place 
 no way contemptible in point of wealth; and 
 with regard to its extent, he was not certain 
 whether it was an ifland, or a part of fome 
 great continent. But now that he had got 
 his colony to take firm root in the Indies, he 
 prepared with all expedition to afcertain this, 
 and to pufli his difcoveries to the utmoft, in 
 -whjch he had fucceeded hitherto fo happily. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Settlements in America. 
 
 2 S 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 THIS voyage wa6 more remarkable for 
 the hardfhips which the admiral and his 
 men fuffered, than for any considerable di r co- 
 very it produced. As he endeavoured to coaft 
 along the Southern fhore of Cuba, he was en- 
 tangled in a labyrinth of an innumerable mul- 
 titude of iflands-, amongft which he reckoned 
 1 60 in one day. They were rnoft of them 
 pleafant and well inhabited, affording our na- 
 vigator an agreeable meditation on this fertility 
 of nature, where the world looked for nothing 
 but a barren ocean. Thefe iflands, perhaps the 
 rnoft numerous in the world, Columbus, who 
 had a grateful mind, in which the memory of 
 his benefactrefs was always uppermoft, called 
 Jardin de la Reyna, or the queen 's garden, in 
 honour of queen Ifabella. But their number 
 and fertility made little amends for the ob- 
 ftrudion they gave Columbus in the courfe of 
 his navigation: the coaft abfolutely unknown, 
 among fo many rocks, fands, and fhelves, the 
 fudden and violent ftorms, the tornadoes, and 
 the terrible thunder and lightning foconftant be- 
 tween the tropicks, obliged him to keep a con- 
 tinual watch, and held-his mind upon a con- 
 ftant ftretch • the voyage was extended to an 
 unprofitable length by thefe difficulties, and 
 being driven out to fea, the worft difafter of 
 
 all 
 
26 An Account of the European 
 
 all befel them. Their provifions fell fhort. 
 In this extremity they were obliged to come to 
 a very narrow and bad allowance, in the dis- 
 tribution of which the admiral fared nothing 
 better than the reft. In this extremity of 
 fatigue of body and of mind, in famine and 
 in danger, his ufual firmnefs began, nearly to 
 forfake him ; but it could go no further than 
 to oblige him to remark in his journal,that no 
 intereft of his own (hould ever oblige him to 
 engage again in fuch an enterprife. They 
 were at laft relieved by the appearance of Ja- 
 maica, where they were hofpitably received, 
 and fupplied with Caffava bread and water. 
 From thence they proceeded, mortified and 
 difappointed, to Hifpaniola, not being able to 
 come to any certainty concerning Cuba, other 
 than that they underftood from fome of the 
 inhabitants that it was an ifland. This difap- 
 pointment, and the infinite fatigue and diffi- 
 culty of the voyage, threw Columbus into a 
 lethargy, which was near being fatal to him, 
 and of which he was fcarcely recovered when 
 they arrived at the harbour of Ifabella. 
 
 Here they found all things in confulion, and 
 the colony in the utmoft danger of being a 
 fecond time utterly deftroyed,as if its profperi- 
 ty or deftruclion depended upon the pretence 
 or abfence of Columbus. For no fooner was 
 he failed, than the Spaniards, who were very 
 difficultly retained in their duty by all his ftea- 
 
 dinefs 
 
Settlements in America. 27 
 
 dinefs and wifdom, broke through all regu- 
 lations, laughed at government and difci- 
 pline, and fpread themfelves over the ifland, 
 committing a thoufand diforders, and living at 
 free quarter upon the inhabitants, whofe ha- 
 tred to them was worked up to fuch a point, 
 that they wanted only the word from their 
 princes to fall on and maffacre the whole co- 
 lony \ a thing by no means impradliable, in 
 it's prefent diforder. Four of the principal 
 fovereigns of the ifland took advantage of this 
 difpofuion, and united to drive out thofe impe- 
 rious intruders. None adhered to them but 
 one called Gunacagarry,the fame prince whom 
 Columbus from the firft had taken fo much 
 pieafure to oblige. In his dominions fome of 
 the Spaniards found protection. The other 
 princes had already commenced hoftilities,and 
 one of them killed fixteen of the Spaniards, 
 who were taking no uniform meafures to op- 
 pofe them, nor in their prefent anarchy coulr 
 it be well expected. 
 
 In this condition was the ifland on the ar- 
 rival of Columbus,whofe firft buflnefs was to 
 collect the fcattered fragments of the colony, 
 and to form them into a body ; this he was 
 the better able to accomplish, becaufe the pre- 
 fent danger added a weight to his authority ; 
 but it was neceffary that he mould lofe no time. 
 He was refolved to aft with what force he had, 
 rather than wait until the union of the iflanders 
 
 might 
 
a8 An Account of the European 
 
 might be better cemented againft him, and they 
 might find fome leffer matters in their favour to 
 raife their courage, and abate their terror of the 
 Spanifh arms . He therefore marched againft 
 the king, who had killed the 16 Spaniards, as 
 having a greater appearance of juftice, and be- 
 caufe he happened to be worfe prepared to re- 
 ceive him than the others. He was eafily fub- 
 dued,and feveral of his fubje&s fent prifoners 
 into Spain. The fecond whom he defigned to 
 attack being better prepared againft force, he 
 was refolved to circumvent him by fraud, and 
 got him into his power by a ftratagem, which 
 did no honour to his fincerity, and rather 
 ihewed great weaknefs in this unfortu- 
 nate barbarian, than any extraordinary contri- 
 vance in thofe who deceived him. 
 
 The other princes were not terrified at thefe 
 examples. Their hatred to the Spaniards in- 
 creafed, and perceiving that all depended upon 
 a fudden and vigorous exertion of their ftrength; 
 they brought an immenfe army, it is faid of 
 one hundred thoufand men, into the field, 
 which was arrayed in the largeft plain in that 
 country. Columbus, though he had but a 
 fmall force, did not fcruple to go out to meet 
 them. His army confided but of two hun- 
 dred foot, twenty horfe and twenty wolf dogs. 
 The latter part of this army has a ludicrous 
 appearance - y but it was a very ferious matter 
 
 2 amongft 
 
Settlements in Amerrica. 29 
 
 amongft a people no better provided with 
 arms ofFenfive or defenfive than the Indian*. 
 ! Neither was it rafh in Columbus to venture an 
 i engagement with forces fo vaftly fuperior in 
 numbers ; for when fuch numbers are no bet- 
 ter Ikilled or armed than thefe were,their mul- 
 titude is in fact no juft caufe of dread but to 
 themfelves. The event was anfwerable ; the 
 victory was decifive for the Spaniards, in which 
 their horfes and dogs had a confiderable mare; 
 the lofs on the fide of the Indians was very 
 great ; and from that day forward they defpair- 
 ed, and relinquifhed all thoughts of diflodging 
 the Spaniards by force. Columbus had but little 
 difficulty in reducing the whole ifland, which 
 now became a province of Spain, had a tri- 
 bute impofed, and forts built in feveral parts 
 to enforce the levying of it, and to take away 
 from this unhappy people all profpect of 
 liberty. 
 
 In this affecting fituation they often afked 
 the Spaniards, when they intended to return to 
 their own country. Small as the number of 
 thefe ftrangers was, the inhabitants were ex- 
 tremely burthened to fubfift. them. One Spa- 
 niard confumed more than ten Indians ; a cir- 
 cumftance which mews how little this people 
 had advanced in the art of cultivating the earth, 
 or how lazy they were in doing it, fince 
 their indigence reduced them to fuch an 
 extreme frugality, that they found the Spani- 
 ards 
 
3$ An Account of the European 
 
 niards, who are the moftabftemious people upon 
 earth, exceffively voracious in the compan- 
 ion. Their obfervation of this, joined to their 
 defpair, put the Indians upon a projedt ofl 
 ftarving out their invaders. In purfuance oft 
 this fcheme, thev entirelv abandoned the little! 
 agriculture which they pra&ifed, and unani- 
 moufly retired into the moft barren and 
 impra&icable parts of the ifland. This 
 ill-ad vifed ftratagem compleated their ruin. 
 A number of people crouded into the worfti 
 parts of the country, fubfifting only upon it's 
 fpontaneous produ&ions, were foon reduced: 
 to the moft terrible famine. It's fure atten- 
 dant epidemical ficknefs purfued at it's heels j 
 and this miferable people, half famifhed and: 
 leffened a third of their numbers, were obliged; 
 to relinquifh their fcheme, to come down into! 
 the open country, and to fubmit once more toi 
 bread and fetters. \ 
 This conqueft, and the fubfequent ones 
 made by the feveral European nations, with as 
 little colour of right as confeioufnefs of doing 
 any thing wrong, gives one juft reafon toi 
 reflect on the notions entertained by mankind; 
 in all times concerning the right of dominion.! 
 At this period few doubted of the power ofl 
 the pope to convey a full right to any country) 
 he was pleafed to chalk out ;amongft the faith- 
 ful, becaufe they were fubjeft to the church j 
 andamongft infidels, becaufe it was meritorious! 
 
 to 
 
Settlements in America. 31 
 
 to make them fubjeft to it. This notion began 
 to lofe ground at the reformation, but ano- 
 ther arofe of as bad a tendency ; the idea of the 
 dominion of grace, which prevailed with fe- 
 veral, and the effedts of which we have felt a- 
 mongft ourfelves. The Mahometan great merit 
 is to fpread the empire and the faith ; and none 
 among them doubt the legality of fubduing 
 any nation for thefe good purpofes. The Greeks 
 held, that the barbarians were naturally de- 
 figned to be their flaves, and this was fo general 
 a notion, that Ariftotle himfelf, with all his pe- 
 netration, gave into it very ferioufly. In truth, 
 it has it's principle in human nature, for the 
 generality of mankind very readily Aide from 
 what they conceive a fitnefs for government, to 
 a right of governing ; and they do not fo readi- 
 ly agree, that thofe who are fuperior in endow- 
 ments fhould only be equal in condition. Thefe 
 things partly palliate the guilt and horror of a 
 conqueft, undertaken with fo little colour, over 
 a people whofe chief offence was their creduli- 
 ty, and their confidence in men who did not 
 deferve it. But the circumftances Columbus 
 was in, the meafures he was obliged to pre- 
 ferve with his court, and his humane and 
 gentle treatment of this people, by which he 
 mitigated the rigor of this conqueft, take off 
 much of the blame from him, as the neceffity 
 of taking up arms at all never arofe from his 
 condudt, or from his orders. On the contrary, 
 
 his 
 
32 An Account of the European 
 
 his whole behaviour both to the Spaniards and 
 Indians, the care he took to eftablifh the one 
 without injury to the other, and the conftant 
 bent of his policy to work every thing by 
 gentle methods, may well be an example to 
 all peiTons in the fame fituation. 
 
 Since I have digreffed fo far, it will be the 
 more excufable to mention a circumftance re- 
 corded in the hiftory of this fettlement. Ame- 
 rica was then, at leaft thefe parts of it, with- 
 out almoft any of thofe animals by which we 
 profit fo greatly. It had neither horfes nor 
 oxen, nor fheep, nor fwine. Columbus 
 brought eight fows into America, and a fmall 
 number of horned cattle. This was the flock 
 which fupplied, about two hundred years ago 5 
 a country now the moft abounding in thefe 
 animals of any part of the known world ; in 
 which too it has been a bufinefs for this cen- 
 tury paft, to hunt oxen merely for their hides, 
 An example which fhews how fmall a number 
 might originally have ferved to produce all the 
 animals upon earth, who commonly procre- 
 ate very fail to a certain poi»t 4 and there feem 
 very much at & ftand. 
 
 CHAp. 
 
Settlements in America. 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 TT THILST Columbus was reducing this 
 V V wealthy ifland to the obedience of the 
 crown of Caffile, and laying the foundations of 
 the Spanifh grandeur in America, his enemies 
 were endeavouring with pains as indefatigable 
 to ruin him in Spain. Some of the perfons 
 principally concerned in the late diforders, fled 
 to Spain before his return; and there to juftify 
 their own conduct, and gratify their malice, 
 accufed him of neglecting the colony, and of 
 having deceived their majefties and theadven* 
 turers with falfe hopes of gold, from a country 
 which produced very little either of that or any 
 thing elfe that was valuable. Thefe com- 
 plaints were not without effect, and an officer, 
 fitter by his character for a fpy and informer 
 than a redreffer of grievances, was fent to in- 
 fpect into his conduct ; in which manner of 
 proceeding there was certainly a policy as erro- 
 neous, as it was unjuft and ingrateful. At that 
 diftance from the fountain of authority, with 
 an enemy at the door, and a mutinous houfe- 
 hold, a commander ought always to be trufted 
 or removed. This man behaved in a brutifh 
 and infolent manner, like all fuch perfons, 
 who unconfcious of any merit of their own, 
 are puffed up with any little portion of dele- 
 gated power. Columbus found that he ftaid 
 here to no purpofe under fuch difgraceful 
 D terms j 
 
34 -An Account of the European 
 
 terms ; and that his prefence at court was ab- 
 folutely neceflary to his fupport. He deter- 
 mined to return once more to Spain, con- 
 vinced that a long abfence is mortal to one's 
 intereft ac court, and that importunity and at- 
 tendance often plead better than the moft 
 folid fer vices. However, before he departed, 
 he exerted the little remains of authority he 
 had left, to fettle every thing in fuch a man- 
 ner, as to prevent thofe diforders which hitherto 
 he had always found the certain confequence 
 of his abfence. He built forts in all the mate- 
 rial parts of the ifland, to retain the inhabi- 
 tants in their fubjedtion. He eftablimed the 
 civil government upon a better footing, and 
 redoubled his diligence for the difcovery of 
 mines, which were to be the great agents in 
 his affairs; nor did he altogether fail of fuccefs. 
 
 It was the fate of this great man to have 
 his virtue continually exercifed with troubles 
 and diftreffes. He continued his courfe to 
 Spain in the latitude of 22, not having at that 
 time difcovered the advantageous method of 
 running into the Northern latitudes to meet 
 the South-weft winds : they therefore made 
 very little way ; a fcarcity enfued, in which 
 they were reduced to fix ounces of provifion 
 a day for each perfon. On thele occafions 
 the admiral fared no better than the common 
 failor ; yet in this diftrefs his hunger did not 
 get the better of the tendernefs and humanity 
 
 which 
 
Settlements in America. 
 
 which diltinguiflied his character. He re- 
 fufed to liften to the preffing inftances of his 
 crew, who were very earneft in this diftrefs to 
 have the Indian prifoners thrown overboard to 
 lefTen the confumption of provifions. In this 
 voyage his Ikill was as remarkable as his mag- 
 nanimity. He had nine experienced pilots in 
 his fleet ; yet not one of them could teli where 
 they were, after having been a full month 
 from the fight of the laft land. This length of 
 time perfuaded them they muft be very near 
 Europe, and they were therefore for crowding 
 fail to make land as foon as poffible. But Co- 
 lumbus, upon fure obfervations, maintained 
 they were but a little to the Weft ward of the 
 Azores, and therefore ordered his fails to be 
 llackened for fear of land. His prediction was 
 fulfilled, and the Azores relieved them next 
 morning. This, added to a.feries of predic- 
 tions and noble difcoveries, made his fkill feem 
 fomething prophetic, and to exalt his charac- 
 ter in this refpect above all the feamen before 
 his time ; and confidering his opportunities of 
 improvement, and what he did himfelf to im- 
 prove his art, he will perhaps appear inferior to 
 none who have been fince. 
 
 All the accufations and prejudices againft 
 the admiral vanifhed almoft as foon as he ap- 
 peared. He brought fuch teftimonies of his 
 fidelity and good behaviour, as filenced all ca- 
 lumnies which arofe on that head j and the 
 D 2 large 
 
36 An Account of the European 
 
 large fpecimens of gold and pearl he produced, 
 refuted all that was faid on the poverty of the 
 Indies. The court was fully convinced of the 
 importance of the new colony, the merit of its 
 governor, and the neceffity of a fpeedy fupply. 
 But the admiral's enemies were not idle, 
 though they were filenced ; they continued 
 to throw all manner of obftructions in his 
 way, which was not difficult in a country,, 
 where every thing is executed with much 
 phlegm and languor, and where thofe forms 
 and mechanical methods of bufinefs, neceffarv 
 perhaps in the common courfe of affairs, but 
 ruinous in great defigns, are more exactly ob- 
 ferved, even than any where elfe. It was 
 therefore with great difficulty that he was able 
 to procure any relief to be fent to Hiipaniola, 
 but with much greater, and after a thoufand 
 delays and difappointments, that he was him- 
 felf enabled to fet out on a difcovery of more 
 importance than any of the former. 
 
 He defigned to (land to the Southward 
 from the Canaries, until he Ihould come under 
 the equinoctial line, and then to proceed di- 
 rectly Weftwaid, until Hifpaniola mould bear 
 to the North-weft from him, to try what 
 opening that might afford to India, or what 
 new iilands or continent might reward his 
 trouble. He therefore flood away to the 
 Cape de Verd ifland, and then South- weft. In 
 this navigation a thick fog, which intercepted 
 
 the 
 
Settlements in America. 37 
 
 the light of the fun and ftars, envelloped them 
 for feveral days ; and when this cleared off, 
 the heats were grown fo exceffive, that the 
 men could not venture between decks- the 
 fun being at this time nearly vertical, the 
 heavy rains which fall at this feafon between 
 the tropicks, without abating the heat, added 
 much to their diftrefs. At laft a fin art gale 
 fprang up, and they went before it feventeen 
 davs to the Weftward. The admiral, who 
 could have no fecond to fuppiy his place, 
 fcarce allowed himfelf a moment's deep ; but 
 in this, as in all his voyages, had the whole 
 burthen of every thing upon himfelf ; this 
 threw him now into a fit of the gout ; but nei- 
 ther the fatigue nor the diforder could remove 
 him from the deck, or make him abate of his 
 uiual vigilance. His provifions, however, 
 being damaged by the heat, the wine calks, 
 many of them burft, and the wine being 
 foured in thofe that held, obliged him to alter 
 the courfe he intended to keep Southward, 
 and to decline fome points to the North- weft, 
 happening to fall in with fome of the Carib- 
 bees, where he intended to refit and take in 
 provifions, to enable him to continue his dif- 
 coveries. But he had not failed long, when 
 from the round-top a feaman faw land, which 
 was an ifland on the coaft of Guiana, now 
 called Trinidad. Having pafled this ifland and 
 two others, which lie in the mouth of the great 
 D 3 river 
 
38 An Account of the European 
 
 river Oronoquo, he was furprized and endan- 
 gered by a phenomenon he had never feen 
 before. The river Oronoquo, at all tames 
 very great, at this time augmented tenfold by 
 the rains we have juft mentioned ruftiing into 
 the ocean with an immenfe and rapid flood, 
 meets the tides which rife here to a great 
 height, and come in with much ftrength; 
 and both being pent up between the iflands, 
 and reverberated from one to another, caufed 
 a conflict extremely terrifying to thofe who 
 have not been accuftomed to it, and ignorant 
 of the caufe, as Columbus was at this time. 
 But failing further he found plainly that he 
 was in frefh water, and judging rightly that it 
 was probable no ifland could fupply fo vaft a 
 river, he began to fufped: he had difcovered the 
 continent ; but when he left the river, and 
 found that the land continued on to the Weft- 
 ward for a great way, he was convinced of it. 
 Satisfied, in fome meafure, with this difcovery, 
 he yielded to the uneafinefs and diflreffes of his 
 crew, and bore away for Hifpaniola, favoured 
 by a fair wind and thofe currents which fet 
 ftrongJy to the Weft ward all along the North- 
 ern coaft of South America. 
 
 In the courle of this difcovery the admiral 
 landed in feveral places, and traded with the 
 inhabitants, amongil whom he found gold and 
 pearl in tolerable plenty. Contrary to the 
 cuftom of many navigators, who behave 
 
 wherever 
 
Settlements in America. 39 
 
 wherever they go as if they never intended to 
 come there again, he every where ufed the 
 natives with great civility, and gave them 
 what they judged the full value of their com- 
 modities ; little bells, bits of glafs and of tin, 
 with fome trifling apparel, being exchanged 
 for gold-duft and pearls, and much to the 
 fatisfaffion of both parties, who thought they 
 had each over-reached the other, and indeed 
 with equal reafon. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 TIE arrived at Hifpaniola the 19th of 
 Jtj Auguft, 1498, quite worn down with 
 ficknefs and continual watching, the necefiity 
 of which was rather increafed than diminiihed 
 as he came nearer home, amongft fuch a mul- 
 titude of iflands and fhoais as filled thofe feas, at 
 this time little known ; befides this a current, 
 which fetting ftrongly Weftward towards the 
 continent, threatened every moment, without 
 the greateft attention, to carry him out of his 
 courfe. So wafted was he with the fatigue, 
 that his brother, whom he had left in his 
 place, fcarce knew him at his return. But 
 he found that he was likely to have as little 
 repofe upon land as at fea. 
 
 The admiral's authority had fuffered fome 
 diminution, from the ill-judged ftep of fending 
 a check upon his motions before he left Hif- 
 D 4 paniola ; 
 
40 An Account of .the European 
 
 paniola ; and the encouragement this gave to 
 all forts of murmurings and complaints againft 
 government, laid the feeds of a rebellion, which 
 fprung up in the colony fcon after he left it. 
 But this rebellion was more dangeroufly 
 formed than either of the former. For in the 
 fir ft place, the rebels had regularly appointed 
 themfelvcs a chief, called Francis Roldan $ a 
 man whom the admiral had left in a confide- 
 rable poft. This gave it an uniformity and 
 credit. And fecondly, they gained the Indians 
 to their party, by pretending to be their pa- 
 trons, and affertors of their liberty. Then to 
 cftablifh themfelves the more fecurely, they 
 made a feceffion from the uncorrupted part 
 of the colony, and fettled in another part of the 
 ifland, which formed an afylum for all idle 
 and feditious perfons, by whom they were 
 reinforced daily. 
 
 In this threatening ftate of things, the admi- 
 ral, having found his forces in no condition to 
 a£t offensively againft the rebels, did what he 
 could to break their force, and diffolve that 
 union which made them formidable. He be- 
 gan by publithingafree pardon for all thatchofe 
 to conceal their crimes by a timely fubmiflion. 
 Obferving befides, that many were very de- 
 firous of returning to Spain, he gave them to 
 underftand they might go with the mips 
 which brought the laft fuccours. He did not 
 intend to perform this latter part immediately, 
 
 but 
 
Settlements in America. 41 
 
 but he knew that his offers would dagger fome; 
 and that in affairs of this nature, it is every 
 thing to gain time. He wrote to court a full 
 account of his late difcoveries, and fent fam- 
 ples of the wealth they yielded ; and took 
 the fame opportunity of defcribing the dif- 
 tra&ed ftate of the colony, defiring that 5Q 
 or 60 men might be fent by every fhip, 
 which he would replace by as many of the 
 rebels, left the Spanifh power mould be 
 weakened in thofe parts, by diminishing their 
 men, or kept in as dangerous a ftate, by 
 harbouring fuch as were ill difpofed to the 
 publick good. He added very judicioufly 
 to this requeft that fome religious men and 
 able lawyers might be fent him, as the moft 
 effectual methods of introducing, and pre- 
 ferving obedience and order. He then en- 
 tered into negociations with the chiefs of the 
 rebels; hegranted them all they demanded,and 
 even invidioufiy placed their principal com- 
 mander, Roldan, in fuch an office as flat- 
 tered his pride, though without augment- 
 ing his power. Thus things were brought 
 into foni -thing of regularity, and without any 
 ftruggling or violence, and Roldan himfelf, 
 though in his former office of chief judge 
 of the illand, contributed moil of all towards 
 bringing thofe who ftood out to obedience. 
 There arofe a difference between them; 
 and on their firft motion, Roldan, by virtue 
 
 of 
 
42 An Account of the European 
 
 of his authority, condemned and executed fe- 
 veral. By this the reft were awed, all connex- 
 ion broke off, irretrievably, between the head 
 and body of the rebels, and all done with- 
 out having any part of the offence, that 
 might be given by this feverity, charged to 
 the admiral. 
 
 He now began juft to breathe in a little 
 tranquility, acquired by the feverefi labours, 
 whilfr. a new ftorm was gathering againft 
 him from the court of Spain. His old im- 
 placable enemies uniting with fome of the 
 rebels, who had lately tranfported them- 
 felves into Spain, renewed the clamour a- 
 gainft him. They heaped upon him all 
 manner of calumnies ; they accufed him of a 
 defign of fetting up for himfelf 5 and as they 
 charged him in Hifpaniola with cruelty and 
 tyranny to the Indians, here they reverfed the , 
 charge, and accufed him of a popularity a- 
 mongft that people, dangerous to his and 
 to their allegiance. They added to thefe, 
 what could not fail to work on national 
 prejudices, that he was a ftranger, and had 
 not a proper refpecl for the Spanifh nobility. 
 They complained that great debts were due 
 to them ; that all ways of recovering them 
 were fhut up. In fhort, the king and queen 
 never went abroad without being purfued and 
 perfecuted, by the clamours of thefe pre- 
 tended fuitors of juftice. Wearied out with 
 
 fuch 
 
Settlements in America. 
 
 fuch complaints, they fent a judge, with 
 power to enquire into the admiral's conduct, 
 and authorized, if he fhould find the ac- 
 i cufations proved, to fend him into Spain, 
 | and remain himfelf governor in his room. 
 They made it the judge's intereft to con- 
 demn him. 
 
 This judge, who was extremely poor, 
 and had no orher call but his indigence to 
 undertake the office, no fooner landed in 
 Hifpaniola, than he took up his lodging in 
 the admiral's houfe, for he was then abfent. 
 He next proceeded to feize upon all his efTe&s; 
 and at laft fummoned him and his brothers to 
 appear. In the mean time, he encouraged all 
 manner of accufations, without regarding the 
 character of the accufers, or the probability 
 or confiftency of their accufations. In confe- 
 quence of thofe, he apprehended the admi- 
 ral and his brothers, and with the laft marks 
 of infult and indignity, loaded them with 
 iron?, and embarked them to be tranfported 
 prifoners into Spain. 
 
 The captain of the veffel, touched with 
 refpedt for the years and great merit of 
 Columbus, offered to take off the irons, 
 but he did not permit it. " Since the king 
 " has commanded, that I fhould obey his go- 
 " vernor, he fhall find me as obedient to this^ 
 11 as I have been to all his other orders. No- 
 " thing but his commands fhall releafe me. 
 
 « If 
 
44 <An Account of the European 
 
 u If twelve years hardfhip and fatigue ; I 
 " if continual dangers and frequent famine j I 
 <c if the ocean, firft opened, and five times 1 
 " pafTed and repaffed, to add anew world i 
 <c abounding with wealth to the Spaniih 
 <c monarchy ; and if an infirm and premature 
 ° old age, brought on by thofe fervices, de* 
 <c ferve thefe chains as a reward ; it is very 
 <c fit I mould wear them to Spain, and keep 
 " them by me as memorials to the end of 
 " my life/' 
 
 Great minds, though more apt to forgive 
 injuries, perhaps, than common fouls, do not 1 
 eafily lofe the memory of the wrongs that are 
 done them. Columbus afterwards carried 
 thefe irons with him wherever he wentj 1 
 they hung conflantly in his chamber, and he j 
 ordered them to be buried with him. 
 
 The new governor that fucceeded him, 
 made a more effectual provifion for the re- 
 ward of his fervices 3 for befides confifcatingi 
 the greateft part of the admiral's effects, which 
 he converted to his own ufe, to flatter the! 
 people, he permitted an unbounded liberty, j 
 by which he ruined the royal revenue, andi 
 was near ruining the colony too, paft all repa- j 
 ration, if the court had not recalled him in i 
 time, and fent a perfon to fucceed him of I 
 greater judgment and firmnefs, though of lit- i 
 tie more real virtue. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Settlements in America. 45 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 A BOUT this time the fpirit of difcove- 
 ji \ ry began to fpread it fclf largely, and 
 private adventurers, both in Spain and Portugal, 
 ftimulated by the gold which from time to 
 time was remitted to Europe by Columbus, 
 made equipments at their ownexpences. In one 
 of thefe the famous Americus Vefputius com- 
 manded ; he had got into his hands the charts 
 of Columbi s, in his laft voyage, and he 
 failed the fame courfe. But as he was a man 
 of addrefs and great confidence, and was be- 
 fides an able feaman, and good geographer, 
 he found a way of arrogating to himfelf the 
 firft difcovery of the continent of America, 
 and called it by his own name ; which it has 
 ever fince retained, though nobody has any 
 doubt concerning the eaj iifcoverer. For this 
 I believe no other reafon can be given, than 
 that America is perhaps a better founding 
 word than Columbia, and is more eafily pro- 
 nounced with the others, in enumerating the 
 feveral divilions of the earth : a trifling matter, 
 and influenced by trifling Jcaufes. But the 
 glory ot Columbus ftands upon foundations 
 of another fort. 
 
 Pinzon, one who attended the admiral in 
 his firft voyage, equipped a fquadron at his 
 own expence 5 and was the firft who crofted 
 
 the 
 
46 An Account cj the European 
 
 the line at the fide of America, and entered 
 the great river Maranon, or the river of A- 
 mazons. 
 
 The Portuguefe,notwithftanding the pope's 
 exclufive grant, turned their thoughts to Ame- 
 rica, and difcovered the Brazils, which make 
 the moft valuable part of their prefent porTeffi- 
 ons, when they have loft what was confider- 
 ed as their original right, and which never was 
 fo advantageous to them. 
 
 What animated thefe adventurers, at the 
 fame time that it fixes a ftain upon all their 
 characters and defigns, is that infatiable thirft 
 of gold, which ever appeared uppermoft in 
 all their actions. This difpofition had been a 
 thoufand times extremely prejudicial to their 
 affairs : it was particularly the caufe of all the 
 confufion and rebellions in Hifpaniola : yet it 
 is certain, that if it were not for this incentive, 
 which kindled the fpirit of difcovery and colo- 
 nization firft in Spain and Portugal, and after- 
 wards in all parts of Europe, America had ne- 
 ver been in the ftate it now is j nor would 
 thofe nations ever have had the beneficial colo- 
 nies, which are now eftabliflied in every part 
 of that country. It was neceflary there mould 
 be fomething of an immediate and uncom- 
 mon gain, fitted to ftrike the imaginations of 
 men forcibly, to tempt them to fuch hazard- 
 ous defigns. A remote profpedt of commerce, 
 and the improvement of manufactures, by 
 
 extending 
 
Settlements in America. 47 
 
 extending of colonies, would never have an- 
 'fwered the purpofe ; thofe advantages come to 
 be known only by reafon and deduction, and 
 are not confequently of lb ftriking a nature. 
 But to go out with a few baubles, and to re- 
 turn with a cargo of gold, is an object readi- 
 ly comprehended by any body, and was con- 
 fequently purfued with vigour by all. The 
 fpeculative knowledge of trade, made no part 
 of the ftudy of the elevated or thinking part 
 of mankind, at that time. Now it may be 
 juftly reckoned amongft the liberal fciences ; 
 and it makes one of the moil: confiderable 
 branches of political knowledge. Commerce 
 was then in the hands of a few, great in it's 
 profits, but confined in it's nature. What we 
 call the ballance of trade, was far from be- 
 ing well underftood - y all the laws relative to 
 commerce were every where but fo many 
 clogs upon it The imports and duties 
 charged on goods, were laid on without 
 diftinction or judgment. Even amongft our- 
 felves, the moft trading and reafoning peo- 
 ple in Europe, right notions of thefe matters 
 began late, and advanced flowly. Our colo- 
 nies were fettled without any view to thofe 
 great advantages which we draw from them. 
 Virginia was conftru&ed out of the wrecks 
 I of an armament deftined on a golden ad- 
 venture, which firft tempted us to Ameri- 
 ! ca. And thofe who fettled New England and 
 ! Maryland, meant them only as afylums from 
 3 religious 
 
48 An Account of the European 
 
 religious perfections. So that if America 
 bad not promifed fuch an inundation of trea- 
 fure, it could only have fupplied a languid 
 commerce, which would have habituated the 
 natives by degrees to our European manners, 
 and fupplied them with equal arms. Then 
 it would have been next to impoffible to have 
 made thofe extenfive fettlements in that new 
 world. So certain it is, that we often reap 
 differently from what we have fown - 9 and 
 that there muft be fome ftrong a&ive princi- 
 ple to give life and energy to all defigns, or 
 they will languifli, let them be ever fo wife- 
 ly concerted. 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 Ik TO fooner was Columbus arrived in Spain, 
 in this difgraceful manner, than the 
 court difavowed, and highly blamed the beha- 
 viour of their governor. And now, according 
 to the giddy cuftom of men, who aft with- 
 out plan or principle, they acquainted him of 
 all the charges againft him, with as little enqui- 1 
 ry into their validity, as they before ufedi 
 when upon the fame charges they unjuftlyt 
 condemned him, Reftitution and reward' 
 were promifed him, and he wanted very few 
 incentives to engage once more in difcoveries 
 His ambition was to arrive at the Eaft-Indies 
 and fo to furround the globe. This had real 
 
Settlements in America." 4^ 
 
 ly an influence upon his own mind, and he 
 knew nothing could fo much influence thofe 
 of the king and queen. On this profpedl he 
 was again fitted out with a fleet, promifing to 
 reduce both Eaft and Weft-Indies, under the 
 dominion of their Catholic majefties. 
 
 He embarked upon his fourth voyage in 
 May j 502. His defign w r as to ftand directly 
 for the coaft of South America, and keep 
 along the Northern fhore until he came to the 
 place where he heard an obfcure account of 
 fome narrow (height, (whether a ftreight or 
 ifthmus was not fo clear from the accounts he 
 had) 3 and by this, if a ftreight, he hoped to pals 
 into the great South-Sea. After fo very long a 
 voyage as his had been to America, and the 
 difcovery of a continent which was not that of 
 India, nor that of China ; he faw clearly that 
 the maps were no longer in the leaft to be re- 
 lied on j he therefore depended folely upon his 
 own ideas. He reviewed the bearings of all 
 the countries which his former experience, or 
 his late difcoveries had opened to him ; he 
 confidered the figure of the earth in general ; 
 he reafoned upon the ballance and diftribution 
 of the land and water ; and comparing all thefe 
 he concluded, that beyond the continent he 
 had difcovered was another ocean, probably as 
 great or greater than that he had formerly 
 palTed j if this were fo, then it was probable too 
 that thefe oceans had fome communication. 
 He judged it to be near thofe places fince called 
 Veragua and Nombre de Dios; but not think- 
 ing his fhips fo fit for that voyage, he propofed 
 Vol. I. E to 
 
So An Account of the European 
 
 to put into Hifpaniola to change there, and 
 make fome new difpofitions. Before he came 
 into the harbour, he judged it neceflary to give 
 the new governor Obando notice of his arrival, 
 and the reafons which determined him to put 
 in here. Columbus, whilft he navigated and 
 refided in the Weft- Indies, was extremely dili- 
 gent in his obfervations upon the nature of the 
 air, thefeafons, the meteors, rains and winds; and 
 how each of thefe feemed to affect the others - y 
 nor was he lefs fagacious in drawing prognoftics 
 from the remarkable appearances in all of 
 thefe; and now he judged from obfervations that 
 a great hurricane was approaching, and this was 
 an additional motive to him to defire to come 
 into harbour. He heard too, that a confiderable 
 fleet was on the point of fetting fail for Eu- 
 rope, therefore he defired that the depar- 
 ture of this fleet might be deferred for fome 
 days. But it was his deftiny that ingratitude 
 fliould purfue him every where, and perfecute 
 him in every ftiape. For the governor, with- 
 out any caufe, not only refufed to hearken to 
 his advice about the failing of the (hips, but 
 abfolutely denied him permiflion to enter into 
 harbour/to fave his life in that ifland which he 
 himfelf haddifcovered and fubdued. He had no- 
 thing to do but to draw up as clofe to the fhore 
 as he could. The ftorm came on the next 
 night, but providence favouring his innocence, 
 and aflifting his capacity, brought him fafe 
 through it, though as terrible a ftorm as had 
 ever happened in thofe feas. The fleet of 
 twenty fail, which againft; his advice had put 
 
 to. 
 
Settlements in America. 51 
 
 \ • to fea, iuffered the punifhment due to their 
 termerity. Only four efcaped the ftorm, iix- 
 teen perifhed. Amongft thofe which were 
 loft, was the fhip which carried back that go- 
 vernor to Spain, who had fent Columbus thi- 
 ther in ib oppreffive and fcandalous a manner ; 
 amongft the four that were laved, was one that 
 had on board fome treafure, all that ccuid 
 be reteued from the pillage of the admiral's for- 
 tune. So that whilft he was mortified at this 
 fhameful inftance of human ingratitude, Hea- 
 ven feemed to declare in his favour, and to 
 condemn and punifh it. His character was 
 highly raifed by the prediction of the ftorm, 
 and by his behaviour in it ; for to his, and his 
 brother's good conduct, the lafety of his little 
 fleet was juftly attributed. His brother was a 
 navigator and philofopher, fecond only to the 
 admiral, very ufeful to his affairs, and a com- 
 fort and affiftance in all his misfortunes, by his 
 capacity and the goodnefs of his heart. 
 
 After he had weathered the ftorm he left 
 this ifland, in which he had fo furprizing an 
 inftance of ingratitude, in purfuit of more mat- 
 ters to employ it. In this voyage he difcovered 
 all the coaft of Terra Firma to the ifthmus of 
 Darien, where he hoped to have found a paf- 
 fage to the South-Sea. In this he was dis- 
 appointed, but he was not difappointed in the 
 other part of his project ; for every where as 
 he advanced, he became more fenfible of the 
 value of his difcoveries on the continent, He 
 
 E 2 found 
 
52 An Account of the European 
 
 found a people more civilized and more 
 abounding in gold than the iflanders he had 
 met with had been. He entered a harbour, 
 which from it's excellence he called Porto 
 Bello, well known fince as one of the greateft 
 openings by which the Spanifh commerce is 
 carried on between the two worlds. Here the 
 admiral defined to eftablifli a colony, under 
 the command of his brother, propofing to re- 
 turn to Europe himfelf to obtain the requifites 
 for a compleat fettlement. But the avarice 
 and infolence of his men raifed the country 
 upon him, and obliged him to relinquifh his 
 defign, without having an opportunity of doing 
 any tiling more than {hewing his judgment in 
 the choice of the fituation, and his own and 
 brother's bravery in extricating their men from 
 the calamities in which their folly had in- 
 volved them. 
 
 Driven from hence, and finding his veffels 
 in fo bad a condition, that it was by no means 
 advifable to proceed upon further difcoveries, 
 he quitted the continent, after having difco- 
 vered the Eaftern fide of the ifthmus of Da- 
 rien, and the whole fhore as far as Gracios o 
 Dios in the gulph of Honduras. He then 
 flood over to Hifpaniola. His voyage was 
 made under a thoufand difficulties of the feve- 
 red kind 5 their veffels fo leaky, that the crew 
 had not a moment's refpite from the pump, and 
 fcarce any provifion remaining to rehefh them 
 after their labours. To compleat the fum of 
 
Settlements in America. 53 
 
 their calamities a violent ftorm arofe, in which 
 the {hips fell foul of one another. But 
 though he providentially weathered this ftorm, 
 it was now fcarcely poffible to keep his {hip 
 above water, and he was glad to make Jamaica, 
 where he was a fecond time relieved from the 
 greateft dangers and diftreffes. 
 
 But a diftrefs of almoft as bad a nature exer- 
 cifed his invention here. His {hips were ab- 
 folutely unfit for fervice beyond all poffibility 
 of being repaired-; no means of getting new ; 
 the inhabitants fufpicious, and the ill beha- 
 viour of his men gave daiiy occafion to in- 
 creafe thofe fufpicions. In this diftrefs, he 
 prevailed upon fome of the hardieft and mod 
 faithful of them to pafs over in a canoo to 
 Hifpaniola, to represent his calamitous fitua- 
 tion to the governor, and to beg veffels to 
 carry them off. 
 
 Eight months did the admiral remain in this 
 ifland, without the leaft intelligence from his 
 meffengers, or aftiftance from the governor. The 
 natives grew exafperated at the delay of the Spa- 
 niards, and the weight of fubfiftingthem, which 
 was a heavy burthen on the poverty of the In- 
 dians. Provifions therefore came in very fparingly. 
 Things even threatened to grow much worfe -> 
 for the feamen, who are at beft unruly, but 
 think that all difcipline ceafesthe moment they 
 fet foot on land, mutinied in great numbers. 
 By this mutiny the admiral's authority and 
 ftrength was confiderably weakened, whilft 
 E 3 the 
 
54 <dn Account of the European 
 
 the natives were exafperated by the diforders 
 of the mutineers • but he found means to re- 
 cover his authority, at leaft among the Indians. 
 Knowing there would mortly be a vifible 
 eclipfe of the moon, he fummoned the 
 principal perfons in the ifland ; and by one 
 who underftood their language told them, that 
 the God whom he ferved, and who created 
 and preferves all things in heaven and earth, 
 provoked at their refufing to fupport his fer- 
 vants, intended a fpeedy and fevere judgment 
 upon them, of which they mould mortly fee 
 manifefl: tokens in the heavens, for that the 
 moon would, on the night he marked, appear 
 of a bloody hue, an emblem of the deftru&ion 
 that was preparing for them. His prediction, 
 which was ridiculed for the time, when it 
 came to be accomplifhed ftruck the barbarians 
 with great terror. They brought him plenty of 
 provifions ; they fell at his feet, and befought him 
 in the moft fupplicating ftile to deprecate the 
 evils which threatened them. He took their 
 provifions, comforted them, and charged them 
 to attone for their paft fin by their future gene- 
 rofity. 
 
 He had a temporary relief by this llrata- 
 gem, but he law no profped of getting out of 
 the ifland, and purfuing thofe great purpofes 
 to which he had devoted his life. The mutiny 
 of his men was in danger of growing genera), 
 when every thing feemed to be fettled by the 
 
Settlements in America. 55 
 
 fight of a fhip in the harbour, fent by Obando, 
 the governor of Hifpaniola. But as if it was 
 calculated, not only to abandon, but to infult 
 this great man in his misfortunes, the captain 
 of the veffel was a mortal enemy to the admi- 
 ral, and one of the perfoiis principally con- 
 cerned in thofe rebellions, which had formerly 
 given him fo much trouble. But his defign 
 was only to be a witnefs of the diftrels of his 
 affairs; for he came afhore, forbidding his crew 
 all manner of communication with the admiral 
 or his men ; and after delivering to Colum- 
 bus an empty letter of compliment, embarked 
 without even flattering him with the lean: 
 hope of relief. 
 
 Thus abandoned, his firmnefs and pre- 
 fence of mind alone did not forfake him. 
 The arrival of this fhip for a moment re- 
 conciled his men to obedience ; but when 
 they faw it depart, they were almoft una- 
 nimoufly on the point of lhaking off all 
 authority, and abandoning themfelves to the 
 moft defperate courfes. But the admiral, 
 without betraying the leaft fign of difappoint- 
 ment or grief, told them in a chearful manner, 
 that he had a promife of an immediate fupply ; 
 and that the reafon of his not going off in this 
 fhip was, that (he was too fmall to carry off 
 all the Spaniards who were with him ; and 
 that he was refolved not to depart until every 
 man of them might enjoy the fame convenien- 
 
 E 4 cy. 
 
56 An Account of the European 
 
 cy. The eafy and compofed air of the admi- 
 ral himfelf, and the care he manifefted for his 
 people, fuperior to his own prefervation, re- 
 conciled their minds, arid made them attend 
 their fate with patience. But he knew his de- 
 lay might be very tedious in this ifland, and 
 that as long as there remained a receptacle to 
 which every ill humour amongft his men 
 might gather, his affairs would grow worfe 
 every day ; now that he found thofe that ad- 
 hered to him firmly attached to his caufe, he 
 came to a refolution of taking vigorous mea- 
 fures with the reft. He fent his brother, a 
 fenfible and refolute man, with a proper force, 
 and well armed, to treat with them ; and in 
 cafe of obftinacy to compel them to obedience. 
 They met, and the captain of the mutineers, 
 grown infolent with a long courfe of licentiouf- 
 nefs and rapine, not only rejedted the propo- 
 fal, but offered violence to the admiral's bro- 
 ther, who ufing this as a fignal to his men, 
 who were prepared, they fell upon the rebels 
 with fuch refolution, that ten lay dead in a 
 moment with their chief ; difordered by the 
 unexpected attack, the reft fled, and foon after 
 were obliged to fubmit. 
 
 Thus the admiral pacified every thing with 
 equal fpirit and addrefs, fometimes giving way 
 to the ftorm, and temporizing when he doubted 
 his ftrength ; but when he was allured of it, 
 always employing it with refolution and effed:, 
 
 turn ing 
 
Settlements in America. 
 
 turning every incident, even the mod unfa- 
 vourable, to his advantage ; and watching 
 every change of nature, and every motion of 
 the human mind, to employ them in his pur- 
 pofes. It is the principal thing which forms 
 the charafter of a great man, to be rich in ex- 
 pedients ; the ufe Columbus made of the eclipfe 
 was truly ingenious. It may be faid, that fuch 
 a thing cannot be imitated amongft a civilized 
 people. I grant it. But the way to imitate great 
 men is not to tread in their fteps, but to walk 
 in their manner. There is no people who have 
 not fome points of ignorance, weaknefs, or pre- 
 judice, which a penetrating mind may not dis- 
 cover, and ufe as the mod powerful inftru- 
 ments in the execution of his defigns. Such a 
 knowledge as this, is the only thing which 
 gives one man a real fuperiority over another ; 
 and he who underftands the paffions of men, 
 and can entirely command his own, has the 
 principal means of fubduing them in his own 
 hands. 
 
 The admiral might have fpent his whole 
 life in this miferable exile, if a private man, 
 moved with efteem for his merit, and com- 
 panion to his misfortunes, had not fitted out a 
 fhip for his relief. This brought him to Hif- 
 paniola. The governor, who refufed to con- 
 tribute any thing to his coming, when he 
 came received him with that overacted com- 
 plaifance and fhew of friendfhip, which fo 
 
 often 
 
An Account of the European 
 
 often fucceeds the greateft infolence in bafe 
 minds, and which they pradtife with fo little 
 fhame and remorfe to the perfons they have 
 before loaded with the greateft injuries. The 
 admiral bore this like every thing elfe ; and 
 convinced that a difpute with a governor in 
 his own jurifdidtion would bring him little ad- 
 vantage and honour, he haitened every thing 
 for his departure to Spain, where he arrived 
 after a voyage in which he was to fled by 
 moft terrible ftorms, and failed feven hundred 
 leagues after he had loft his main-maft. 
 
 He was now grow T n old, and feverely af- 
 flidted with the gout. The queen his patronefs 
 was dead ; and the king, of a clofe and diflem- 
 bling difpofition, and a narrow mind, was the 
 only perfon he had to footh his misfortunes, 
 or pay the reward which was due to his la- 
 bours. But he received neither comfort nor 
 reward ; the performance of his contract was 
 deferred upon frivolous pretences; and he em- 
 ployed the clofe of his life, as he had done the 
 adtive part of it, in a court follicitation; the 
 moft grievous of all employments to any man, 
 the moft hopelefs to an old man. Vanquilhed 
 at laft by years, fatigues, and disappointments, 
 he died with thofe fentiments of piety, which 
 fupported him through the misfortunes of his 
 life, and added a finifliing, which nothing 
 elfe could give to his greatnefs of mind, and all 
 his other virtues. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Settlements in America. 59 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 
 HEnceforward. In treating of the progrefs 
 of the Spanifh difcoveries and arms, 
 inftead of defigns laid in fcience, and purfned 
 with a benevolent heart and gentle meafures ; 
 we are bat too often to fhew an enthufiaftic 
 avarice, urging men forward to every act of 
 cruelty and horror. The character of this firft 
 difcoverer was extremely different from that 
 of all with whom he dealt, and from that of 
 moft of thofe who purfued his difcoveries and 
 conquefts ; fome with a vigour and conduct 
 equal, but all with virtues very much inferior. 
 In his character hardly is any one of the com- 
 ponents of a truly great man wanting. For to 
 the ideas of the moft penetrating philofopher, 
 and a fcheme built upon them worthy of a 
 great king, he joined a conftancy and patience, 
 which alone could carry it into execution, 
 with the fortune of a private man. Continual 
 ftorms at fea, continual rebellions of a turbu- 
 lent people on more, vexations, difappoint- 
 ments, and cabals at court, were his lot all his 
 life • and thefe were the only reward of fer- 
 vices, which no favours could have rewarded 
 fufficicmly. His magnanimity was proof 
 again ft all of thefe, and his genius furmounted 
 all the difficulties they threw in his way, ex- 
 cept that of his payment, the point in which 
 
 fuch 
 
60 An Account of the European 
 
 fuch men ever meet with the worft fuccefs, and 
 urge with the leaft ability. That furprizing, 
 art, poffefTed by fo few, of making every acci- 
 dent an inftrument in his defigns; his nicej 
 adjuftment of his behaviour to his circumftan- \ 
 ces, temporizing, or acting vigoroufly as the I 
 occafion required, and never letting the occa- 
 fion itfelf pafs by him ; the happy talent of j 
 concealing and governing his own paffions, and \ 
 managing thofe of others - y all thefe confpire j 
 to give us thehigheft idea of his capacity. And 
 as for his virtues, hisdifinterefted behaviour, his 
 unmoveable fidelity to the ungrateful crown he 
 ferved,the juft policy of his dealing with the In- | 
 dians, his caution to give them any offence, and 
 his tender behaviour to them when conquered, 
 which merited him the glorious title of their 
 father, together with his zeal to have them 
 inftru&ed in the truths of religion, raife him 
 to the elevated rank of thofe few men whom j 
 we ought to confider as examples to mankind, 
 and ornaments to human nature. 
 
 I hope it will be forgiven me, if I add a re- 
 mark upon the condudl of the court of Spain j 
 with regard to this great man. Though, as we | 
 faw all along, this condutt was equally unjuft 
 and impolitick, forry I am, that no leflbn of : 
 inftru&ion can be drawn from the event, j 
 which was in all refpeds as fortunate, as the 
 meafures purfued were ungrateful and impru- I 
 dent. But there was a coincidence of events j 
 
 at 
 
Settlements in Amerrica. 6i 
 
 at that time, which does not always happen fo 
 opportunely to juftify an ungrateful and narrow 
 policy. It is certain that fome men are fo 
 poffelfed with their defigns, that when once 
 engaged, nothing can difcourage them in the 
 purfuit. But great and frequent difcourage- 
 ments are examples to others, which will at 
 lead: certainly have an effect, and will terrify 
 men from forming fuch defigns at all. Then 
 the fpirit of invention and enterprize dies 
 away ; then things begin to ftagnate and to 
 corrupt 5 for it is a rule as invariable in poli- 
 ticks as it is in nature, that a want of proper 
 motion does not breed reft and liability, but 
 motion of another kind, a motion unfeen and 
 
 ! inteftine, which does not preferve but deftroy. 
 
 ! The beft form and fettlement of a ftate, and 
 every regulation within it, obeys the fame uni- 
 verfal law ; and the only way to prevent all 
 things from going to decay, is by continually 
 aiming to better them in fome refpecT: or other; 
 (fince if they are not better, they will furely 
 be worfe,) and to afford an attentive ear to 
 every projed: for this purpofe. I am fenfible 
 that it muft frequently happen, that many of 
 thefe projects will- be chimerical in them- 
 felves, and offered by a people of an appear- 
 ance and manner not very prejudicing in their 
 favour. But then I am fatisfied too, that thefe 
 men muft in the nature of things have fome- 
 thing odd and Angular in their character, who 
 
 expofe 
 
 3 
 
62 An Account of the European 
 
 expofe themfelves, and defert the common 
 and certain roads of gain, in purfuit of advan- 
 tages not certain to the publick, and extreme- 
 ly doubtful to themfelves. 
 
 It is equally true, that if fuch people are en- 
 couraged, a number of vifionary fchemes will 
 be offered. But it is the charadler of pride 
 and lazinefs to rejedl all offers, becaufe fome 
 are idle, as it is of weaknefs and credulity to 
 liften to all without diftindtion. But furely, 
 if judgment is to have any (hare in our con- 
 dud:, it is the province of judgment to fift, to 
 examine, to diftinguifh the ufeful from the 
 foolifh, the feafible from the impracticable, 
 and even in the midft of the virions of a fruit- 
 ful and difordered brain, to pick out matter 
 which a wife man will know how to qualify 
 and turn to ufe, though the inventor did not. 
 Cromwell, partly from his circumftances, but 
 more from his genius and difpofition, received 
 daily a number of propofals of this kind, 
 which always approached him in a fanatical 
 drefs, and were mixed frequently with matters 
 the moft remote from probability and good 
 fenfej and we know that he made a fignal ule 
 of many things of this kind. 
 
 Colbert fpent much of his time in hearing 
 every fcheme for the extending of commerce, 
 the improvement of manufadtures, and the 
 advancement of arts ; fpared no pains or ex- 
 pence to put them in execution, and bounti- 
 fully 
 
Settlements in America. 
 
 fully rewarded and encouraged the authors of 
 them. By thefe means France advanced 
 during the reign of Lewis the fourteenth, and 
 under this minifter more than it had done in 
 many reigns before - y and by thefe means, in 
 the midft of wars, which brought that king- 
 dom and all Europe to the brink of deduc- 
 tion ; amidft many defaults in the royal cha- 
 racter, and many errors in his government, a 
 feed of induftry and enterprize was fown, 
 which on the firft refpite of the publick cala- 
 mities, and even whilft they oppreffed that na- 
 tion, rofe to produce that flouriming internal 
 and external commerce and power, that diftin- 
 guifhes France, and forms it's ftrength at this 
 day, tho' a lefs adlive reign, and minifters of a 
 different character have fucceeded. On the 
 contrary, it was always the character of the 
 court of Spain to proceed very flowly, if at all, 
 in any improvement ; and to receive fchemes 
 for that purpofe with coldnefs and difdain. 
 The effedts upon the power of that monarchy 
 were anfwerable with regard to America, the 
 conqueft as well as the difcovery was owing 
 wholly to private men , the court contributed 
 nothing but pretentions and patents. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
64 An Account of the European 
 
 CHAP. IX. 
 
 A N ancient painter drew a fatyrical pic- 
 jfV ture °f Cimon the Athenian. He re- 
 prefented this commander afleep, and Fortune 
 drawing a net over cities to put them into his 
 pofleffion. There never were princes to whom 
 this reprefentation could be applied with 
 more juftice, than to king Ferdinand and his 
 fuccefibr the emperor Charles. Without 
 forming any plan in the cabinet, without 
 ifluing a penny out of their treafury, without 
 fending a regiment from their troops, private 
 adventurers amongft their fubjedts put them 
 into pofleffion of a greater, and a more wealthy 
 territory, than ever the mo ft celebrated con- 
 querors had acquired by their valour, or their 
 wifdom. Nor was this conqueft more extra- 
 ordinary for the trivial means by which it was 
 accomplished, than for the mortnefs of the 
 time in which it was effected ; for from the 
 departure of Columbus, which was in the year 
 1492, to the entire reduction of Chili, which 
 was in i54i,feven great kingdoms, inhabited 
 by a vaft number of warlike and wealthy na- 
 tions, were made to bow under the Spanifli 
 yoke. For after the difcoveries of Columbus 
 had enlarged the fphere of induftry to active 
 minds, fuch a fpirit of enterprize went abroad, 
 
 that 
 
Settlements in America^ 65 
 
 (hat not only thofe perfons whofe indigence 
 might have driven them from their native 
 country, but perfons of the firft rank went 
 over to fettle in America. Gold was the fpur 
 to all thofe adventurers, of whatever rank ; and 
 this with a romantic fpirit of chivalry, made the 
 greateft hazards appear but common matters 
 in their eyes. And indeed in a country wholly 
 uncivilized, under the burning zone, and in 
 many places extremely unhealthy, the tempe- 
 rance of the Spaniards, their hardinefs under 
 fatigue, and the patience and perfeverance 
 which make the moft mining part of their 
 character, enabled them to engage in en- 
 terprizes, and to furmount difficulties, to 
 which any other people had certainly been 
 unequal. 
 
 Vafco Nunez de Balboa was a man of a 
 graceful prefence, a liberal education, an hardy 
 confutation, and had that kind of popular 
 bravery, which recommends a man who en- 
 gages in defperate expeditions, where he muft 
 have more authority from his perfon than his 
 place. This man firft fun'ounded Cuba, con- 
 quered, and left it. He did not there find 
 the treafures which he expected. He there- 
 fore relinquished the gleanings of this field to 
 thofe who had a more moderate ambition, and 
 a more faving induftry. He fought new ground, 
 he followed the tracks of Columbus to Darien, 
 gained the friendfhip of fome of the Caziques, 
 
 F and 
 
96 An Account of the European 
 
 and conquered others. He was the firft who 
 difcovered the South-Sea - 3 and being as ready 
 to difcern the advantages of a country as to 
 difcover the country itfelf, he eftablifhed a 
 colony upon that coaft, and built the city of 
 Panama. But according to the fate of all the 
 firft adventurers in this new world, indeed 
 according to the fate of moft who engage in 
 new undertakings, he never lived to reap the 
 fruit of his labours. He found himfelf fuf- 
 pended by one who had only difcernment 
 enough of his merit to raife his jealoufy and 
 envy, and who could make no other ufe of 
 the difcoveries of this great man, than to 
 increafe his own private fortune. This man 
 was a politician and a courtier, and having in 
 feveral inftances bafely injured Balboa, he was 
 too wife to flop there, but under a pretended 
 form of juftice cut off his head, and confifcat- 
 ed his ertate. 
 
 Some time after the fettlement of Cuba, 
 Bon James Velafquez obtained the govern- 
 ment 5 a man of good fenfe in common affairs, 
 but fo much miflaken, as to imagine he could 
 aft a great part by deputy; ^nd that too in cir- 
 cumftances, wherein a man who had but little 
 capacity could do him but little fervice, and he 
 that could do much would certainly do it for 
 himfelf. The continent of America was now 
 very well known, and the fame of the great- 
 ntfs and wealth of the Mexican empire fpread 
 
 every 
 
Settlements in America. 67 
 
 every where. This infpired Velafquez with 
 a fcheme of reducing fome part of this opulent 
 country under his obedience. He pitched 
 upon Hernando Cortes to command in this 
 expedition, in which he certainly made a very 
 right judgment. There was no man amongft 
 the Spaniards, who to an adventurous difpofi- 
 tion then common to them all, knew fo 
 well to join a cool and (ready conduct, to 
 gain love whilft he preferved refpeft ; not to 
 (hi ft his fchemes according to occafions, but 
 perfifting uniformly in a well-judged defign, 
 to make every inferior action and event fub- 
 fervient to it • to urge ftill forward ; to extri- 
 cate himielf out of difficulties into which he 
 was brought by bold actions, not by mean 
 fubterfuges, but by actions yet bolder. This 
 was the character of the man already in high 
 reputation, whom Velafquez chofe to conquer 
 for him. 
 
 The embarkment was made at St. Jago de 
 Cuba, and Cortes was to take in fome rein- 
 forcements at the Havanna. But he was hard- 
 ly departed for this purpofe, when Velafquez 
 grew jealous of him - y and without considering 
 that Cortes was of that heroic difpolition, in 
 which a blind obedience is rarely a principal 
 ingredient, he took the ill-judged ftep of re- 
 moving him from the command of an army, 
 which in fome fort might be confidered as 
 his own, (ince he had much influence on the 
 F 2 foldiers, 
 
68 An Account of the European 
 
 foldiers, and that a confiderable part of the ex- 
 pence of the armament had been fupplied by 
 himfelf. When this order, which was to 
 deprive him of his command, arrived to Cor- 
 tes, he was not long before he came to a refo- 
 lution. He explained the whole matter to 
 his foldiers ; he fhewed them how uncertain 
 the intentions of Velafquez were, and how 
 much all their hopes were like to be fruftrated 
 by the inconftancy of his difpofition. The 
 event was prepared. The foldiers declared to 
 a man, that they were fubje&s only to the 
 king of Spain, and knew no commander but 
 Cortes. The army and the general, thus 
 bound to one another by their mutual difobe- 
 dience, failed for Mexico. 
 
 The empire of Mexico was at that time 
 governed by a prince called Montezuma, the 
 eleventh who reigned from the firft monarch 
 who had conquered the country. The em- 
 pire was eledive, and the merit of Montezuma 
 had procured him the ele&ion, A prince of 
 capacity and courage, but artful, hypocritical, 
 and cruel. This empire, founded on con- 
 quer!:, was increafed by his vi&ories. By 
 himfelf, or by his generals, he had abfolutely 
 fubdued feveral kingdoms and provinces ; fe- 
 vcral were made tributary, and other?,' which 
 were not abfolutely fubdued, were influenced 
 by his power to an entire obedience to his 
 will. His armies were the ben: in that part 
 
Settlements in America. 69 
 
 of the world, and prodigioufly numerous. In 
 this fituation, and fo beaded was the empire 
 of the Mexicans, when Cortes came to prove 
 it's ftrength, with an army of no more than 
 five hundred foot, and not quite fixty horfe. He 
 did not come a ftranger into the country, to 
 encounter a force which he dared to engage 
 only becaufe he was ignorant of it. He had 
 long made every poffible enquiry from the 
 Spaniards and Indians into every circumftance 
 of its internal weaknefs or power ; it's allies, 
 it's enemies, and the interefls which de- 
 termined them to be allies or enemies. 
 Weighing all thefe, and knowing, that along 
 with great hopes, great dangers likewife lay 
 before him, he made his retreat yet more 
 dangerous by his difobedience to the governor 
 of Cuba 5 and when he landed on the conti- 
 nent, he made it impoffible, for he burned 
 his mips. But though he had made a retreat 
 impoffible, Jie had fomething elfe to encou- 
 rage him to go forward, than the impoffibility 
 of retiring. He had great hopes that many 
 of thefe ftates, who were kept in a forced 
 fubjeclion, or a flavim dread of Montezuma, 
 would gladly turn this new and alarming ap- 
 pearance from themfelves againft him, and 
 under the banner of thefe formidable Grangers, 
 arm themfelves to (bake off the ancient tyran- 
 ny, which always appears the worft, without 
 forefeeing confequences, to which more civi- 
 F 3 lfcsed 
 
70 An Account of the European 
 
 lized nations have frequently been as blind as 
 they. It happened according to his expecta- 
 tions. 
 
 The Zempoallans, a nation tributary to 
 Montezuma, as foon as they had fufficient 
 proofs of the power of the Spaniards, at the 
 expence of feveral of their neighbours, who at- 
 tempted to oppofe their progrefs, threw off 
 the Mexican yoke, gladly put themfelves 
 under the protection of Cortes, and earned it 
 by the large reinforcements which they added 
 to his army. Montezuma was foon made ac- 
 quainted with thefe meafures For according 
 to the cuflomof that well-regulated kingdom, 
 he had ports fo ftationed, that in a little time 
 he had notice of whatever happened in the 
 remote parts of his empire. The difpatches 
 which were fent him, were painted cloaths, 
 exaCtly reprefenting every circumftance of the 
 bufinefs of which he was to be informed ; the 
 figures w 7 ere interfperfed with characters to 
 explain what muft neceffarily be wanting in 
 the picture. So far, but no farther, had this 
 people advanced in the art of writing. As 
 well informed as the emperor was of every 
 particular of this invafion, and of the defection 
 of his tributaries, he aCted not at all con- 
 formably to the greatnefs of his former exploits. 
 He took the worft method which a great 
 prince ever did upon fuch an occafion, which 
 was, to temporize. He let the Spaniards fee, 
 
Settlements in America. 71 
 
 by fome trifling arts which he ufed to oppofe 
 them, that he did not look upon them as his 
 friends, and at the fame time neglected to act 
 againft them as fo formidable an enemy re- 
 quired ; by which means they made daily ad- 
 vances in the country. His enemies were en- 
 couraged, his tributaries made infolent, and 
 his fubje&s and allies utterly difpirited ; whilft 
 the Spaniards, in a variety of engagements, 
 which they had with the petty princes of the 
 country, raifed their reputation by a train 
 of victories, and began to be confidered as 
 invincible. Cortes, like the great commander 
 he was, took advantage of this irrefolute difpo- 
 fition in Montezuma, and ufed every poffible 
 means to cherifn it. He always fent back 
 what prifoners of Montezuma's fubjedts his 
 new allies had taken, with prefcnts, and 
 every profeffion of efteem and regard to 
 their matter, and with the ftrongeft aflurances 
 of a defire of preferving peace ; requefting to 
 fee Montezuma, and to confer with him upon 
 fome matters he faid he had in charge to de- 
 clare to him from his mafter the emperor of 
 the Romans. 
 
 There was at that time a celebrated republic 
 on the coaft of Mexico, towards the gulph, 
 called Tlafcala. This people were faid to be 
 fo powerful, as to be able to arm four hundred 
 thoufand men. Powerful as they were, tho* 
 not fubdued, they were yet awed by the 
 p a greatnefs 
 
7 2 <An Account of the European 
 
 greatnefs of the Mexicans. This awe, or 
 perhaps a better policy, induced them to give 
 a check to the Spaniards. But in the manner 
 of Montezuma's proceedings they would not 
 oppofe them publicly, and therefore could 
 not oppofe them effectually. Some nations, 
 on whom they had prevailed to fall upon the 
 Spaniards, were over and over again defeated, 
 together with thofe troops the Tlafcalans had 
 fent clandeftinely to their affiftance. At laft, 
 by degrees, declaring themfelves more openly, 
 as the danger preffed them, they drew a large 
 army into the field, which was routed by the 
 troops of Cortes few indeed in number, but 
 infinitely fuperior in arms, and now grown fa- 
 miliar with viftory. The confequence of this 
 battle was the alliance of the Tlafcalans with 
 their conqueror, which they entered into with 
 the lefs difficulty, as they were to ferve again ft 
 the Mexicans, and might now hope to ferve 
 with fuccefs. Cortes, however, did not chufe 
 to truft this untried and forced alliance too far, 
 nor at the fame time to deprive himfelf entire- 
 ly of the fuccour it produced. He therefore 
 took a middle courfe, and accepting three 
 thoufand of their men, he held on his rout to 
 Mexico. 
 
 C I I A P. 
 
Settlements in America. 73 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 T]5 EFORE Cortes began his expedition 
 JL3 t0 Mexico, he had built a ftrong fortrefs 
 at the principal port on the coaft, to open a 
 paiiage for fuccours, when his fuccefs mould 
 make intereft enough to procure them. This 
 he called La Vera Cruz, and it has fince be- 
 come a city, remarkable for the great traf- 
 fick fince carried on between thefe opulent 
 countries and Old Spain. During the Tlafcalan 
 war, in which the Spaniards fuffered fome- 
 thing, and had every thing to apprehend, 
 Montezuma took no fteps, but lay by watch- 
 ing the event, in hopes that the Tlafcalans 
 might defeat the troops of Cortes at their own 
 expence ; or if the Spaniards proved victorious, 
 he might then have the merit of not having 
 ufed hodilities againft them. He loft both 
 parties by this double conduct 3 fuch an infidi- 
 ous neutrality betrays nothing but the weak 
 policy of him who ufes it. However, as a 
 fair corrcfpondence ftill fubfifted between 
 them, he ufed every means he could to dif- 
 fuade Cortes from his propofed journey to 
 Mexico. At laft he took a ftep, worfe judged 
 than all the bad ones he had hitherto taken. 
 He fent to the Spaniards a very large and mag- 
 nificent prefent, of every thing his dominions 
 afforded valuable, but principally a vaft quan- 
 
74 d> n Account of the European 
 
 tity of gold and precious ftones ; offering at 
 the fame time yet more, and perfuading them i 
 to return to their own country. If any perfon in 
 the army was unwilling before this to proceed, 
 he now changed his mind. All were con- 
 vinced that they ought to advance with fpeed 
 to poffefs the fountain of that wealth, of 
 which this rich donation was but an in- 
 confiderable rivulet. 
 
 Montezuma, baffled in all his fchemes to 
 keep the Spaniards at a diftance, having ufed | 
 hirnfelf to fhifting meafures, until they were 
 in a degree grown habitual, found Cortes at ; 
 the gates of Mexico before he was refolved \ 
 how he mould receive him. He was now 
 almoft too late for force. He therefore dif- 
 feihbled his concern with the beft grace he ! 
 could, and received him with all the honours a 
 monarch can beftow, when he would difplay 
 his own magnificence, and mew his fenfe of" 
 extraordinary merit. Cortes was lodged in a 
 palace fpacious and grand, after the manner of 
 the country. All his Spaniards were lodged 
 with him, but he took care to place a train of 
 artillery at his gate. 
 
 Thus ported without a blow in the heart of 
 this great city, the capital of the new world, 
 he was for a while at a lofs what meafures to 
 purine, for fecuring hirnfelf in a conqueft of j 
 this importance. Having received more than 
 he could reafonably have afked, there was no j 
 
 caufc 
 
Settlements in America. j$ 
 
 caufe of complaint, and confequently no ad- 
 vantage to be colourably taken. He had only 
 to wait for fome of thofe critical incidents, 
 upon whofe ufe all great matters depend, and 
 without which the greateft genius muft be at 
 a ftand. It was not long before one of thefe 
 occurred. 
 
 Two Tlafcalans arrived in difguife at Mexi- 
 co, who brought him an account that a gene- 
 ral of Montezuma had attacked fome of his 
 confederate Indians ; that the garrifon of Vera 
 Cruz had gone out to their defence ; and that 
 though the Mexicans were repulfed with lofs, 
 the Spaniards were greatly endangered, many 
 wounded, and one killed, whofe head, by the 
 order of Montezuma, was carried through all 
 the cities and villages of their country, to de- 
 ftroy the reverence in which they held the 
 Spaniards, and undeceive them in a notion 
 they had conceived, that thefe ftrangers were 
 immortal. This intelligence alarmed Cortes. 
 He knew that opinion was one of the ftrongeft 
 fupporters of his little force ; that things of this 
 kind never flop at their beginnings ; that Mon- 
 tezuma, while he careffed him in his city, 
 was disjoining his allies, and diflreffing his 
 garrifon abroad-, and that no time was to be loft: 
 in dilatory counfels ; and that he mull keep 
 alive the memory of his former exploits. He 
 therefore took a refolution worthy of a brave 
 man, in a difficulty made for his capacity. He 
 
 armed 
 
76 An Account of the European 
 
 armed himfelf in the befl: manner, and with 
 five of the moft faithful and beft refolved of his 
 officers, went diredtly to the palace of Monte- 
 zuma. Thirty of his men attended at fome 
 diftance. Guards of Spaniards w r ere placed at 
 the principal avenues to the palace. 
 
 It was ufual for Montezuma's guards to 
 withdraw, out of refpeft, when he had any 
 conference with Cortes. On this occafion, as 
 foon as he was admitted to audience, he 
 charged the emperor with the outrages com- 
 mitted by his orders, in terms of great refent- 
 ment. The emperor difowns it. But Cortes, 
 after having paid him the compliment of not 
 fuppofing him capable of fo mean a diffimula- 
 tion, affured him, that he was himfelf entirely 
 fatisfied of his innocence, but that others had 
 fears which were not fo eafily removed; but to 
 fatisfy the Spaniards, he mud give fome folid 
 proof of his confidence in them ; which he could 
 effectually do no o> her wife than by his removing 
 without delay to their quarters. A requeft of 
 this nature ftartled Montezuma, who never 
 was ufed to any voice but that of the humbleft 
 fubmifiion. However, he faw plainly that 
 Cortes did not make fo extraordinary a requeft, 
 but with a refolution of making it be com- 
 plied with. He faw the neceffity, and he 
 yielded to it. 
 
 Thus was the capital of a vaft and powerful 
 empire, inhabited by an innumerable multi- 
 tude 
 
Settlements in America." 
 
 tude of warlike people, entered without refin- 
 ance by an handful of men, who came to 
 overturn it's liberty. And thus was one of the 
 greatefl princes on earth, renowned for his 
 wifdom and valour, feized in his palace, in the 
 midft of this city, at noon-day, and carried 
 prifoner without noife or violence, by fix per- 
 sons, to be difpofed of at their pleafure. 
 
 The people, confounded and enraged to find 
 one whom they always ufed to reverence as a 
 god, treated in this unworthy manner, fur- 
 rounded the quarters of the Spaniards to punifh 
 this facrilege, and refcue their captive prince. 
 But Cortes, who well underftood the confe- 
 quence of the fteps he had taken, was not 
 alarmed. He knew that he had now in his 
 hands an engine, which was capable of doing 
 any thing. Montezuma went out to appeafe 
 the people, aflured them that he was there of 
 choice, and (which was true) that the Spani- 
 ards were wanting in no inftance of refpeft 
 due to his character and dignity. 
 
 This appeafed and difperfed the people. But 
 Montezuma, whofe unfortunate circumftances 
 obliged him to aft as an inftrument to his own 
 captivity, could enjoy no reft, though allowed 
 the attendance of the principal officers of his 
 court, and indulged by the Spaniards in every 
 thing but his liberty. Long revolving, he at 
 laft contrived a fcherne, which he judged, with- 
 out his appearing to concur with them, might 
 
 alarm 
 
78 An Account of the European 
 
 alarm his fubjedts with a fenfe of their danger, 
 or oblige the Spaniards to depart by the rea- 
 fonablenefs of his propofals. He had always 
 libertv of going abroad with a guard of Spa- 
 niards, under pretence of doing him honour. 
 He now defired to hold a council of the 
 ftates of his empire, that in concurrence they 
 might fatisfy Cortes and his affociates in the 
 amplefi: manner. This council was convened, 
 in which Montezema, in a premeditated fpeech, 
 fet forth the origin of his nation ; the prophe- 
 cies extant among them> that a people of the 
 fame race fhould arrive, to whom this em- 
 pire fhould be fubjeft ; that the people were 
 now arrived who were the objed: of thofe pro- 
 phecies, and fprung from this origin, to whom 
 the gods had deftined univerfal empire, and 
 who, by their great accomplishments and fur- 
 prizing bravery, merited their high deftination : 
 then he folemnly declared himfelf tributary to 
 the emperor of the Romans; he exhorted them 
 on their part to a due obedience; and ended by 
 telling them, that as he had himfelf prepared a 
 prefent from his treafures worthy of this great 
 emperor, he expected that every one of them, 
 in proportion to his ability, would teftify his 
 loyalty to this new mafter, and his regard to 
 the merit of his general, and thofe brave men 
 that attended him, that they might be enabled 
 to depart fpeedily to their own country, with 
 that opinion of their brethren the Mexicans, 
 
 which 
 
Settlements in America. 
 
 which their affection to them, and their obe- 
 dience to their common mafter, deferved. 
 
 At firft an entire filence fucceeded this ha- 
 rangue ; the whole aiTembly confounded and 
 ftruck dumb with grief, indignation, and fur- 
 prize. Then followed a mixed cry, as each 
 perfon was affected by fome particular part of 
 the general calamity. The luftre of their em- 
 pire tarnifhed, their religion to be profaned, 
 their freedom furrendered, their emperor de- 
 graded, what was worfe, degraded by himfelf ; 
 could they believe their ears ? Was it Montezu- 
 ma who had fpoken in fuch a manner ? The 
 defign of Montezuma was until this moment a 
 fecret to Cortes ; he was furprifed, and fome- 
 thing chagrined at an artifice, the invention of 
 which he now penetrated very clearly. But 
 his furprife did not confound or perplex him in 
 the part he faw it was proper for him to act. 
 Without any embarraffment, he feconded the 
 harangue of Montezuma by a fpeech, which 
 was well interpreted, wherein he ftrongly 
 urged the propriety, and infinuated the necef- 
 fity of an entire obedience to their prince, and 
 an imitation of his conduct. Difordered as 
 the affembly was, yet ftill held by a facred 
 reverence to their emperor, influenced by the 
 hope of the fudden departure of the Spaniards, 
 and referving themfelves for a better occafion, 
 they followed Montezuma's example, and 
 paid homage to Cortes, in that dumb and 
 i fullen 
 
8o An Account of the European 
 
 fallen fubmiflion with which fierce fpirits 
 yield to neceffity. He received it, and thanked 
 them, as a man thanks his debtor for a ready 
 payment. 
 
 Cortes faw that this empty homage fecured 
 him nothing ; but he knew that the gold, 
 which was to accompany it, would be of real 
 fervice in cancelling the ill impreffions made 
 by his difobedience in Spain. In Mexico he 
 might look upon himfelf as fecure - } he had the 
 perfon of the emperor in his hands; he had his 
 forces in the capital - } and he had lately ftruck a 
 terror into all, by feizing the general, who 
 had committed hoftilities againft the Spaniards. 
 He got the emperor to difavow his conduct, 
 and condemn him as a traitor. By their joint 
 authority, this unhappy man, guilty of nothing 
 but obedience to his lawful mafter, and zeal 
 for his country, was burned alive in the pub- 
 lick fquare of Mexico. But neither this 
 horrid example, nor the imprifonment of 
 their emperor, nor the late acknowledgment 
 of the emperor Charles, was fufEcient to make 
 the Mexicans infeniible to the dilgrace they 
 fuffered, nor of the danger which hung over 
 them. They began to confult how they 
 might deliver themfelves. Some propofed to 
 cut off the communication with the continent, 
 and hold the Spaniards befieged in their quar- 
 ters : for the citv of Mexico is an ifland in a 
 great lake, and communicates with the conti- 
 nent 
 
Settlements in America^ Si 
 
 nent by four great caufeways, extremely cu- 
 rious for contrivance and folidity. Whilft 
 they were ripening their fchemes, a report 
 came to Cortes, that fome words had dropt 
 from a Mexican concerning the practicability 
 of deftroying one of thefe caufeways. From 
 this word, (for he heard no more) this watch- 
 ful and fagacious commander judged of the 
 whole contrivance. Without however taking 
 notice of it publicly, he immediately orders 
 two brigantines to be built to fecure his re- 
 treat, if a retreat fhould prove the wifeft mea- 
 fure. In the mean time he kept a ftrift difci- 
 pline in his army - } and to preferve reverence 
 from the Indians, he prohibited theirapproach- 
 ing his quarters when his men were afleep, 
 and feverely puniflied thofe of his foldiers who 
 flept out of the times and places appointed for 
 that purpofe. All this while no preparations 
 for his departure. 
 
 CHAP. XL 
 
 MONTEZUMA, fick with impatience 
 of his confinement, and feeing that he 
 daily loft his authority amongft the people by 
 the pufillanimous appearance of his condudt, 
 as foon as he perceived that any fpirited aftion 
 on his fide would be feconded with equal 
 fpirit by his fubje&s, he roufed his dormant 
 magnanimity, and in fpite of the condition he 
 
 G wa9 
 
82 An Account of the European 
 
 was in, he fent vor Cortes, and :ddrefTed him 
 in this manner : " Cortes, the riefires of my 
 fubje&s, my own dignity, and the commands 
 of my gods, require that j ou fhould depart 
 my empire. You are fenfible how much I 
 have valued your friendfhip, and how effec- 
 tually I have fhewri that , valued it. But 
 after fo many proteffions of go. d-wiii upon 
 your fide, and fo many proof of it upon 
 mine, after every pretence of bufuiefs is over, 
 wherefore do you delay your return ? I have 
 yielded homage to your mailer, I am ready to 
 obey him, 1 have fent him prefents, (or fhall 
 I call it a tribute) worthy of myfelf and of 
 him ; your whole army is loaded, even to an 
 inconvenience, with their darling gold. Would 
 they have more ? Shall more be delivered 
 them ? But then, when they fhall have fpoken 
 their largeft wi(hes, and latisfied their moil 
 eag^r defires, I infill: upon it that they depart 
 immediately, or they may find, in fpite of the 
 condition I am in, of which condition, for 
 your fake, and for my own, I fhall fpeak but 
 little, that Montezuma has yet courage' enough 
 to vindicate his own honour, and friends in 
 Mexico who will not fail to revenge the 
 wrongs he fhall fuffer. " 
 
 Cortes perceived fomething of an unufual 
 refolution and ilernnefs in the emperor's coun- 
 tenance whilft he fpoke. He therefore fent 
 orders, before the interpreter began to explain 
 
 his 
 
 3 
 
Settlements in America. 
 
 his fpeech, that the Spaniards mould ftand to 
 their arms, and wait his commands. His an- 
 fwer was refolute, but not fuch as to drive the 
 emperor to defpair. He lamented the jealoufy 
 which their common enemies had occa- 
 fioned ; that for his part he was fecured from 
 all fear by his own courage, and the bravery of 
 his troops j but fince he was fo unfortunate as to 
 find he could not longer enjoy the honour of 
 a converfation he had fuch reafon to efteem, 
 confidently with the emperor's repofe, he 
 would depart as foon as mips could be built, 
 for on landing he had been obliged to burn his 
 own. This anfwer fcothed Montezuma; he 
 refumed his good humour, he promifed to 
 load his army with gold at his departure, and 
 gave immediate orders that every thing mould 
 be prepared for fitting out the mips in the 
 fpeediefl and ampleft manner. But Cortes 
 gave orders, which were full as well obeyed, 
 to the perfon he appointed for the equipment, 
 to delay it upon every, poflible pretence. He 
 expected daily the return of the meffengers he 
 had fent into Spain, to follicit his pardon and 
 fuccours, with the continuance of the com- 
 mand. 
 
 Whilft he was entertained with thefe ex- 
 pectations, and with finding out pretences to 
 defer his departure, an exprefs arrived from 
 Sandoval, his governor at La Vera Cruz, in- 
 forming him of the arrival of eighteen (hips, in 
 G 2 whicja. 
 
84 An Account of the European 
 
 which was an army of eight hundred foot, 
 and two hundred horfe, under the command 
 of one Narvaez, who was fent by his old ene- 
 my Velafquez, the governor of Cuba, to fu- 
 perfede him in the command, to treat him as 
 a rebel, and fend him in chains to Cuba. The 
 governor feized the meffengers, who were 
 fent by Narvaez, to require him to furrender, 
 and fent them prifoners with this account to 
 Cortes. There never was a time wherein the 
 firmnefs and capacity of this commander were 
 put fo ftrongly to the proof. On one hand, 
 here was an army in weapons and courage 
 equal to his own, in numbers vaftly fuperior, 
 and above all, ltrengthened with the name of 
 the royal authority. The Mexicans, ill-affect- 
 ed before, would rejoice in this opportunity 
 to fall upon him. On the other hand, muft 
 he refign the conquefts he had made with fuch 
 infinite tdils and hazards, into the hands of 
 his mortal enemy, and in return to bear the 
 name, and receive the punifhment of a tray- 
 tor ? There was little room to hope for an 
 accommodation. The thoughts of a furrender 
 were intolerable. One way only remained, to 
 conquer Narvaez. His own courage and con- 
 duct ; his foldiers, habituated to vi&ory, and 
 endeared to him by common dangers and 
 triumphs ; his reputation, and the fignal pro- 
 vidence which always attended him, would 
 combat upon his fide. Above all, no time 
 
 was 
 
Settlements in America. 85 
 
 was to be loll in fruitlefs counfels. He fent 
 an exprefs to Sandoval, his governor in La 
 Vera Cruz, to evacuate that place, and join 
 him in his rout with what men he had. He 
 affembled his forces, and found them to a 
 man attached to his interefts, and ready to ha- 
 zard every thing in fupport of them. He left 
 eighty men in Mexico, picked from his croops, 
 recommending them to Montezuma, and him 
 to them. With this fmall garrifon he dared 
 to entruft Mexico and all his vafl hopes there; 
 but the imprifoned emperor was himfelf a 
 garrifon, from the reverence his fubjedts bore 
 him. Before he fet out, he releafed the pri- 
 foners which Sandoval had fent him, ufing the 
 feverity of his officer to difplay his own cle- 
 mency. He careffed them extremely, loaded 
 them with prefents for themfelves, and the 
 principal officers of Narvaez's army, and did 
 every thing to create himfelf a party there by 
 his generofity. He fent at the fame time very 
 advantageous terms of accommodation to the 
 general himfelf, but took care to follow and 
 fecond his ambalfadors with all the power 
 he could raife. This, with Sandoval's rein- 
 forcement, did not amount to three hundred 
 men ; but with thefe, and fome confederate 
 Indians, he marched with all imaginable dili- 
 gence to Narvaez's quarters. 
 
 Narvaez, elated with the fuperiory of his 
 army, would hearken to no terms, though he 
 G 3 was 
 
86 An Account of the European 
 
 was much preffed to it by his principal officers, 
 who difcovered plainly that this quarrel could 
 only end in the ruin of their party, or that of 
 the Spanifh intereft in Mexico. Mean time 
 Cortes, little incumbered with baggage, and 
 lefs with a dilatory genius, advanced by forced 
 marches. He was but a fmall diftance from 
 the enemy's quarters, when the rains came on, 
 and as ufual in that country, fell very heavily. 
 Cortes knowing that the ill difpofttions of the 
 fky were circumftances favourable to a fur- 
 prize, inviting to defperate enterprizes, and 
 that they are always leaft prejudicial to thofe 
 in motion, having perfect intelligence of the 
 difpofition of Narvaez's army, and having dif- 
 pofed his troops in fuch a manner as not 
 to fall upon one another, and to adt in concert, 
 he ordered them, when they fhould enter the 
 town where the enemy was ported, to keep 
 in clofe to the houfes, that they might not fuf- 
 fer by the artillery, which was fo placed as to 
 play upon the middle of the ftreet. Having 
 made this difpofition, he marched to attack 
 the camp, on one of thofe gloomy and tempe- 
 ftuous nights. Though he dire&ed every 
 thing with the utmoft fecrecy, Narvaez had 
 intelligence of his approach, but he laughed at 
 it ; and not undei (landing the nature of a 
 prudent raflinefs, could not believe that Cortes 
 would make fuch an attempt in fuch a feafon, 
 went to fleep, without taking fufficicnt care that 
 
Settlements in America. 
 
 it fhould not be difturbed. Security in the ge- 
 neral is eafily followed by that of every one 
 elfe. Cortes afTaulted the town in three 
 bodies, and whilft every one in the adverfe 
 party ran in confufion to his arms, and op- 
 pofed without command or uniformity, as 
 each man was attacked, the whole army was 
 routed. The quarters of Narvaez were at- 
 tacked by Cortes's divifion, and the men routed 
 there as elfewhere. Narvaez himfelf, fhame- 
 fully taken in bed, fell into his hands. <( Value 
 yourfelf, faid he, my lord Cortes, on your for- 
 tune in making me your prifoner!" But Cortes, 
 with a fmile of indignation, anfwered, " T\\?x 
 he thought this by far the leaft adtion he had 
 performed, fince he came into the new 
 world." 
 
 When the morning came on, the difperfed 
 army of Narvaez began to form into bodies, 
 and to difcover the inconfiderable force which 
 the night before had defeated them. Their 
 firft motion, diftracted with fhame and anger, 
 was to fall upon the conquerors, and recover 
 the honour they had loft. But when they 
 found that their general was a prifoner, their 
 artillery feized, and the advantageous poft they 
 had occupied in the enemy's poffeffion, and 
 numbers amongft themfelves well -affected to 
 Cortes, they liftened at laft to his propofals, 
 recommended as they were by the polite and 
 infinuating behaviour of which he was mafter, 
 
 G 4 and 
 
88 An Account of the European 
 
 and that open and unbounded generofity he 
 fhewed to every one. They all enlifted un- 
 der his banner, and agreed to fh a re his fortune. 
 Thus did this accident, which feemed to 
 threaten inevitable deftruftion to the affairs of 
 Cortes, prove the moft efTe&ual method of 
 reftoring them to an excellent condition, 
 wholly by means of the wifdom of his mea- 
 fures, and of that vigour and activity with 
 which he purfued them. His army now con- 
 fifted of above a thoufand men after replacing 
 his garrifon at La Vera Cruz, in which fortrefs 
 he left Narvaez a prifoner. 
 
 This vidlory, and the reinforcement it pro- 
 cured, came at a moft critical time ; for hardly 
 had he begun to adjuft matters for his return 
 to Mexico, when an exprefs arrived that his 
 affairs there were in a moft dangerous condi- 
 tion. Alvarado, whom he had left to com- 
 mand at his departure, though a brave and 
 able man, had too great a contempt for the 
 Indians, and too little difcernment for the nice 
 circumftances he was in, to manage with that 
 juft mixture of firmnefs and yielding, by 
 which Cortes had hitherto fo ballanced the 
 hopes and fears of the Mexicans, that he 
 never gave them an entire opportunity of 
 knowing their own ftrength. This man, ei- 
 ther difcovering, or pretending at leaft to dis- 
 cover, that fome of the chief men in the city, 
 who were met in the great temple, were af- 
 
 fcmbled 
 
Settlements in America. 
 
 fembled to confult how to expel the Spaniards, 
 fuddenly furrounded the place, and murdered 
 all the perfons of rank who were met in the 
 temple. This cruel and precipitate adtion at 
 once raifed the whole people. Enraged at 
 what they had already fuffered, and what they 
 faw plainly they were yet to expedt from the 
 tyranny of thefe intruders, their own ig- 
 nominous patience, the fear of the Spanifh 
 arms, their inbred refped: for Montezuma, 
 were all loft in their fury. Should they ftay, 
 until on various pretences they were all 
 butchered ? Montezuma, either forgetful of 
 his office and dignity, or unable to exert it, 
 could protedl them no longer. Gods and 
 men allowed them to defend themfelves, and 
 arms were in their hands. The flame, fo fu- 
 rious in the capital, fpread itfelf with equal 
 fwiftnefs and rage over all the country, and all 
 were vowed and hearty for the deftruftion of 
 the Spaniards. In this extremity Alvarado 
 fhewed as much bravery as he had done im- 
 prudence in bringing it on. He redoubled 
 his watch on the emperor j he obliged him to 
 exert the remains of his authority in his favour, 
 and fortifying his quarters in the beft manner 
 the time would admit, he ftood out the ftorm, 
 and repulfed the Mexicans in feveral attacks ; 
 but their fury, far from relenting at the fre- 
 quent and bloody repulfes they met, redoub- 
 led by their loffes. They exercifed the be- 
 
 fieged 
 
90 An Account oj the European 
 
 fieged day and night, with the moft vigorous I 1 
 aflaults at the beginning to cut off their re- r 
 treat, and burned the brigantines which Cortes i r 
 had built. 
 
 Cortes, who was obliged to make fo rapid 
 a march from Mexico, to defend himfelf a- 
 gainft Narvaez, was compelled by an equal \ 
 neceffity to march from Zempoallo to Mexico, j 
 to relieve his forces, and preferve his moft ef- \ 
 fential interefts there. The Mexicans, like j 
 all people who have not reduced the art 
 of war to fome rule, fuffered their eagernefs in 
 purfuing one advantage, to let other material 
 ones lie neglected For whilft they pufhed ! 
 on the fiege of the Spanifh quarters with great 
 vigour and diligence, they took no effectual 
 care of the avenues to the city, or to cut off all 
 fuccours from the befieged. Cortes entered 
 the city without refiftance. He foon routed 
 thofe who inverted the port of the Spaniards, 
 and brought them a relief, of which they 
 flood in the greateft need. This arrival of fo 
 formidable a body of troops, held the Mexi- 
 cans fome time in fufpence ; but in fpite of the 
 fatal error of admitting them into their city, 
 which had now inexculably been a fecond 
 time committed, and in fpite of the fuccefs 
 every where attending the Spanifh arms, they 
 came to a refolution of continuing hoftilities. 
 But things wore another face fince the arrival 
 of Cortes. No longer fatisfied with defend- 
 ing 
 
Settlements in America. 91 
 
 ing his quarters, he Tallied out and defeated 
 them feveral times with great {laughter. 
 However, as he found that he fuffered more 
 by the leaft loffes than the Mexicans by the 
 greateft, he kept clofe for fome time, fuffering 
 She enemy to approach, in hopes of making 
 one laft effort, to appeafe them by the autho- 
 rity of Montezuma; This unhappy prince, 
 reduced to the fad neceffity of becoming the 
 bftrument of his own difgrace, and of the 
 flavery of his people, appeared on the battle- 
 ments, and addrefied his fubjedis with every 
 argument he could ufe to prevail with them 
 to difperfe. But this expedient was not 
 attended with the ufual fuccefs. The Mexi- 
 cans, by an habit of living without rule, had 
 many of them loft much of that relpedt, which, 
 even to adoration, every one of them ufed to 
 pay their prince; they anfvvered him with re- 
 proaches, and a ftone from an uncertain hand 
 {truck Montezuma with great violence in the 
 temple. The Spaniards carried him to his 
 apartment. Here he refufed to fuffer any 
 dreffings to be applied to his wound, but 
 wrapping his head in his garment, gave him- 
 felf up a prey to fhame and grief, and in a few 
 days died, lefs cf his wound, which was but 
 inconfiderable, than of forrow and indignation, 
 on feeling that he had fo far loft the efteem 
 and love of his fubjefo. There are other ac- 
 counts 
 
92 An Account of the European 
 
 counts of the death of Montezuma, but this 
 appears the moft probable. 
 
 Thus died this great prince, more remark- 
 able for the great virtues by which he afcend- 
 ed the throne, and thofe qualities by which he 
 held it in fo much luftre for many years, than 
 for his fteadinefs and wifdom in defending it 
 when attacked by a formidable enemy. It 
 has happened thus to many great men. When 
 Lucullus and Pompey attacked Tigranes, king 
 of Armenia, we do not fee any thing in him 
 of the conqueror of fo many kings. Even his 
 conqueror Pompey was not himfelf, after hav- 
 ing enjoyed in glory for a long time a power 
 acquired by the greateft exploits. Se ejfe mag- 
 num oblitus eft. It is natural, whilft we are 
 raifing ourfelves, and contending againft diffi- 
 culties, to have our minds, as it were, ftrung, 
 and our faculties intent and conftantly awake. 
 The neceffity of our affairs obliges us to a con- 
 tinual exercife of whatever talents we poflefs ; 
 and we have hope to animate and urge us on- 
 ward. But when we are come to the fummit 
 of our defires, the mind fuffers itfelf to relax. 
 It is grievous to contend a-new for things, 
 of which we have long looked upon our- 
 felves as fecure. When we have no longer 
 any thing to hope, we have then every thing 
 to fear. Thus enervated by this profperity, 
 and difcompofed with this fear, we become 
 
 ftiff 
 
Settlements in America. 93 
 
 ftiff and irrefolute to adlion ; we are willing to 
 ufe any temporizing meafures, rather than ha- 
 zard on any adventure fo much power and re- 
 putation. If Montezuma had made an early 
 ufe of his ftrength, he had ftrength enough, 
 after many loffes, to have kept Cortes far 
 enough from his capital ; but having once 
 entered upon fhifting and dilatory courfes, this 
 brave and adtive enemy gave his affairs a 
 mortal blow, by feizing upon his capital, and 
 by this means fome time after by feizing upon 
 his perfon too. The reft was all a confequence 
 which no prudence could prevent, of a plan of 
 conduft imprudent and ill laid originally. 
 
 CHAP. XII. 
 
 AS foon as the Mexicans were apprized of 
 the death of their emperor, they fet 
 about the ele&ion of a fucceffor. They im- 
 mediately caft their eyes upon Guatimozin, 
 nephew and fon-in-law of Montezuma, a 
 man fit to command at fuch a time ; of a per- 
 fon graceful, a body ftrong and robuft, and of 
 a foul full of the moft undaLnted courage. 
 Though no more than twenty-four years old, 
 the reputation of his early exploits procured him 
 the authority of age, and a penetrating genius 
 ferved him for experience. He was no fooner 
 called to this unfteady throne, than he took 
 meafures to prevent the Mexicans from their 
 
 diforderly 
 
94 -An Account of the European 
 
 diforderly and cafual attacks, and to make 
 them adt, with defign and uniformity. He 
 examined thoroughly into the coufe of their 
 former mifcarriages ; and confidering every 
 thing, he found that the Indians in their pre- 
 fent condition, could never hope for any fuc- 
 cefs in open fight ; he refolv>°.d therefore to 
 fpare his men as much as poflible, until his 
 own invention and time might teach them 
 better methods of fighting. On thefe ideas he 
 caufed all affaults to ceafe; then he cut oft the 
 caufeways which joined the city to the conti- 
 nent, and at the fame time ftrongly barricaded 
 the ftreets, refolving to ftarve an enemy which 
 feemed unconquerable by any other means -> a 
 meafure, which though it has with us no ex- 
 traordinary appearance, {hewed no fmall faga- 
 city in Guatimozin, becaufe it was what had 
 never been before prafldfed amongft the mili- 
 tary ftratagems of thie y. .ic, . d invention is 
 the characleriftic of genius. 
 
 From henceforward the whole method of 
 the war was changed, the Spaniards grew 
 every day more and more (heightened for pro- 
 vifions, and whenever they fallied out, though 
 they flew great numbers of their opponents, 
 the many canals of the city, and barricado be- 
 hind barricado, after fome fuccefsful progrefs, 
 obliged them, vanquished by mere wearinefs, 
 to return without effedt to their quarters. The 
 Spaniards, invincible by the Indian arms, were 
 
 not 
 
Settlements in America. 
 
 not proof againfl: famine. Cortes favv that 
 nothing was left for his fecurity, but as fpeedy a 
 retreat as pofiible and though this muft 
 neceflarily lofe them the moft conliderable 
 part of the treafure they had amaffed, it was 
 what leaft afflidted him. He encouraged his 
 troops, by chearfully relinquifhing his own 
 part, not to attempt burthening themfelves 
 ; with a treafure which they might confider 
 as lying at an advantageous intereft, until they 
 mould, as they certainly would, be enabled to 
 return with a fufficient force to reclaim it. 
 The refolution of retreating being now taken, 
 and all things difpofed for it, a queflion arofe, 
 whether it were better made by day or in the 
 night. On this the council of war was divided; 
 and their reafons feeming pretty equal, a 
 perfon amongft them, a fort of aftrologer, who 
 pafled for a prophet, and as fuch was much re- 
 fpedted by the greater part of the army, 
 promifed them certain fuccefs if they retreated 
 by night. Certain it is, that when meafures 
 are dubious, fuperftitious determinations have 
 great ufe ; for as reafon cannot eafily determine 
 the right way, that method which fuperftition 
 fixes upon, is by the weight it has from thence, 
 purfued with the greater chearfulnefs and effect. 
 
 The general was guided by the prophet, 
 and he difpofed every thing for his retreat with 
 great judgment. He caufed the ufual fires to 
 be lighted in every part of his quarters. Some 
 
 of 
 
 ( 
 
96 An Account of the European 
 
 of his boldeft and nioft a&ive men led the van? 
 The prifoners, artillery, and heavy baggage 
 were in the center. He himfelf, with one 
 hundred of his choiceft troops, formed the 
 rear. With wonderful order and filence, and 
 without any interruption, did the Spaniards 
 march until they came to the firft breach in 
 the caufeway. Here a portable wooden- 
 bridge which Cortes had prepared, was laid 
 over ; but when the artillery and horfes had 
 paffed, it was wedged fo clofely into the flones 
 that bordered the caufeway, that it could not 
 be removed, and there was yet another breach. 
 But they were foon called from attending to 
 this by a more preffing danger ; for as nothing 
 could elude the vigilance of the new emperor, 
 he found out their intention of retreating, and 
 difpofed all along the fides of the caufeway an 
 infinite multitude of canoes, with orders to 
 prefer ve the greateft filence, and not to attempt 
 any thing until a fignal was given. The 
 darknefs of the night favoured the fcheme. 
 And how perceiving that the Spaniards were 
 under fome embarraffment, they took this ad- 
 vantage, and all at once, with great order, 
 poured in their arrows railing at the fame 
 time a moll tremendous fhout, fwelled with 
 the barbarous found of all their martial inftru- 
 ments of mufic. The Spaniards were not 
 wanting to themfelves, but behaved with fignal 
 bravery. It were needlefs, and almoft im- 
 
 poffibU) 
 
Settlements in America. 
 
 poffible to relate all the deftru&ion of that 
 horrid night. The Indians at firft attacked 
 in good order, but the firft ranks being re- 
 pulfed, and the diftant canoes preffing on to 
 action, the whole attack was thrown into 
 confufion, the Indians drowned or flaughtered 
 one another : however, they ftill preffed on 
 with untameable fury. Thoufands, impatient 
 of the delay their remote fuuation caufed 
 them, leapt from their canoes, and climbing 
 up the caufeway in front where it was inter- 
 rupted, broke in upon the Spaniards in this 
 quarter, with a torrent hardly refiftible. In 
 vain this naked multitude was hacked to 
 pieces by the Spanifh fwords, in vain were 
 they tumbled upon one another by hundreds 
 into the lake ; new warriors fucceeded thofe 
 that were killed, and the Spaniards, actually 
 wearied out, were in danger of being wholly 
 cut off ; when making one vigorous effort 
 in the front, they happily cleared that poft, 
 and by a beam which they cafually met, they 
 paffed over one by one, or, as fome fay, filling 
 the intervals with the dead bodies of their 
 enemies, they gained the main land. Cortes 
 came over w T ith the firft, for in the confufion 
 of the night, their former order was in a good 
 meafure loft, and took care as faft as his men 
 got over to form them, to fecure the paffage 
 for the reft. Then returning to thofe who 
 were behind, by his prefence and example, he 
 
 H animated 
 
98 An Account of the European 
 
 animated them to renew the fight, and draw- 
 ing up a part of his men on both fides of the 
 caufe.way, he ordered the reft to file off from 
 the center. In this manner the firft light law 
 the Spaniards clear out of the city. Cortes 
 halted at a fmall diftance, that thofe whom 
 the confufion and the night had difperfed, 
 might have an opportunity of rejoining the 
 reft of the army. 
 
 Happily thty were not purfued, for as foon 
 as the dawning light unveiled the field of 
 battle to the Mexicans, the pofTeflion of 
 which they bought by luch a profufion of 
 their own blood, they perceived among the 
 flain two fons of Montezuma, who were 
 with the prifoners, and pierced through by 
 the arrows of the Mexicans in the pro- 
 mifcuous and undiftinguifhed carnage of 
 the preceding night. For fome time they 
 were confounded and ftruck dumb with hor- 
 ror at this fight ; their lentiments of loyalty 
 returned; their monarch, almoft their god, 
 lately profaned by their own violence ! now 
 their hands imbrued in the blood of his chil- 
 dren ! A general deadnefs and confternation 
 enfued. They muft not add to their impiety 
 by negleding the obfequies due to the de- 
 ceafed. In the mean time the Spaniards 
 purfued their retreat without moleftation ; but 
 this breathing lafted but a fhort time : all the 
 allies of the Mexicans already in arms, and 
 
 divided 
 
Settlements in America. qc 
 
 divided into feveral flying parties, hung over 
 the army of Cortes, and harraffed it without 
 intermiffion ; they attacked him in front, in 
 rear, in flank, by open force, by ambufcade, by 
 furprize. Provifion grew extremely fcarce on 
 his march ; and now it was that Cortes mewed 
 a firmnefs under his loffes, a vigilance againfl: 
 inceflant attacks, fo various in time and man- 
 ner, and a courage which enabled him to re- 
 pulfe them, which have been exceeded by 
 nothing in hiftory. 
 
 The principal army of the Mexicans, whilft 
 he contended with fuch difficulties from the 
 flying parties, took another rout, and pouring 
 in three columns into a plain, where their 
 number mould be of moft avail, they covered 
 the whole of an extended valley, which lay 
 directly in his road to Tlafcala, and this was 
 called the valley of Otumba. They concealed 
 their purpofes with all imaginable care. To 
 blind the Spaniards, they ordered feveral vil- 
 lages to give them a friendly reception. But 
 Cortes did not fuffer this to relax his vigilance, 
 not allowing himfelf to be deceived by any 
 appearances of friendfhip fhewn by men, 
 whofe intereft it was not to be his friends, 
 Convinced as he was, that a furprize of all 
 things was indeed very deftrudtive to the affairs 
 of a general, but that it was mortal to his 
 reputation. He drew indications of their fen- 
 timents towards him, from the manners, the 
 H 2 geftures 
 
ioo 4n Account of the European 
 
 geftures, and the countenances of thofe he 
 treated with in his march 5 and perceiving 
 that many mewed unufual figns of content 
 and exultation, he judged not without reafon 
 that it could not be favourable to him. He 
 therefore difpofed every thing in fuch a man- 
 ner as that his troops were neither difordered, 
 nor his courage abated, when from an emi- 
 nence they difcovered the extended plains 
 of Otumba, darkened as far as the eye could 
 reach with the myriads of their enemies. The 
 Spaniards, animated by their fuperiority in 
 arms, and their former victories, and the 
 Tlafcalans, by the prefence of fuch allies, and 
 their hatred of the Mexican name, behaved 
 with great bravery and fuccefs ; neither were 
 the Mexicans inferior in animofity and courage. 
 But it was Cortes himfelf who determined the 
 fortune of the day. Nothing he ever heard 
 was either forgot, or fuffered to be an ufelefs 
 burthen upon his memory. He remembered 
 to have heard from the Mexicans, that the 
 fortune of the field with them ever followed 
 that of the royal ftandard. This was a net of 
 gold, elevated on a gilded ftaff, and fplendid 
 with plumes of a thoufand colours. Great 
 exigencies alone brought it into the field, and 
 it was entrufted to none but the care of the 
 general, who fit on a chair fumptuoufly 
 adorned, and fupported on men's (boulders in 
 the center of the armies to view the whole 
 
 battle, 
 
Settlements in America. ioi 
 
 battle, to be a witnefs of the behaviour of all 
 his troops, and to give orders as the occafion 
 required. Cortes pretending to make his 
 principal effort in a quarter remote from the 
 ftandard, employed all his foot in that fervice; 
 but heading the horfe himfelf, with fome of 
 his braveft officers, informing them of his 
 defign, and animating them with the hopes of 
 a fpeedy decifion, he flung himfelf with fury 
 againft the part that feemed lealt diftant from 
 the center. After difperfing and overturning 
 whole battalions, they penetrated to the cho- 
 fen body of nobles, who guarded the general 
 and ftandard. Here the refiftance was greater, 
 but it was foon overcome, and Cortes's own 
 lance met the general, who was overthrown, 
 and the ftandard taken. All the other ftand- 
 ards were ftruck dire&ly, and the Mexicans 
 fled every way which their fear and confufion 
 hurried them. They loft twenty thoufand 
 men in this battle, and a fpoil infinite. This 
 victory gave Cortes an undifturbed paffage to 
 Tlafcala, and a welcome reception amongft 
 his allies there. 
 
 CHAP, 
 
102 An Account of the European 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 LET us now turn our eyes to Mexico. 
 No fooner were the Spaniards departed, 
 than Guatimozin ordered the city to be forti- 
 fied in fuch a manner as to fecure himfelf 
 againft their entrance a third time. He found 
 that a thoufand Tlafcalans were killed in this 
 retreat, upwards of two hundred Spaniards, 
 (the greateft lofs they had yet in America,) and 
 a great number of horfes. He cut off the 
 heads of the Spaniards, and of their horfes, no 
 lefs dreaded, and fent them to all the neigh- 
 bouring nations, as an infallible token of his 
 victory ; as a fure proof that he was refolved 
 to keep no meafures with the enemy, and 
 to ftir them up to their utter deftruclion; and 
 he fucceeded fo well, that numberlefs petty 
 nations, well inclined to the Spaniards, fell off, 
 and many that were wavering were confirmed 
 in the Mexican intereft. By this means feve- 
 ral adventurers, that from the fame of Cortes 
 had landed to join him, were cut to pieces be- 
 fore they gained his army. But the negotiation 
 to which Guatimozin bent all his force, was 
 that with Tlafcala, becaufe this was Cortes's 
 chief ftrength. He fent large prefents, and 
 ambaffadors of ability, and excellent inftruc- 
 tions, to detach them from the Span ifh intereft, 
 who adled fo well, that they caufed a great 
 
 divifioa 
 
Settlements in America. 103 
 
 divifion in their favour in the councils of that 
 republic. But Cortes making his military 
 exploits fubfervient to his negotiations, and 
 his /kill in negotiation affiftant to his exploits, 
 baffled them at length with great addrefs, but 
 not without great difficulty, and the Tlafca- 
 lans were confirmed in his friendmip. 
 
 Whiift a general has an obedient and well 
 united army, he has an engine in proper 
 order to work in his defigns, and he can then 
 execute them with eafe ; but the greateft trialof 
 his capacity is to defend himfclf againft a foreign 
 enemy, and wreftle with a domeftic fedition at 
 the fame time. The foldiers of Narvaez, fince 
 Cortes's return from Mexico, where they 
 were obliged to leave fo confiderable a part of 
 their booty, nowhopelefs of the expedition, be- 
 gan to mutiny, and demandedlo be fent home 
 directly to Cuba; nor were his other troops free 
 from fome part of the infection. Whatever 
 could be done by preferving them in action, 
 without too great a fatigue ; whatever a fea- 
 fonable yielding, without forfeiting autho- 
 rity, in fhort, whatever an able comman- 
 der could do in fuch circumftances, was 
 done by Cortes, without any other effect: than 
 that of palliating the difeafe ; the indifpofition 
 ftiil continued, 
 
 Whiift he ftruggled with thefe difficulties, 
 which nearly overpowered him, his old enemy, 
 James Velafquez, looking on the fuccefs of 
 H 4 Narvaez's 
 
104 An Account of the European 
 
 Narvaez's expedition as a thing certain, fent a 
 fhip to get intelligence of his proceedings, and 
 <about thirty men to reinforce him. The perfon 
 who commanded at the port for Cortes, no 
 fooner faw the fhip in the offing, than he 
 went on board her, and upon the captain's en- 
 quiry after Narvaez, he affured him he was 
 well, and as fuccefsful as he could wifh. Not 
 doubting this, the captain and his men landed, 
 and were immediately made prifoners. Find- 
 ing how affairs were really circumftanced, 
 they admired the conqueror, commended the 
 ftratagem, and chearfully joined the army. 
 
 Much about the fame time the governor of 
 Jamaica, and he too a determined enemy of 
 Cortes, fent three mips with a fmall body of 
 troops, in hopes of tearing from him fome 
 part of his conquefta. Thefe fhips were dii- 
 perfed in a ftorm, and were involved in many 
 difficulties ; but what is Angular, they all, 
 though feparated, came to one and the fame 
 refolution, which was to revolt from the com- 
 mander, and join Cortes the moment they 
 came on more : fo that the enemies of Cortes 
 now no lefs than three times relieved him, by 
 the very methods which they took to diftrefs 
 his affairs. Thefe advantages, though im- 
 proved to the utmoft by Cortes, were certainly 
 not at all the refult of his contrivance. There is 
 a fpecies of a fplendid good fortune neceffary to 
 form an hero, to give a luflre to his wifdom 
 
 and 
 
Settlements in America. 105 
 
 and courage, and to create that confidence and 
 fuperiority in him that nothing elfe can give, 
 but which always makes a principal part of an 
 heroic character. Without this, it is impof- 
 fible for any man, however qualified, to emerge. 
 Cortes was not only fortunate, by being freed 
 from the moft terrible embarraflment by the 
 arrival of thefe fuccours, which were never in- 
 tended as fuch ; but much about the fame 
 time mips arrived from Spain, bringing, on 
 the account of fome private perfons, a rein- 
 forcement of men and military ftores; and 
 from the court an authentic approbration of 
 his conduct, and a confirmation of his com- 
 m and. 
 
 Fortified with thefe, he yielded to the mu- 
 tinous importunities of fuch of his foldiers as 
 were earneft to depart ; and though he dimi- 
 nished his numbers confiderably by this ftep, 
 he judged it better to have a well-difciplined 
 army than a great one, and knew that little 
 could be expected from men who were drag- 
 ged un willingly to action ; at the fame time that 
 their cowardice or fedition would infect the 
 reft. After the departure of the mutineers, he 
 found he had ftill above nine hundred Spanifh 
 foot, and eighty-fix horfe, and eighteen 
 pieces of cannon. With thefe, and with the 
 afii fiance of a vaft body of Tlafcalans, and 
 allies of various nations, whom admiration and 
 fear of Cortes, or hatred to the Mexicans, had 
 
 brought 
 
io6 An Account of the European 
 
 brought under his banner, he once more pre- j| 
 pared to attack Mexico, which was the grand j| 
 objeft of his undertakings. The city was fol 
 advantageoufly fituated, and he knew at this 
 time fo well fortified, that nothing could be | 
 done without a force on the lake. T© cut off| 
 their fupplies, he ordered the materials ofj 
 twelve brigantines to be got ready, in fuch a 
 manner as only to need being put together 
 when they fhould arrive at Mexico. Thefe 
 were carried upon the fhoulders of his Indian 
 allies. His rout to Mexico cannot be fo ? 
 much confidered in the light of a march, as a \ 
 continued train of ambufcades and battles, \ 
 feme of which were fought with the moft 
 numerous armies, and with circum fiances not 
 fuited to the brevity of my purpofe to relate. 
 In all thefe he was fuccefsful, though his ene- 
 mies may be faid, with little exaggeration, to 
 have difputed with him every foot of ground % 
 between Tlafcala and Mexico. j. 
 At laft that city fhewed itfelf, rifing from the f 
 midft of a noble lake, furrounded with a ^ 
 number of moft populous cities, as her at- | ( 
 tendants upon every fide, and all fubjeel: to \ { 
 her power. The Spaniards now looking on 
 this as their goal, revived their courage, and 
 forgot the difficulties of their march ; and the i 
 Tlafcalans, in a perfed fury of military delight, k 
 wanted the fteady hand of Cortes to reftrain a ^ 
 courage, which he commended and kept alive y 
 
 by 
 
Settlements in America. 107 
 
 by his example and words, whilft he modera- 
 ted it's ardor. Before he began the attack of 
 Mexico, he fpent fome time in reducing all 
 the neighbouring cities from which it might 
 derive any fuccour. He cut off the aquedudts 
 which fupplied Mexico with water, that of the 
 hke being brackifh, and he got ready his 
 brigantines with all imaginable diligence to 
 cut off all relief from the lake. 
 
 Whilft his attention was wholly employed 
 in the profecution of the war, an old Spaniard, 
 who had long ferved, difcovered to him a 
 confpiracy of the moft dangerous nature. An- 
 tonio de Vilefana, a private foldier, but a man 
 bold and defperate in any bad purpofe, and 
 fubtle in contriving it, had formed a confpi- 
 racy with feveral others to kill Cortes, and the 
 principal perfons upon whom he relied, and 
 then to return to Vera Cruz, from whence 
 they might eafily pafs to Cuba, and fecure 
 their pardon by the merit they mould make 
 of this adtion with James Velafquez. They 
 were urged to this refolution by the fatigue of 
 thofe innumerable dangers and difficulties, they 
 had palled, and by the defpair of overcoming 
 thofe which yet lay before them ; without 
 confidering that by this wicked adtion, they 
 mould rather produce new difficulties than 
 overcome the old. Others of more confe- 
 1 quence were drawn in, and the confpiracy 
 had been fo far formed, that the time and 
 
 manner 
 
108 An Account of the European 
 
 manner of killing him was fettled, and the per- 
 fon fixed, upon whom they intended to devolve 
 the command. When Cortes was apprifed 
 of this confpiracy, without any hurry that might 
 give notice that he had difcovered it, yet, 
 without lofing a moment to take advantage of 
 the difcovery, with four or five of his principal 
 captains, he went directly to the quarters of 
 Vilefana, who, aftonifhed at feeing him, made 
 half his confeflion by the fear he difcovered. 
 Cortes had him thrown immediately into 
 irons, and then ordering every body to retire, 
 he examined himfelf into all the particulars of 
 the affair, and the names of the perfons con- 
 cerned. Vilefana made a full confeffion, and 
 ended it by producing a paper in vindication of 
 their proceeding, which had been figned with 
 the names of all the confpirators. Cortes was 
 not a little furprifed to fee amongft them, the 
 names of perfons upon whom he had great 
 reliance. However, he duTembled his con- 
 cern, and ordered Vilefana to be immediate- 
 ly executed. He was fliewn to all the army 
 hanging at his tent door. Cortes informed 
 none of the friends he mod trufted with 
 the paper he had received ; but fummoning 
 the army, he gave them an account of the 
 horrid confpiracy that had been formed againft 
 his life ; that he had punifhed the perfon 
 principally concerned, but that it was with 
 fatisfadion he was left ignorant of his accom- 
 plices, 
 
Settlements in America. 109 
 
 plices, by the care the criminal took in de- 
 ftroying a paper, which he believed might 
 have made great difcoveries. For his part, as 
 he had punifhed, and was refolved feverely to 
 punifh any flagitious attempt againft his life or 
 authority, fo he was determined to order both 
 in fuch a manner as to give juft caufe of com- 
 plaint to no man; and if by any accident he had 
 done fo, he was ready to give him all reafon- 
 able fatisfaclion. Proceeding thus, Cortes had 
 the advantage of knov/ing who they were that 
 wimed him ill ; at the fame time that they re- 
 mained unapprifed of the difcovery he had 
 made, and endeavoured to prevent it by a 
 more diligent performance of their duty : he 
 now appointed a guard upon his perfon. 
 
 Hardly had Cortes fuppreffed this confpiracy, 
 and made the proper ufe of a baffled attempt 
 againft his authority, which was to ftrengthen 
 and increafe it, than a difficulty of fomethingof 
 a fimiiar nature engaged him, and from which 
 he extricated himfelf with the fame courage 
 and prudence. The general of the Tlafcalans 
 envying his glory, and perhaps fearful of the 
 confequence of the entire deftruclion of the 
 Mexicans, though enemies to his own country, 
 perfuaded a confiderable body of the people 
 to quit the Spanifli camp. Cortes immediate- 
 ly ordered him to be purfued. This general 
 had formerly been an enemy to Cortes, and 
 oppofed him in the councils of his nation ; 
 
 but 
 
1 10 An Account of the European 
 
 but when he faw the general current in his fa- 
 vour, he made a timely change, and came en- 
 tirely into his interefts. He had now relapfed, 
 and was therefore not to be trufted any more. 
 Cortes gave orders to thofe who purfued him 
 to put him to death. The Tlafcalans who 
 revolted were eafily prevailed upon to return ; 
 and fo dexteroufly did Cortes reprefent this 
 affair, that neither the Tlafcalans in his army, 
 nor the republic, nor even the father himfelf of 
 the general, condemned him for what he had 
 done. 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 
 THESE internal diforders being com- 
 pofed, he turned his fortitude and wif- 
 dom againft his open enemies. Three prin- 
 cipal caufeways led to the city, which three 
 towns or fuburbs defended upon the fide of 
 the continent. Within were trenches and 
 barricadoes one behind another the whole 
 length of the way. Cortes ordered three attacks 
 upon thefe towns, and the caufeways which 
 they defended. The brigantines acled upon 
 the water. Through the whole length of 
 this fiege, the bravery of the Mexicans, in 
 defence of every thing which was dear to 
 them, was not more remarkable than the in- 
 genuity by which they baffled the attacks of 
 the Spaniards, and attacked them in their 
 
 turn. 
 
 3 
 
Settlements in America. hi 
 
 turn. On land, on water, by open force, by 
 ftratagem, by every method, they plied each 
 other inceflantly day and night. Bat the Spa- 
 niards, invincible under the command of Cor- 
 tes, had the advantage fo far, that with infinite 
 flaughter they gained thefe pods which fe- 
 cured the cauleways upon the fide of the 
 country, at the lame time that they cleared the 
 lake fo, that a canoe of the enemy did not dare 
 to appear upon it. 
 
 Cortes gained thefe advantages, but he faw 
 how dearly he had bought them $ he reflected 
 how it would tarnifh his glory to deftroy fo 
 beautiful a city, and drench it in the blood of 
 it's unfortunate inhabitants ; and confidering 
 .what fupernatural exertions of ftrength had 
 been frequently fhewn by a defpairing people, 
 in the laft convulfive ftruggle for their religion, 
 life, and property, he made ufe of the ad- 
 vantages he had gained to recommend the 
 terms of accommodation, which he refolved 
 to fend unto the befieged. He required no 
 more than the acknowledgment of the empe- 
 ror of the Romans, and the confirmation ot 
 his right of fucceeding ceded to him by Mon- 
 tezuma, and long acknowledged by t hemoft 
 authentic prophecies of the nation, and fuch a 
 fecurity as might fettle the performance of this. 
 
 Guatimozin, who had done all that bravery 
 and military fkill could perform to fave his 
 country, finding the means moll fuited to his 
 
 years 
 
H2 An Account of the European 
 
 years and inclinations unfuccefsful, though full 
 o^ that noble pride which becomes and fupports 
 the royal character, was now as willing to 
 fave it by the milder and furer way of accom- 
 modation. But the priefts, who had much 
 influence in the council, either fearful of 
 lofing their power, or through an honeft, tho' 
 blind zeal, denounced vengeance from their 
 gods upon all who could think of fubmiffion, 
 and promifed a certain fuccefs to thofe who 
 flood up in defence of their religion. They 
 had great weight, and the whole council, con- 
 trary to the opinion of the emperor, became 
 unanimous in refufing all terms. Guatimozin, 
 who yielded to the general fentiment with re- 
 gret, and faw the unhappy confequence but 
 too clearly, refolved to fall with the fame 
 fpirit that he had lived. " Then, faid he, 
 fince you are determined to hazard every 
 thing, prepare to a£t in a manner worthy of 
 that refolution. Me, you fhall never find 
 wanting to you, or to myfelf. Thefe are 
 the laft good terms you are to expect. What- 
 ever henceforward you demand through ne- 
 ceffity, will be anfwered with pride and cruelty. 
 Therefore, henceforward, let no man prefume 
 to fpeak of peace, be our exigencies what 
 they will j the firft that dares to do it fhall 
 certainly die j even the priefts themfelves y 
 they are moft concerned to fupport the oracles 
 of their gods." 
 
 When 
 
Settlements in America. uj 
 
 When he had faid this, with a Hern and 
 determined countenance, he went out of the 
 aflembly, and ordered the whole city under 
 arms. Cortes, on the other fide, as foon as he 
 found that his propofals were rejedted, laid 
 afide all thoughts but thofe of violence, and 
 I commanded a general afTault to be made at the 
 three caufeways all at once, and to carry fire 
 and fword into the heart of the city. He 
 commanded himfelf in the principal attack. 
 The caufeway was broke down before him, 
 and the breach formed a ditch of fixty feet 
 wide. On the other fide appeared a fortifica- 
 tion of earth and planks. He ordered the 
 brigantines to the fide of the caufeway, to 
 favour the attack, and directing his cannon 
 againft the fortification, made fo furious a fire 
 that it was foon demolifhed; and the defenders 
 galled by the inceflant fhot, which made a mod 
 terrible havock, could maintain the poft no 
 longer. Cortes, under the fire of his cannon, and 
 with the help of his brigantines, paffed over :he 
 ditch, and loft no time to poffcfs himfelf of 
 the other fide, leaving one of his captains with 
 a detachment to fill it up, and fecure a retreat, 
 in cafe it (hould be found neceffary. Then he 
 advanced to attack the remaining barricadoes 
 of the Mexicans, who made a brave defence. 
 The battle raged furioufly, and as the Spa- 
 niards gained ground, their dangers and lofTes 
 grew every moment greater. They had now 
 
 I advanced 
 
1 14 An Account of the European 
 
 advanced amongft the buildings, from whence 
 they were opprefied with a mixt ftorm of 
 darts, arrows, (tones, and boiling water. Be- 
 fore them itood a cholen body of the Mexi- 
 can foldiers, who made a refolute ftand. Du- 
 ring this conflidt, the captain who had been 
 ported to fill up the ditch, thinking it an in- 
 glorous employment to be employed as a 
 pioneer, whilft his companions were in fuch 
 an hot action, advanced with all his men, and 
 deferred the neceffary work he was employed in. 
 
 No fooner had Guatimozin, whofe eyes [ 
 were every where, perceived this motion, than j 
 he took advantage of it. He ordered thofe ( 
 who were in the front of the Spaniards to . t 
 flacken their efforts ; for as night came on fart, j 
 he thought it better to allow the enemy to j 
 gain fome ground, that he might fall on them , 
 with more advantage in their retreat. Cortes 2 
 as quickly perceived this flacknefs, and the ( 
 caule which produced it. He found that the f 
 breach of the caufe way was abandoned, that night , 
 approached, and that there was little hope of j 
 a lodgment in the city at that time. He there- j , 
 fore began to retreat in the beft order he could, | t 
 fetting fire to the houfes, that he might not be ( 
 incommoded by them in his next attack. But ! , 
 fcarcely was the retreat begun, when their 
 ears were alarmed by the dreary found of the 
 facred trumpet, fo called becaufe it was per- 
 mitted to the priefts alone to found it 5 and 
 
Settlements in America- 115 
 
 that only when they animated the people on 
 the part of their gods. The found was doleful, 
 continued, and firong, infpiring a contempt of 
 death, and a dark religious fury. Immediately 
 enfued a horrid cry, which refounded from all 
 parts, and this was followed by an attack of 
 more than common rage upon the rear of the 
 Spaniards, which was broke entirely, after a 
 gallant and bloody ftand. All order was now 
 loft. The general's commands were drowned 
 in the cry and tumult of the fight ; the Tlafca- 
 lans who were in the front threw themfelves 
 precipitately into the trench ; fome made a 
 fruitlefs oppofition, others attempted to gain 
 the brigantines, whilft the Mexicans on fhore, 
 in canoes, wading, or fwimming, upon every 
 fide affaulted and llaughtered them with the 
 mod horrid cries, and rage almoft inconceive- 
 able. With difficulty Cortes and fome of his 
 troops efcaped on board the brigantines, wound- 
 ed and deferted. A thoufand Tlafcalans lay 
 dead upon the caufeway, many Spaniards, and 
 fcarce any efcaped without a wound. What 
 was the faddeft circumftance of all, forty were 
 taken prifoners, of whofe defliny there was no 
 doubt. The other attacks had no better fuc- 
 cefs, though in them the lofs was not fo con- 
 fiderable. The officer, whofe imprudence had 
 occaiionedthis misfortune, came to Cortes, with 
 tears acknowledging his crime, and defiring to 
 
 I 2 wafh 
 
1 1 6 An Account of the European 
 
 warn it out with his blood; but Cortes, though 
 rigid in his difcipline, faw that this was no 
 time to difpirit the army with examples of fe- 
 verity. 
 
 Night came on, but it brought no reft to the 
 afflicted Spaniards, fince it's darknefs could not 
 conceal from them the triumph of the Mexi- 
 cans, and the fate of their friends. They faw 
 the whole city mining with lights, and heard it 
 refounding with the diffonance of barbarous 
 mufic, and all the marks of an horrid joy. 
 So great were the fires and illuminations, that 
 they could feediftindtly the men in motion, and 
 all things preparing for the death of the prifon- 
 ers, attended with the mortifying circumftance, 
 that they were to be facrificed to their falfe 
 gods. Cortes, in the midft of allthefe calamitous 
 cirumftances, which lay heavy about his heart, 
 afTumed an air of tranquillity, endeavouring to 
 comfort his foldiers with the hope of a timely 
 revenge, and taking all neceffary care that they 
 fhould not be attacked unawares. This care 
 was neceffary ; for before morning appeared, 
 the Mexicans, elated with their late victory, 
 and under the aufpices of thofe gods, whom 
 they believed they had rendered propitious by 
 the human blood which warned their altars, 
 and animated by the found of the confecrated 
 trumpet, fallied out toattack the Spaniards in their 
 quarters. The attack was violent, but repelled 
 
 at 
 
Settlements America. 117 
 
 at length with an incredible flaughter of the 
 Mexicans. 
 
 Guatimozin was not di (heartened. He pre- 
 pared for new affaults, and had his ruined 
 works repaired to endure thofe aftaults, which 
 fliould be made againft hirnfelf. Not relying 
 folely on force, he fpread a report amongft all 
 the neighbouring nations that Cortes was 
 killed ; to them he fent the heads of the Spa- 
 niards who had been facrificed, informing 
 them, that the god of war, appeafed by a facrir 
 fice fo agreeable to him, had audibly declared 
 in favour of the Mexicans, threatened ven- 
 geance on thofe who refilled them, and de- 
 clared that in eight days time the Spaniards 
 mould be all deftroyed. The credit of this 
 oracle amongft all the Indians, and the deter- 
 minate time afcertained for it's completion, 
 gave it the air of truth ; for falfehood delights 
 in general terms and equivocations, whereas 
 the precife manner of fpeaking truth, is one of 
 the marks by which we guefs at it. In fad:, 
 this ftratagem had it's effedt, many tribes of 
 Indians, who were upon the point of joining 
 Cortes, embraced the Mexican intereft ; the 
 more prudent fufpended their refolution ; but 
 Guatimozin did not want emiffaries even in 
 the Spanifh camp, who terrified the Indian 
 allies with this prophecy. Even the Tlafca- 
 lans were upon the point of deferting them, 
 when Cortes counteracted this ftratagem in 
 
 I 3 the 
 
1 1 8 An Account of the European 
 
 the wifeft manner poffible. He refolved to 
 fufpend all manner of operations againft the 
 city for thefe eight days, to demonftrate the 
 falfity of this oracle, and to hinder it from 
 being ever again ufed as an inftrument to work 
 upon the credulity of his confederates. He 
 prevailed upon the Tlafcalans to wait the de- 
 termination. In the mean time he ftrongly 
 fortified his camp. 
 
 Guatimozin was fenfible x that the effect of 
 his policy miift be weakened every day, and 
 with that idea employed every hour of the 
 day or night to affault Cortes's camp, but al- 
 ways with ill fuccefs. This great commander 
 was always on his guard ; and his troops ad- 
 vantageouily pofted, bid defiance to every thing 
 of an Indian attack. At laft the eight days 
 expired, and with them the terror of the con- 
 federate Indians, The ftratagem now operated 
 as powerfully againft thofe who contrived it, 
 infomuch that Cortes in a little time found 
 himfelf at the head of two hundred thoufand 
 men. This was the laft hope of the Mexi- 
 cans. All that followed was only the depart- 
 ing agony of that ftate. The city was aflault- 
 ed with redoubled vigour, and now reduced 
 by (laughters, fatigue and famine ; the Mexi- 
 cans faw the fuperior ftar of Cortes gain the 
 afcendant. The town was penetrated upon 
 all fides, yet the beficged defended every 
 ftreet 5 and their inceflant fhowers of darts 
 
 and 
 
Settlements in America, 119 
 
 and ftones from the tops of the houfes, made 
 the progrefs of the befiegei's flow and bloody. 
 In this extremity, Guatimozin did every thing 
 that could jilftify the hopes of the Mexicans, 
 when they called him to the throne, every 
 thing that was worthy of one refolved to die a 
 king. Bat when he found that all hopes of 
 diflodging the enemy was utterly at an end, 
 his troops half famiihed, exhaufted in numbers 
 and in ftrength, and no part tenable, he deter- 
 mined to leave the city to obtain the beft 
 terms it could from the conquerors, and to 
 feelc himielf a more profperous opportunity at 
 a diftance. For this purpofe he renewed the 
 treaty with the Spaniards, and took the oppor- 
 tunity of this ceffation of arms to put himfelf 
 and his family, with feme of the braveft and 
 moft faithful of his nobility, on board fome 
 periaguas, attempting to efcap^ to the continent; 
 but Cortes apprehending this very thing, fta- 
 tioned his fleet in fuch a manner, that he was 
 intercepted, and foon out of a condition of 
 making any defence. He went on board the 
 Spanilh commander, with an air of dignity and 
 compofure, betraying neither fear nor furprife, 
 and defired no favour, but that the honour of 
 his wife and her attendants might be fpared. 
 The Spanifh captain attended but little to 
 him, endeavouring to prevent the efcape of 
 the nobility ; but Guatimozin defired him not 
 to be anxious about . them. " Not one of 
 
 I 4 thefe 
 
120 An Account cf the European 
 
 thefe men will fly, fays he, do not fear it, they 
 are come to die at the feet of their fovereign." 
 The captain, admiring the conftancy of the 
 man, and the fidelity of his fubjefts, conducted 
 him to Cortes. The ruins of the city of 
 Mexico were now delivered up to the Spa- 
 niards. With it fell that empire, and the li- 
 berty of all the Indian nations, which filled 
 that vaft country now called New Spain, who 
 either Aid gradually from alliances to fub- 
 jedlion, or defending themfelves without fuc- 
 cefs, were made, and treated as flaves. 
 
 The curiofity of the reader will doubtlefs be 
 interefted to know the fates of the captains of 
 the conquering and conquered parties in this 
 war. For fome time the treatment of Guati- 
 mozin was fuch as fitted an unfortunate brave 
 man, in the hands of thofe who could eftimate 
 virtue by other ftandards than it's fortune ; and 
 fuch was his treatment, whilft the authority of 
 Guatimozin was fufficent to proted: him. But 
 the internal avarice of his troops, which at 
 once excited and difgraced their courage, not 
 flitisfied with the plunder of this opulent city, 
 believed that there were fome latent treafures 
 within the knowledge of the emperor, which 
 far exceeded all the reft that they had yet pof- 
 feffed. They often follicited the captive empe- 
 ror with promifes and threats to make a difco- 
 very, to no purpofe ; at laft a number of vil- 
 lains, Juan de Alderete at their head, a name 
 
 deferving 
 
Settlements in America. 121 
 
 deferving to be remembered to it's everlafting 
 infamy, feized upon him, and proceeding to 
 the moft abominable cruelty, laid him upon 
 burning coals, to extort a difcovery of his 
 wealth. But their wickednefs could neither 
 extort a difcovery of his wealth, nor the fatif- 
 fadlion even of a declaration that he had none 
 to difcover. His countenance did not betray 
 the leaft yielding or weaknefs under the tor- 
 ture 5 fome of his principal counfellors fuffered 
 along with him, and almoft with equal con- 
 ftancy. One of thofe unhappy men, over- 
 come by the force of torments, almoft fuperior 
 to human ftrength, turned his eyes, fainting 
 with anguifh, upon his prince, and uttered a 
 doleful cry ; but Guatimozin anfwered him 
 only by faying, " Do you think I lie upon 
 rofes ?" The fufferer, ftruck dumb with thefe 
 words, and ftifling every murmur that might 
 difhearten the others, or difturb Guatimozin, 
 expired in an a6t of obedience to his prince. 
 This wickednefs was committed without the 
 knowledge of Cortes. He was no fooner ap- 
 3rifed of what was doing, than he rufhed in 
 lpon the villains, and refcued their prey, man- 
 ned as it was, from their farther fury. How- 
 ever, this was but a fhort refpite. This prince, 
 :onfcious of his own dignity, and fenfible of 
 he bafe ufage he received, either endeavoured 
 o ftir up commotions, or was fufpe&ed of 
 uch a defign, and Cortes being obliged to 
 
 fubmit 
 
 3 
 
122 An Account of the European 
 
 fubmit the humanity of his nature to the cruel i 
 neceffity of politics, ordered him to be exe- j 
 cuted. 
 
 As for Cortes himfelf, neither his great ] 
 fuccefs, nor the vaft treafures which he fent 
 into Spain, could fecurehim from his enemies; I 
 by whofe unwearied zeal for his ruin, he faw 1 
 himfelf fuperfeded in the government of a I 
 country, conquered by himfelf with fo much I 
 toil and danger, and which in any other hands I 
 had never been effeded. He died in Spain* I 
 having received a title and fomc other rewards I 
 from Charles the Vth, for whom he had ac^ I 
 quired an empire; but by his own defire he 
 was carried to Mexico, and buried there. It 
 was the policy of Spain at that time to give 
 great encouragement, and extenfive grants, to 
 all adventurers ; but when any great difcovery 
 was made, or conqueft atchieved, they always 
 fent another to reap the benefit of the fir ft ad- 
 venturer's labours. This was a policy un- 
 doubtedly good with regard to one object, the 
 fecurity of the conquered country ; but like alii 
 unjuft policy, it had altogether as ill an effect 
 another way; the new governors, hungry and 
 rapacious, and fcarce confidei ing the Indians as 
 human creatures, murdered vaft numbers ol 
 them 3 and exhaufting them by an intolerable) 
 flavery, in hopes of a fudden gain, they depo-j 
 puiated the country in fuch a manner, as tc ! 
 abate very much the advantages which Spain 
 
 might 
 
Settlements in Amtrica. 123 
 
 might have derived from fo extenfive a con- 
 quer!:. Cortes himfelf was not free from the 
 imputation of cruelty ; the bi(hop of Chiapa, a 
 good man, who was fent purpofely to make 
 an enquiry into complaints of this kind, gives 
 a very unfavourable reprefentation of his con- 
 duel. He accufes him of having deftroyed 
 
 ; four millions of people in New Spain. It is 
 certain, whether by his connivance or not, 
 but partly by the neceffity of war, and partly 
 
 \by the avarice and infolence of the conquerors, 
 vaft numbers of the Indians perifhed $ but on 
 
 I the other hand, it appears that the bifhpp of 
 Chiapa was an enemy to Cortes, which, tho' 
 a good man otherwife, muft detract from his 
 
 ■ credit not a little, efpecially as other hiftorians 
 
 (differ from him in this point. Befides, I am 
 well fatisfied, that great allowance muft be 
 
 Imade for exaggerations in the number of in- 
 
 1 habitants thefe countries are faid to have con- 
 tained. More populous, I believe, they were 
 
 (than the entirely uncivilized parts of North or 
 South America ; but it can hardly be thought 
 they were fo full of people as they are repre- 
 
 | fented to have been, if we can truft to any of 
 the rules by which v/e ufually judge in this 
 matter, nor confequently could they have fuf- 
 fered fuch loffes in fo fhort a time, without 
 being utterly depopulated, which certainly 
 they were not. 
 
 Since 
 
124 Account of the European 
 
 Since I am on the fubjedt of thefe cruelties*! 
 and fince they are things fo frequently men- 
 tioned, I cannot help obferving, that the ac-i 
 counts are by no means founded upon any 
 tolerable methods of calculation, but thrown) 
 down at random in a declamatory way, with a 
 defign yet further to blacken the Spanifh ad- 
 venturer ; men certainly wicked enough, tho* 
 reprefented without any heightening colours. 
 The truth is, that great numbers, perhaps 
 almoft as great as are charged, have really 
 periftied - y but then it was in a feries of years* 
 by being reduced to flavery in the mines, and 
 other laborious occupations, to which the 
 Americans are of all people, by their confti- 
 tutions, the moft unequal, and by being dif T 
 heartened by a ftate of unpolitical and defperate 
 flavery, the greateft enemy in the world to in- 
 creafe. 
 
 There is a notion likewife pretty common,] 
 that thefe cruelties were committed partly, ii 
 not wholly, upon a religious account, and at 
 the inftigation of the priefts ; but in reality it 
 was quite otherwife. This unfortunate people 
 found their only refuge in the humanity which 
 yet remained in the clergy, and the influence 
 they had on the Spaniards, though the clergy, 
 who went on thefe adventures, were generally j 
 not the moft zealous for religion, and were, as 1 
 the Spanifh clergy commonly are, ignorant! 
 enough, and fo little principled in the ipirit oil 
 
Settlements in America. 125 
 
 the religion they prcfefled, or indeed in the 
 nature of the human mind, that they could 
 boaft as a very glorious thing, that one of them 
 had baptized feveral thoufands of Indians in 
 one day, without the help of any miracle for 
 their converfion, and with a degree of good 
 Hfe, which, to fay the beft, was nothing more 
 than common. But of any murders commit- 
 ted by them, or at their inftigation, I find 
 t little or no proof at all. 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 BESIDES Mexico, there was but one coun- 
 try in America which in any fort de- 
 ferved the name of a civilized kingdom, and 
 ;that was Peru. During the latter part of the 
 Mexican war, the Spaniards became acquaint- 
 ed with the fame and wealth of this country. 
 . After Pedraria was appointed governor over the 
 conquefts of Balboa, his lieutenants reduced 
 all that large trad: which is now called Terra- 
 firma, committing barbarities worthy the man 
 under whofe authority they a£ted. Amongft 
 all the adventurers who adted under his com- 
 miffion, none have made themfelves fo famous 
 as thofe of whom we are going to fpeak. 
 
 As if it were deftined that every thing in 
 this new world mould be carried on in a new 
 and extraordinary manner, three citizens of 
 Panama, private men, and advanced in years, 
 
 under- 
 
126 An Account of the European 
 
 undertook the conqueft of Peru, a country known 
 to them only by report, but by the fame re- 
 port faid to be rich, extenfive, populous, and; 
 powerful. The names of thefe adventurers 
 were, Francis Pizarro, Almagro, and Ferdinand 
 Lucques, a prieft, and a man of confiderable 
 fortune. They entered into this engagement ini 
 the moft folemn manner. Lucques faid mafs, 
 an oath of mutual fidelity was plighted, the 
 facrament was divided into three parts, Luc- 
 ques took one, and delivered the other two to 
 his confederates. The firft expedition, in con- 
 fequence of this confederacy, was made under 
 extraordinary difficulties, and with very little 
 fuccefs. Pizarro, who commanded, fpent two 
 years in the fhort navigation between Panama 
 and the Northern extremity of Peru, a voyage 
 now made frequently in two weeks, jfince the 
 winds and currents are known. He landed, 
 and found that the wealth of the country was 
 as great as he imagined; and that the refinance 
 he was like to meet in endeavouring to pof- 
 fefs himfelf of it, would be full as confiderable. 
 This he put to the proof very early, by taking 
 the rafh ftep of attacking the inhabitants at his 
 firft landing ; and thus letting them fee all at 
 once the worft of his intentions. The difficul- 
 ties he met with, and the refiftance his ill con- 
 duct occafioned in the country, obliged him to 
 return without effecting any thing confiderable.) 
 But neither he, nor his aflbciates, after fuch a 
 
 length 
 
Settlements in America^ 127 
 
 length of time, or fuch greatnefs of expence, 
 were deterred from the profecution of their 
 fcheme. It was agreed that Pizarro mould go 
 into Spain to obtain an exemption from the 
 government of Pedraria, and to get for them- 
 felves the grant of whatever they mould con- 
 quer. Pizarro (who, though not the monied 
 man, was the foul of the enterpnze) was to be 
 i chief governor, with the property of two hun- 
 dred leagues along the fea-coaft. Almagro 
 [they agreed mould be adelantado, or king's 
 i lieutenant ; and Lucques, who was a prieft, 
 I was to be firft bimop and protector of the In- 
 dians. The other profits of the enterprize 
 were to be equally divided. But as this was 
 an enterprize of ambitious avarice, there 
 was little faith obferved. Pizarro follicited 
 only his own fuit in Spain, and obtained for 
 himfelf alone the property of the land, the go- 
 vernment, the lieutenancy, every thing which 
 he was capable as a layman of taking ; Alma- 
 gro was forgot, and Lucquez was left his even- 
 tual bimoprick. 
 
 On his return, this too early difcovery of 
 1 breach of faith was like to ruin all ; but Pizar- 
 ro, who knew how to retreat as well as to ad- 
 vance, yielded up to Aim^gro every thing he 
 \ could reafonably defire, and nothing now ob- 
 ftruded the embarkation, which, after all, did 
 not exceed one hundred and eighty men. 
 
 Before 
 
128 An Account of the European 
 
 Before we proceed, it may not be unneceffary 
 tQ fay fomething of the perfons who had the 
 condudt of this great undertaking. Francis 
 Pizarro was the baftard fon of a gentleman i 
 of good family. His education was as irregu- 
 lar as his birth, he could not even read ; but 
 then he had a great deal of that capacity and 
 fitnefs for the world, which is obtained by much 
 ftruggling in it, and by being early made de- 
 pendant on a man's own induftry. Hardened 
 to life, dexterous in affairs, never fetting his 
 heart upon a part of his defigns whilft the total 
 was at ftake, of a penetrating fagacity into 
 the nature of man, artful, bold, diiTembling, 
 and cruel. Almagro had likewife enough of 
 that defperate bravery and toughnefs of body 
 and mind, fo neceflary in a defign of this fort. 
 In their birth there was no confiderable diffe- j ( 
 rence. Pizarro was a baftard, Almagro a 
 foundling. Pizarro owed nothing to educa- 
 tion ; Almagro depended wholly upon his 
 natural parts. But Almagro, bred from his 
 infancy in the camp, had all the foldierly i 
 qualities, patient, laborious, and temperate 5 far 
 from the craft and diffimulation of Pizarro, he ; 
 wasallopennefs and generofity, knew not what \ 
 avarice was, and his cruelty, the common 
 diftemper of all the adventurers in this part of j 
 the world, was much mitigated by the inter- 
 courfe he had with an Indian woman, who, 
 
 by 
 
 J 
 
Settlements in America, tzg 
 
 by degrees, foftened the rigour of a veteran 
 feafoned to blood, into fome compaffion to her 
 unhappy countrymen. 
 
 The empire of Peru was governed by a 
 race of kings, which they called yncas. The 
 twelfth in fucceffion was then upon the throne. 
 The firft of this race, who was named Mango 
 Capac, was a prince of great genius, with that 
 mixture of enthufiafm, which fits a man to 
 make great changes, and to be the legiflator of 
 a forming nation. He obferved that the peo- 
 ple of Peru were naturally fuperflitious, and 
 had principally a veneration for the fun. He 
 therefore pretended that he was defcended 
 from that luminary, whofe authority he was de- 
 figned to bear, and whdfe worfhip he was by 
 that authority to enforce. By this perfuafion, 
 eafily received by a credulous people, hebrought 
 a large territory under his jurifdidtion, a larger 
 was fubdued by his arms ; but he made ufe 
 both of the deceit and the force for the moft 
 laudable purpofes. He united and civilized 
 the difperfed and barbarous people - y he bent 
 them to laws and arts; he foftened them by the 
 inftitutions of a benevolent religion ; in fhort, 
 there was no part of America in which agricul- 
 ture and the arts were fo much and fo well 
 cultivated, nor where the people were of a 
 milder nature, and more ingenuous manners. 
 The yncas defcended, as they imagined, £ om 
 fo facred an original, were themfelves refpect- 
 
 K ed 
 
130 An Account of the European 
 
 ed as divinities. In none, even of the Afiatic 
 countries, was there fo entire an obedience to 
 the royal authority. But here it was rather 
 filial than flavifh. As to the character of the 
 Peruvians themfelves, they feern to have had a 
 ftrong refemblance to the antient Egyptians ; 
 like them, under a iky conftantly ferene, they 
 were a people induftrious and ingenious; culti- 
 vating the arts, but without bringing them to 
 perfection ; inclined to fuperftition, and of a 
 foft unwarlike temper. 
 
 The ynca Guaiana Capac having conquered 
 the province of Quito, which now makes a 
 part of Spanifh Peru, to fecure himfelf in the 
 porTeffion, married the daughter of the natural 
 prince of the country. By her he had a fon 
 called Atahualpa, or Atabalipa. By a former 
 marriage he had a fon named Huefcar, heir of 
 his other dominions. On his death Huefcar, 
 his eldeft fon, claims his whole dominions, 
 both hereditary and acquired. Atabalipa, the 
 youngefl:^ without pretending to the reft, 
 would keep Quito as his right by the double 
 title of fon to the conqueror, and to her whofe 
 inheritance that kingdom was, forfeited befides 
 by the will the dying ynca had made in his 
 favour. This difpute kindled a civil war, 
 which, after various turns of fortune, ended at 
 laft in favour of Atabalipa, and he not only 
 routed his brother's armies, and over-run his 
 dominions, but actually held him a prifoner in 
 
 the 
 
Settlements in America. 131 
 
 the caftle of Cufco. Such was the face of 
 affairs when the Spaniards arrived in Peru, 
 whofe remarkable appearance and furprizing 
 feats of arms were every where fpread about 
 the country, and caufed a general alarm. As 
 ufual in frightful rumours, new fu perflations 
 begin, or old ones are revived to increafe the 
 confufion. There fubfifted a tradition amongft 
 the Peruvians, that one of their antient princes 
 had a dream, which he ordered carefully to be 
 recorded. He imagined that he faw a man 
 cloathed all over, even to his feet, with a long 
 beard, and leading in his hand an animal, fuch 
 as he had never feen before ; and that at 
 the fame time he was clearly informed of the 
 will of the gods, that fuch a man mould rule 
 that country. A Spaniard, whom Pizarro had 
 fent upon an embaffy to Atabalipa, as foon as 
 he was difcovered leading his horfe upon fome 
 occafion that made him difmount, agreed fo 
 well with this dream, that it is incredible how 
 foon it fpread into the remoteft parts of the 
 country, and with how great a terror it ftruck 
 the whole nation. 
 
 Atabalipa, newly feated upon a precarious 
 throne, was not the leaft alarmed at this event, 
 for a new eredled power has every thing to fear 
 from whatever fets the people's minds, ftill un- 
 fettled, upon new motions. He refolved, if 
 poflible, that his enemies mould take no ad- 
 vantage of the arrival of thofe ftrangers, by en- 
 
 K 2 gaging 
 
132 Art Account of the European 
 
 gaging them by all means to his own intereft. 
 He therefore received the embafTadors which 
 Pizarro had fent with the greateft marks of 
 honour, though their difcourfe, confiding it- 
 felf of very impertinent matter, was very ill 
 interpreted to him, as was his to them. He 
 even went out to meet Pizarro with a vaft 
 number of attendants, to whom he gave the 
 ftricteft charge upon no account to offer the 
 leaft injury to the ftrangers, as they were thofe 
 of whom his predeceflbr had foretold, and of 
 the fame divine original, children of the fun; 
 But Pizarro, who advanced with other notions 
 to the interview, foon convinced him that 
 a contrary caution was more neceffary. Tney 
 met near a celebrated temple, the Spaniards 
 drawn up in order of battle, and a party in 
 ambufcade. This circumftance leaves us in 
 no doubt as to the defign of Pizarro. The 
 firft perfon who addreffed himfelf to the ynca, 
 was father Vincent, a friar, who was not 
 afhamed to make his character the inftru- 
 ment of fo bafe a crime. He advanced with 
 a crofs in his hand, and began a moft un- 
 feafonable difcourfe upon the birth and mira- 
 cles of Chrift, exhorting him to become a 
 chriftian, on the pain of eternal punifhment. 
 Then he fpoke with equal eloquence of the 
 emperor of the Romans, preffing him with 
 the fame good argument to become a iubjedl 
 to that emperor, threatening him in cafe of 
 
 obftinacyj 
 
Settlements in America^ 133 
 
 obflinacy, that God would harden his heart 
 as he did Pharaoh's, and then punilh him 
 with the plagues of Egypt, with other mifer- 
 able fluff, worfe interpreted. The ynca, tho' 
 utterly aftonifhed at matter fo unaccountable, 
 behaved with decency and gravity, telling him, 
 that he believed that he and his companions 
 were children of the fun, recommended him- 
 felf and his fubjects to their protection, and 
 made no doubt but they would behave to them 
 in a manner worthy the offspring of fo bene-r 
 ficent a deity. 
 
 Whililthefedifcourfes continued, theSpanifh 
 foldiers, whofb lead bufinefs to Peru was to 
 liften to fermons, obferving a considerable 
 quantity of gold in the neighbouring temple, 
 had their zeal immediately flirred up, and a 
 party of them began to pillage it. The priefts 
 made fome oppofition. A disturbance enfued, 
 and a great noife, which fo alarmed our adven- 
 turing apoftle, that he let fall his crofs and 
 breviary in his fright, and turned his back 
 upon his intended profelyte. The Spaniards 
 who were not concerned in the pillage, feeing 
 him fly, either that they judged the heathens 
 had offered their pried fome violence, or that 
 Pizarro made ufe of this fignal to them to fall 
 on, immediately drew their fwords, attacked 
 the guards and attendants of the ynca, defence- 
 lefs through a religious obedience to their fove- 
 veign's command, and with every circumflance 
 
 K 3 of 
 
134 Account of the European 
 
 of the moft deliberate and (hocking barbarity, 
 llaughtered five thoufand, which was near the 
 whole number of the Indians, who fell with- 
 out any anxiety for their own lives, preffing 
 forward with all the zeal and officioufnefs of a 
 moft heroic loyalty, to the chair of their 
 prince, to expire at his feet ; and as faft as one 
 fet of his fupporters were (lain, the others 
 fucceeded with eagernefs to fupply their places, 
 and mare their fate. The ynca at laft was 
 dragged down, and made a prifoner, by an 
 aft of the moft unparallelled treachery, exe- 
 cuted with a cruelty that has hardly an ex- 
 ample, and can admit of no excufe. The 
 plunder of his camp, rich beyond the idea of 
 any European of that time, was their reward. 
 
 The unfortunate prince was not wanting to 
 himfelf in his captivity. Seeing that his liberty 
 had fallen a facrifice to their avarice, he hoped 
 to relieve himfelf by working upon the fame 
 difpofition. He began to treat of his ranfom, 
 and promifed fuch fums as aftonifhed the 
 Spaniards into an agreement, nor was the per- 
 formance unequal. On this occafion not only 
 the antient ornaments and valuable furniture, 
 amafTed by a long line of magnificent kings, 
 were brought out ; but the hallowed treafures 
 of the moft venerated temples were given with- 
 out fcruple, to lave him who was the fupport 
 of the kingdom and the religion. Whilft thefe 
 were preparing, three Spaniards, who were 
 
 fent 
 
Settlements in America. 135 
 
 fent to Cufco to fuperintend in the work, had 
 means of conferring with Huefcar, who quick- 
 ly finding their foible, and the ufe his brother 
 had made of it, made bitter complaints of the 
 injuries he had furTered, begging the Spaniards, 
 as the patrons of the oppreffed, to embrace his 
 caufe, promifing threefold the treafure for their 
 affiftance, which Atabalipa was to pay for his 
 ranfom. He received a very favourable an- 
 fwer. Mean time the Spaniards treated the 
 ynca with all manner of civility, admitted his 
 attendants to him, but no talk of his liberty. 
 As foon as he had been appriled of Huefcar's 
 negotiation with the Spaniards, and Alma- 
 gro's arrival with an additional force, he be- 
 gan to be under great apprehenfions. To eafe 
 himfelf upon one fide, he fent immediate 
 orders to have Huefcar put to death. 
 
 The arrival of Almagro, on the other hand, 
 caufed fome embarrafTment in Pizarro's affairs. 
 This commander finding that Pizarro had 
 feized the ynca with immenfe trcafures,and hav- 
 ing already experienced his ill faith, confulted 
 with his principal officers about leaving his part 
 to himfelf, and feeking their fortune elfe where. 
 Whilft this was in agitation, his fecretary, who 
 was averfe to him, gave Pizarro notice of the 
 defign. In an inftant Pizarro faw how dis- 
 advantageous fuch a flep muft prove to him, 
 with fo fmall a force, all refources at a diftance, 
 and the country exafperared by the deteftable 
 K 4 ad ion 
 
136 An Account of /^European 
 
 action he had lately committed. He faw that \ 
 all depended upon removing every fufpicion of 
 him from the breaft of Almagro. For this 
 purpofe, and as fomething of an ill mind ap- 
 peared in his mod mafterly adtions, he began 
 by Sacrificing the fecretary. He informed 
 Almagro of his treachery. Next, though 
 gold was the great objed: of his undertakings ; 
 yet he knew how to relinquifh fome part; ] 
 to fecure the reft. He agreed to divide the 
 fpoil equally between Almagro and himfelf, 
 and to make no diftin&ion between the fol- 
 ders of either in the diflribution. This made 
 an entire and hearty reconciliation, which was 
 no fooner concluded than the ynca's ranfom 
 came in. But this vaft treafure, the capital 
 pbiedlofall their labours and villainies, no fooner 
 came into their pofleffion, but in it's confe- 
 quences it was very near being the utter ruin 
 of their affairs. It is laid, and not improbably, 
 that the whole exceeded the fum of one million 
 five hundred thoufand pounds fterling, a 
 fum vaft at the prefent time- then it was a 
 prodigy. On the dividend, after deducting a 
 fifth for the emperor, and the fhares of the 
 chief commanders and officers, each private 
 foldier had above two thoufand pounds Eng- 
 Jifh money. They had now made a for- 
 tune even beyond their imaginations ; but the 
 foldiery was mined, the greateft part of the 
 army infixed upon being discharged, that they 
 
 might 
 
Settlements in America^ 137 
 
 might enjoy their fortunes in quiet. This 
 propofal ill fuited with the ambitious views of 
 the commanders. Almagro was for proceed- 
 ing in the ufual way, to enforce obedience by 
 the feverity of military difcipline ; but Pizarro 
 oppofed him. <c Let them go, fays he, they 
 cannot do us better fervice > here we mall 
 have them mutinous and cowardly foldiers, at 
 home they will act for us as recruiting officers 
 with great fuccefs ; for when it mail be feen 
 that common foldiers of fo little merit as they, 
 have made fuch large fortunes, we mail not 
 long want better men to fupply their places." 
 The defire of the foldiers was complied with, 
 and as many as chofe to go, who were no 
 inconfiderable number, departed. In due time 
 the fagacious prophecy of Pizarro was accom- 
 plifhed, and their army never wanted rein«r 
 forcements. 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 IN the mean time the unfortunate Atabalipa, 
 JL the greatnefs of whofe ranfom only con- 
 vinced the Spaniards of the neceffity of never 
 releafing him, endeavoured to take advantage 
 of his captivity, to know the genius and man- 
 ners of this people. Amongft all their accom- 
 plifhments, there was nothing he fo much ad- 
 mired as the art of reading and writing. This 
 appeared almoft incomprehenfible to him, 
 
 though 
 
138 An Account of the European 
 
 though he faw clearly the ufe of it. He was 
 at a lofs to know whether he mould confider 
 it as a natural endowment, or as an acquifition 
 of art. To difcover this, he one day defired a 
 foldier to write the name of God upon his 
 nail : he carried this about the army, defiring 
 feveral to explain it, which they all did, to his 
 wonder and fatisfadtion. At laft he me wed it 
 to Pizarro, but Pizarro bluihed, and could 
 make nothing of it. The ynca then perceived 
 it was no natural gift, but owing to education ; 
 the want of which he thus difcovered in 
 Pizarro, and flighted him for it. This morti- 
 fied the general, and his difguft, joined to his 
 natural cruelty, and a policy he thought he faw 
 in the proceeding, made him haften the fate 
 he had fome time before determined for his 
 unhappy prifoner, That nothing might be 
 wanting to the boldnefs and atrocioufhefs of 
 their barbarity, they proceeded againft him 
 by way of trial, and by the forms of law. 
 
 A charge was exhibited, digefled under fe- 
 veral heads. 1 ft, For being an idolater. 2dly, 
 For having many concubines. 3dly, For waft- 
 ing the treafures of the kingdom, and railing 
 taxes fince the coming in of the Spaniards. And 
 laftly, For the murder of his brother Huef- 
 car. An attorney general was appointed to 
 manage the accufation, and an advocate ap- 
 pointed from amongft themfelves affigned for 
 his defence. In vain did the more numerous 
 
 and 
 
Settlements in America. 139 
 
 and better part of the army proteft againft this 
 proceeding, and lodge an appeal to Spain; in 
 vain did they alledge their want of power to 
 judge a foreign prince for any crimes, and the 
 abiurdity of the crimes with which this prince 
 1 was charged. Before fuch judges, and with fuch 
 an advocate to defend him, the ynca was con- 
 demned to be buried alive. To compleat this 
 violation and mockery of ail laws, human and 
 divine, the fame father Vincent, who had fo 
 fignalized himfelf upon a former occafion, was 
 ; fent to comfort and inftrud: him in his laft 
 moments. The chief argument which he 
 , ufed to convert him to chriftianity was, that on 
 ! his embracing the faith, inftead of being burned, 
 i his fentence fhould be mitigated to ftrangling. 
 This prince fubmitted to baptifm, and was 
 immediately ftrangled in prifon. Pizarro gave 
 the final ftroke to his hardened and fliamelefs 
 villainy, by giving him a magnificent funeral, 
 and going into mourning. 
 
 The death of the ynca was no fooner fpread 
 abroad, than the principal nobility at Cufco fet 
 up the brother of Huefcar ; Pizarro fet up a 
 fon of Atabalipa ; and two generals of the 
 Peruvians fet up for themfelves. Thus was 
 this wretched country torn to pieces at once 
 by foreigners, and by a domeftic war amongft 
 themfelves. Yet fuch is the preference of any 
 fort of fpirit roufed within a nation, to a lethar- 
 gic ina&ivify, that the Peruvians gained fome 
 
 con- 
 
140 An Account of the European 
 
 confiderable advantages over the Spaniards, even 
 in this diffracted condition, and took feveral; 
 prifoners, amongft whom was the attorney 
 general, whom they put to the death he de- 
 fended without any great formality. The reft 
 of the prifoners, as foon as they were informed 
 of their having protefted again ft the emperor's 
 death, they generoufly relieved. Thefe ad- 
 vantages gained by the Peruvians, made the 
 Spaniards lift en to a treaty; for Pizarro was 
 equally ready at all times to make a peac , or, 
 to break it, as his affairs required. He made 
 life of this interval to fettle the Spaniards in the, 
 country. It was now that he laid the founda-; 
 tions of the famous city of Lima. But as foon 
 as he judged himfelf in a condition to profecute. 
 it, he renewed the war with the Indians, and; 
 after many difficulties, made himfelf mafter of 
 Cufco, then the capital of the empire. 
 
 But whilft he was thus by force and fraud 
 eftablifhing himfelf every where, the wholq. 
 fabric of his defigns was fhaken by a frerti 
 difpute between him and his collegue Alma- 
 gro. Thefe commanders had little mutual 
 affedlion, and lefs confidence in each other's 
 honour and integrity ; for fimilarity of man-; 
 ners is no ground of friendfhip, but where the. 
 manners are good in themfelves. Their com- 
 mon neceflities, it is true, obliged them for a» 
 time to keep a fair appearance; but each fatif- 
 fied of the other's ill intentions, watched an/ 
 
 oppor- 
 
Settlements in America. Iz j.r 
 
 [Opportunity of being before-hand in fome 
 finifter advantage. New grants and fupplies 
 "had lately arrived from Spain. Pizarro ob- 
 tained two hundred leagues along the lea-coaft, 
 (to the Southward of his former government. 
 [Almagro had a grant of two hundred more 
 to the Southward of Pizarro's. Judging, or pre- 
 :tending he judged, that the wealthy and im- 
 portant city of Cufco was not included within 
 [Pizarro's grant, he immediately ceafed to act 
 \ in fubordination to him, and claimed this city 
 i as his property. Pizarro's brother, who com- 
 ; manded for him there, abf jlutely refufed to 
 deliver up the place. Almagro infifted on it 
 wi f h equal obftinacy, and they were on the 
 point of deciding the difpute by the fword, 
 when Pizarro, the moment he had notice of 
 the quarrel, came from Lima, where he v/as 
 at that time indifpofed, notwithftanding his 
 infirmity, with incredible expedition to Cufco. 
 [ He told his coilegue, that he was not unable nor 
 afraid to fupport the juftice of his claim by 
 arms 5 but he chofe rather to convince him by 
 reafon ; that the ties which fubfifted between 
 1 them and their common neceffities, would al- 
 ways touch him with concern to be compelled 
 to violent courfes ; which, however they 
 might end in favour of one of them rather than 
 the other, would certainly be much more in 
 favour of the common enemy. Pie demcn- 
 ftrated to him, that Cufco was indubitably 
 
 within 
 
142 An Account of the European 
 
 within his (Pizarro's^ government, and ended 
 in aflurin? him, that as he would defend his 
 own right with all his force, fo he was equally- 
 willing to employ all that force, with all his 
 treafure, and all his council, and whatever af- 
 iiilance he could give, to put Almagro into 
 poflfeflion of whatever was really his right ; 
 that this lay yet more to the Southward than 
 Cufco, and was a country no way inferior in 
 it's riches, and the eafinefs of the conqueft. 
 
 This timely appearance of Pizarro, his dex- 
 terous management, and judicious mixture of 
 firmnefs and flexibility, made fuch an impref- 
 fion upon Almagro, that he was once more re- 
 conciled ; and adding as many of Pizarro's 
 troops to his own as he judged neceffary, he 
 penetrated with great danger and difficulty in- 
 to Chili, loling many of his men whilft he 
 paffed over mountains of an immenfe height, 
 and always covered with fnow. He fucceeded 
 notwithstanding in a good meafure in his de- 
 iigns, for he reduced a valuable and coniider- 
 able part of that country. 
 
 There was undoubtedly in the four hundred 
 
 leagues which Pizarro had follicited for him- 
 
 felf, enough of land to iatisfy any reafon- 
 
 able ambition, and fomething to ipare, to fecure 
 
 the quiet pofleffion of the reft ; but his eager- 
 
 nefs after a large territory, made him blind to 
 
 the folly of dividing his troops, and fending 
 
 Almagro upon a wild diftant expedition ; and 
 
 vet 
 4 
 
Settlements in America. 143 
 
 yet he confidered this as a matter- piece of 
 policy. A little time, however, convinced 
 him to the contrary. No lboner did the ynca 
 perceive this divifion of the Spanifh troops, 
 than he defired leave from Pizarro's brother, 
 who managed affairs for him at Cufco, to 
 aflift at a folemn feftival of this nation, which 
 was to be held at feme diftance. This feaft 
 was in reality a fort of an afiembly of the dates 
 of the kingdom. The ynca having obtained 
 permifiion to afiid at it, made ufe of this op- 
 portunity to reprefent to his fubjeds in the 
 mod pathetic manner, the mifery to which 
 the nation was reduced ; the fettlement of the 
 Spaniards, the cities they had built, the garri- 
 fon they kept at Cufco, and the guard they 
 had on his own perfon. That for their fakes 
 he was now refolved to hazard that perfon, 
 j and every thing that was dear to him ; that 
 now was the time to make an effort with fuc- 
 cefs, when their enemies, divided amongd 
 themfelves, had feparated in fearch of other 
 kingdoms, to fatisfy an ambition that nothing 
 could fatiate. The whole afiembly united in 
 thefe fentiments ; they roufed the country 
 every where, and the Spaniards who remained 
 in Peru were not able to prevent the ynca 
 from laying fiege to Cufco, with an army 
 of two hundred thoufand men. The garrifon 
 under Ferdinand Pizarro, though confiding of 
 no more than feventy men, yet with their ar- 
 3 tillery, 
 
144 Account of the European 
 
 tillery, the Tallies made with their horfe, and 
 affifted by the ignorance of the Peruvians in 
 carrying on a fiege, their defence was as fuccefs- 
 ful as it was brave. 
 
 News was brought to Almagro of the 
 dangers to w hich Cufco was ex poled, and the 
 aniverfal infurre&ion of the Peruvians. Re- 
 linquifhing his new conquefts, he hafted back 
 to preferve his old with great expedition ; 
 though on his return he fuffered as much from 
 drought and heat, as in his progrefs he had en- 
 dured from cold. At his approach the Indians 
 raifed the fiege, and he was joyfully received 
 into Cufco by Ferdinand Pizarro, and the gar- 
 rifon, almoft exhaufted by the length of the 
 defence. 
 
 After all thefe long and laborious marches, 
 Almagro was extremely fatigued, and thought 
 it hard, that now in the wane of his life he 
 fhould be driven with infinite toil upon new 
 conquefts, while Pizarro fate down at eafe 
 to enjoy alone the fruits of their common 
 labours. He refolved to renew his claim to 
 Cufco ; he had now a fort of right to it by 
 having raifed the fiege, and he had a ftrength 
 fuflicient to fupport that right. Ferdinand 
 and Gonzalo, the two brothers of Pizarro, 
 making fome oppolition, were thrown into 
 prifon, and their little army either joined him^ 
 or fhared the fame fate. 
 
 Pizarro, 
 
Settlements in America. 145 
 
 Pizarro, unacquainted with the arrival of 
 Almagro, or the Hep he had taken, had got 
 together an army for the relief of Cufco, who 
 were near the town before they found they 
 had an enemy of any other fort than the In- 
 dians to contend with. Almagro, after having 
 tried in vain to feduce their fidelity, engaged 
 and routed them. On this advantage, his 
 friends reprefented to him that now was the 
 happy hour of his fortune, and that he ought 
 to employ it to eftabHfh himfelf beyond all 
 pofiibility of being moved. That he ought to 
 put the Pizarros, his prifoners, to death, and 
 march directly to Lima, to feize upon his 
 rival, who never could be heartily reconciled 
 to him, "and whilit he remained in poffefiion 
 of the fea-coaft, could never want means of 
 making his enmity terrible. Almagro had 
 humanity enough to reject the firft part of 
 this counfel, and weaknefs enough not to 
 hearken to the kft. If he marched into ano- 
 ther's government, he trembled at the name of 
 a rebel ; and for fear of the name expofed 
 himfelf to fuffer the purufhment of the thing ; 
 not confidering, that having once embrued his 
 hands in civil bicod, he ought never to flop 
 till his end was gained ; that conqueft alone 
 could decide the qu$Piion of their right; and 
 that he who had the greater force, would 
 have the bed: means of protection, if he wa; 
 in the wrong. Whilft he -deliberated what 
 
 L courfe 
 
146 An Account of the European 
 
 courfe to take, Gonzalo Pizarro made his 
 efcape with an hundred of thofe who were 
 affe&ed to his caufe. 
 
 It was the intereft of Pizarro, who found 
 himfelf in no condition to carry on the war, 
 yet poffeffed all the means of being reinforced, 
 to keep matters from coming to an extremity, 
 as it was Almagro's to bring them to a fpeedy 
 ifTue ; and in this knowledge of the manage- 
 ment of time, when to lie by to gain it, and 
 when to ufe the prefent moment, the great 
 lkill in bufinefs, fo little underftood, depends 
 almoft entirely. Pizarro had recourfe to the 
 old way of treaty ; he promifed largely, he 
 offered a fea-port, and agreed to fubmit the 
 decifion of all their difputes to the royal au- 
 dience ; but as a preliminary, he infifted on 
 the releafe of his brother Ferdinand. Expe- 
 rienced as Almagro was in Pizarro's faith, he 
 gave up the only pledge that could fecure it. 
 The moment Gonzalo was releafed, he was 
 put at the head of the reinforcements Pizarro 
 had long expe&ed, and now received ; and as 
 he was a man of capacity, he prepared to adl 
 with vigour. The treaty was forgot. 
 
 The country which held for Almagro was 
 feparated from that which Pizarro poflefTed, 
 by vafl: mountains paffable only in fome fteep 
 and dangerous defiles. Almagro's counfellors 
 advifed him by all means to poll: his troops in 
 fuch a manner as to oppofe his enemies in thofe 
 
 pafles • 
 
Settlements in America. 147 
 
 paries ; but fo infatuated was he with a falfe 
 fecurity, that he refufed to fend any troops 
 to occupy thofe important pofts, which 
 were feized by the enemy without the leaft 
 oppofition. He had, however, one refource left, 
 and that a good one. The town of Cufco was 
 well fortified, had a good garrifon, and the ene- 
 my wasill provided for carrying on thefiege. But 
 as he had prejudiced his affairs before by dilato- 
 ry meafures, he now ccmpieatly ruined them 
 by precipitation and temerity. He turned his 
 back upon the advantages of his fituation, and 
 refolved, contrary to the opinion of all his 
 officers, to hazard his fortune in the field - y 
 confident of his own fuperiority, and full of 
 contempt of the enemy, whom he believed to 
 be raw troops $ but he found too late, that 
 they were veterans of great bravery, and exact 
 difcipline. The engagement was warm ; in 
 which Almagro and his troops behaved in 
 fuch a manner as not to difgrace their former 
 exploits 5 but after a gallant ftrugg'e, they 
 were in the end entirely defeated. Almagro 
 himfelf was taken prifoner, and fell, at the age 
 of feventy-three years, a victim to a rafhnefs 
 fcarce excufeable in a young foldier ; but to the 
 lail degree blameable in an experienced com- 
 mander, who being fuppofed to have long 
 eftablifhcd his reputation for courage beyond 
 all doubt, ought to model his conduct only by 
 L 2 his 
 
148 JJn Account of the European 
 
 hie own experience, and the circumftances of 
 
 the affair in which he is engaged. 
 
 Pizarro having got the rival, who had 
 caufed him fo many apprehenfions, into his 
 hands, refolved to mew him no mercy. In 
 fpite of Almagro's age, which, as it might re- 
 move his fears, ought to have given room for 
 pity ; in fpite of their common warfare, their 
 dangers and triumphs ; in fpite of every fenti- 
 ment of gratitude for what this unfortunate 
 man had contributed to his greatnefs, and in 
 fpite of his late mercy to his brother ; all 
 which were pathetically and flrongly urged by 
 Almagro, to fuffer an old man, and a prifoner 
 too, after fo many fruitlefs toils, to die quietly 
 in his bed, Pizarro was deaf to every thing 
 but a barbarous policy, which made him fub- 
 mit every virtue to the fecuring the meaneft 
 part of his defigns. Almagro was formally 
 tried, fentenced, and then ftrangled in prifon. 
 His body was afterwards beheaded publickly 
 on a fcaffold, and for a long time denied 
 burial. A negro flave interred it by ftealth. 
 Amidft the pity which this barbarous execu- 
 tion caufed, people could not forbear recollect- 
 ing the unhappy fate of Atahualpa, and the 
 fhare which Almagro had in it.' 
 
 CHA P. 
 
Settlements in America. 
 
 149 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 ¥ T 7HILST this civil war raged, the ynca 
 V \/ took a very extraordinary refolution. 
 He disbanded his troops, and retired to the 
 mountains; " Becaufe, fays he 3 whitft we are 
 in arms, their fear of us will: be a means of 
 uniting the Spaniards, but if we difperfe, 
 they will certainly deftroy each other." A re- 
 folution this, which at firft view, has fome- 
 thing mafterly, but it is only when viewed in 
 one light. When their natural prince is fled, 
 the people who muft be governed, may give 
 the reins of government into the hands of the 
 enemy. An army once difperfed is got toge- 
 ther again with great difficulty - y and on the 
 other hand, a civil war is by no means a cer- 
 tain deftru&ion to thofe who are engaged in 
 it: and indeed by the reafon of the thing, and 
 by the event, it was an ill-judged ftep, the 
 fcheme of a barbarous prince, who was far 
 from being a confummate politician. 
 
 It was very ruinous to the Peruvians, that 
 happening to be divided amongft themfelves 
 when the Spaniards came in, they fuffered 
 them to interfere in their parties ; but it was 
 of yet worfe confequence, that when the Spa- 
 niards were afterwards divided, they interfered 
 themfelves in the Spanifh parties. Almagro 
 and Pizarro had armies of Indians, by which 
 L 3 thole 
 
150 An Account of the European 
 
 thofe people were habituated to obey them, H 
 and to be interefted in their fuccefs ; this, ] 
 joined to the want of any regular plan of de- I 
 fence on the part of their king and comman- I 
 ders, fubdued that empire to Pizarro with 
 fmall trouble, if we confider the greatneis of 
 the object. But having atchieved fo great a 
 conquefr, it only made Pizarro acquainted 
 with other great tracts which were rich, and 
 might be added to them. He followed the 
 tracks of Almagro into Chili, and reduced a 
 confiderable part of the country. Orellana, 
 one of his commanders, paffed the Andes, and 
 failed down to the mouth of the river of Ama- 
 zons ; an immenfe navigation, which difco- 
 vered a rich and delightful country, but as it 
 is moftly flat, and therefore not abounding in 
 minerals, the Spaniards then, and ever fince, 
 neglected it. 
 
 The death of Almagro, and the influence it 
 had upon the conduct of Pizarro, is a ftriking 
 example how necefTary it is for a great man to 
 have an awe upon him from fome oppofition, 
 that may keep his prudence alive, and teach 
 him to have a watch upon his paflions. Not 
 content with a territory upwards of eight hun- 
 dred leagues long, and of a prodigious breadth, 
 riches fuch as none of the kings of his country 
 had ever pofTeffed, a jurifdiction little leis 
 than royal, and an abfolute fecurity by the ex- 
 tinction of the only perfon who had any pre- 
 tentions 
 
Settlements in America. 151 
 
 tenfions againft him, either through a jealoufy 
 which often haunts the happieft fortune, or 
 through a pride which cannot bear even the 
 appearance of any who had once withftood 
 his power, he took a refolution entirely to cut 
 off all that had ever adhered to his rival; he did 
 not know when the iffue of blood ought to 
 be flopped ; nor that examples of feverity on 
 a few create terror and fubmifiion, but that 
 threats of general deftrucl:ion produce, nothing 
 but defpair and defperate refolutions. He was 
 not fatisfied with putting many to death, but 
 iflued a proclamation, inhibiting under the 
 fame penalty, that any perfon mould harbour, 
 or even relieve an Almagrian with the necef- 
 faries of life. This party was yet numerous, 
 though difperfed and lurking about the coun- 
 try. The heads of them finding that Pizarro 
 was implacable, entered into a confpiracy to 
 murder him. They did not want adherents 
 in the city, fo that they found means of con- 
 cealing themfelves until their plot mould be 
 ripe for execution ; but by fome means Pi- 
 zarro difcovered their defigns, and fuffered 
 them to know he had difcovered them. 
 Alarmed at this information, they faw nothing 
 could happen but death at any fide. Twelve 
 of the chiefs marched into the flreets at noon- 
 day, with their fwords drawn, crying out, 
 " Long live the king ! but let the traitor die 
 and croffing the great fquare of Lima, made 
 L 4 dire&ly 
 
152 An Account of the European 
 
 directly to Pizarro's palace ; the reft followed in 
 different parties. The people being all the 
 whilefufpended, and in that inactive amazement 
 which the execution of a bold and hidden en- 
 terpnfe gene r aily inipires, made no oppofition. 
 The confpirators fecured the avenues ; and Pi- 
 zarro, nut alarmed until he was lurrounded 
 by his enemies, fell under their fwords, after 
 having fold his life dearly. 
 
 Thus died Pizarro, by an event extremely 
 memorable. A grear conqueror, in the city 
 he had himfelf built, in his own palace, 
 amid ft his guards murdered at noon day by 
 the hands of a fmall number of fugitives. The 
 Peruvians had the fatisf action to fee the fecond 
 of their conquerors cut off by the fame fword 
 thuthad afflidled themfelves. 
 
 CHAP. XVII. 
 
 T HEN Pizarro had fallen in confe- 
 \ V quence of thofe cruel and ill-judged 
 fteps which he took for his fecurity, the Al- 
 magrians, elate with their fuccefs, and grow- 
 ing into a formidable body, leized upon the 
 city, and proclaimed the natural fon of old 
 Almagro governor ; a youth not twenty years 
 of age, but of a courage and capacity notabfo- 
 lutely unequal to a charge of fuch impor- 
 tance, undertaken in circumftances fo critical. 
 But though the Almagrians iucceeded beyond 
 
 their 
 
Settlements in America. 153 
 
 their hopes, by the conflernation caufed by 
 the fuddennefs of the attempt, and the general' 
 diflike to the cruel procedure of Pizarro ; the 
 major part of the Spaniards were far from ac- 
 quiefcing in this irregular nomination of a 
 governor. A confiderabie number, and thofe 
 of the beft men, declared, that without inte- 
 refting themfelves in the quarrel of either 
 party, they would wait for the emperor's de- 
 termination, which they expected hourly, and 
 to which alone they were refolved to conform 
 themfelves. 
 
 In this ftate of things the new governor 
 Vaca di Caftro arrived. . This man was of a 
 good family, and by profeffion a lawyer ; but 
 through a more rigid adherence to the ftricteft 
 ideas of right and juftice than is fuitable to the 
 coarfenefs of practice, he did not make that 
 figure in his profeffion to which his great ca- 
 pacity entitled him. But what kept him 
 backward at the bar, recommended him firft 
 to the knowledge, and afterwards to the efteem 
 of his mafter the emperor Charles the Vth, 
 who was a man of too much difcemment not 
 to be ftruck with a character fo lingular as 
 was that of one who was a lawyer, without 
 exercifing the trade of law, and lived at court 
 without being a courtier. Therefore, without 
 any follicitation of his own, without any re- 
 commendation from a minilKr or favourite, 
 tins man's plain unoftentatious virtue placed 
 
 him 
 
154 ^ n Account of the European 
 
 him in an employment of fo great a truft. 
 When he arrived in the Indies he ftill pre- 
 ferved his character. He a&ed like one who 
 came neither to make friends or a fortune, but; 
 folely to do his duty ; and he mewed favour or 
 difapprobation to all in proportion as they 
 performed their's. Indian or Spaniard was 
 entirely alike to the equality of his juftice. 
 Ke flattered nobody, he threatened nobody, 
 and whilft he lived with all the modefty of a 
 private man, he fupported all the dignity of a 
 governor. 
 
 He was hardly landed, w 7 hea young Almagro 
 fent him an embaffy, explaining the reafons of 
 his conduct, and propofing terms ; but Caftro 
 anfwered him, that he was come under the 
 emperor's authority, folely to do him and every 
 body juftice 5 of which, if a good fubjed:, he 
 could have no room to complain ; if a bad one, 
 he muft prepare to feel it : he knew no other 
 terms. This was new language to governors 
 in this part of the world, who almoft forgot 
 they had a fuperior. Almagro therefore was 
 refolved to abide the fortune of war, rather 
 than fubmit without fuch terms as might en- 
 fure him the government of his father's pro- 
 vince at leaft. On the other hand, Caftro 
 would hear of no terms between a king and 
 his fubjedts, and therefore fet himfelf at the 
 head of his troops, which were compofed of 
 thofe who had refufed to obey Almagro, and 
 3 gave 
 
Settlements in America. 155 
 
 gave him battle. The viftory was on his fide, 
 but not without a bloody difpute. 
 
 Several of Almagro's officers, in hopes of 
 procuring favour for themfelves, betrayed his 
 caufe in the battle \ but Caftro was far from 
 thinking their treachery to their leader, could 
 be reckoned a fervice to the crown, and there- 
 fore fpared none of them in the numerous exe- 
 cutions he found it neceffary to make on this 
 occafion. None of the fufferers was more 
 pitied than Almagro, who behaved with the 
 utmoft gallantry in the engagement, as he had 
 done with much humanity and honour upon 
 moft occafions. He was taken and be- 
 headed. 
 
 The feverity of this procedure, whilft it 
 terrified every body, drew no odium upon the 
 governor, who a&ed clearly without prejudice, 
 or felf-intereft. They looked on thefe execu- 
 tions like judgments from heaven which af- 
 flidt us bitterly, but leave no room for mur- 
 mur or complaint againfl the hand that inflidts 
 them. To the followers of Pizarro, who 
 valued themfelves on their late fervice, and 
 murmured that they were not rewarded better 
 than he thought they deferved, he fhewed 
 little favour. He told them he could well 
 diftinguifh between what was done out of a 
 fpirit of party, and what proceeded from a 
 principle of loyalty to their fovereign; that 
 they might look upon themfelves as very 
 
 happy 
 
156 An Account of the European 
 
 happy that he fuffered their laft action to obli- 
 terate the memory of all their others. In, 
 Ihort, he proceeded with fuch conftancy, that 
 the Spaniards were reduced to an entire fub-| 
 jection, and the Indians treated by them as 
 fellow fubjects and fellow creatures. The 
 clergy he made to attend diligently to the 
 duty of their function, and to the converfion 
 of the Indians, rather than to the acquisition 
 of their gold. He modelled the adminiftration 
 of juftice in the exacted manner. He founded 
 feveral towns, and eftablifhed fchools and col- 
 leges in them, and placed the royal revenues 
 on fuch a footing, that the conqueft of Peru 
 became immediately a great public advan- 
 tage, which formerly was little more than an 
 object of private plunder. But whilft he re- 
 mained himfeif poor among fome of the 
 richeft confifcations that ever were made, and 
 whilft he enriched the royal treafury with 
 moit prodigious remittances, the great men 
 at court received no prefents. This induced 
 them to get a number of judges appointed, 
 whofe authority over-ruled that of Caftro. 
 The end was anfwered. Difputes arofe; the 
 colony was unfettlcd; appeals and complaints 
 innumerable came home, and prefents from all 
 iides. But what anfwered the prefent end of the 
 courtiers, was near Hopping up the fpring of bribe- 
 ry for the future. In the confuiion that arofe from 
 fuch claming jurifdictions, and the fchemes 
 
Settlements in America. 157 
 
 of men intent upon their own interefls, it was 
 n not hard for Gonzalo, the brother of the fa- 
 l \ mous Pizarro, to avail himfelf of the general 
 " difcontent, and to fet himfelf at the head of a 
 15 party. 
 
 It was now no longer a difpute between go- 
 le vernors about the bounds of their jurifdifiicn ; 
 3 Gonzalo Pizarro only paid a nominal fubmif- 
 ' lion to the emperor. He ftrengthened daily, 
 Q and even went fo far as to behead a viceroy 
 ^ who was fent to curb him. There was a 
 " fleet at this time in the South-Seas, and he 
 :s had addrefs enough to gain the admiral to his 
 3 interefts ; by which means he was able to 
 
 • over-awe the coaft of Mexico, and prevent 
 3 any force coming againft him from that part. 
 : " He even entertained hopes of gaining the 
 ' Spaniards there to join in his revolt. The 
 d court, juftly alarmed at this progrefs, having 
 3 felt the ill effedt of fending men who were 
 1 recommended to their ports by importunity and 
 ^ cabal, as they had experienced the beneficial 
 \ confequences of employing perfons whofe 
 
 • character only pleaded for them, they fent a 
 8 licentiate in divinity, called Peter de la Gafca, 
 "\ a man differing only from Caftro, that he was 
 1 of a milder and more infinuating behaviour, 
 \ but with the fame love of juftice, the fame 
 
 • greatnefs* of foul, and the fame dilinterefted 
 fpirit. This mildnefs of character fuited the cir- 
 cumflances of the times, as well as the rigid 
 
 juftice 
 
158 ./fe Account of the European 
 
 juftice of Cafiro did thofe in which he was 
 appointed ; for as the revolt was now al- 
 moft general, he could find no friends but 
 fuch as he fhould make ; for though he was 
 inverted with the ampler! authority from 
 Spain, he neither carried men to enforce it, nor 
 money ; and the whole fuccefs of the expe- 
 dition refted iblely in his own capacity. 
 
 When he arrived in Mexico, he declared 
 that his was a peaceable profeffion j that 
 he came not to exercife feverities, but to heal 
 by gentle meafures the effects of thofe which 
 were formerly exercifed. He even wrote a 
 very obliging letter to Pizarro, perfuading him 
 to fubmit, and offering him a free pardon for 
 himfelf and his affociates. In the mean tirne 
 he was not wanting in more vigorous meafures - y 
 but by his engaging addrefs, and the reputation 
 of his probity, raifed large fums of money, and 
 fome hundreds of men. Pizarro, puffed up 
 by his fuccefs, received the embaflador with 
 great haughtinefs, and fent his anfwer, which 
 was likewife that of his affociates, by the ad- 
 miral ; which was in effefl:, that neither would 
 he yield up his government, nor would they 
 fubmit to have any other governor. The ad- 
 miral had inftrudtions to try what bribery 
 would do, and if that failed, to fire the city of 
 Panama, and bring off the new viceroy pri- 
 foner. However, during their conferences, 
 the affair took abfolutely another turn, and 
 
I m ■ \ mm 
 
 Settlements in America. 159 
 
 the admiral, inftead of conveying Gafca a 
 prifoner to Peru, tranfported him thither with 
 all his forces, returning to his allegiance him- 
 felf, and perfuading all his adherents to be 
 hearty in the royal caufe. The viceroy did not 
 at all alter the profefiions and behaviour he had 
 ufed in Mexico, but every where proclaiming 
 peace and pardon, at the head of a powerful 
 force, he drew the cities of Lima and Cufco 
 from the party of Pizarro ; who finding hkn- 
 felf obliged to evacuate the mod confiderable 
 places of ftrength, with very unequal forces 
 hazarded a battle, in which he was made 
 prifoner. He was foon after condemned and 
 executed, with thofe who had been the chief 
 inftruments of his rebellion. 
 
 Such an ill ftar governed all thofe who had a 
 (hare in the reduction of Peru : Almagro be- 
 headed, his fon fharing the fame fate ; Pizarro 
 murdered in his own palace- his brother Fer- 
 dinand kept a'prifoner twenty-three years ; and 
 his other brother Gonzalo, as we have juft 
 feen, fuffering death as a traitor. The new 
 governor having by neceflary feverities quieted 
 his province, took effectual care to heal it's 
 diforders by the arts of peace, and to compleat 
 what Caflro had been obliged to leave unfinifh- 
 ed. He fettled the civil government, the 
 army, and the mines, upon fuch a balis as 
 made the province worth the plunder of future 
 viceroys. He carried over two millions to the 
 
 royal 
 
f 
 
 160 An Account of the European 
 
 royal treafury, paid all his debts, and late 
 down as poor in Spain as he had left it. 
 
 The reduction of the great empires of Peru 
 and Mexico, makes a! mod the only thing 
 very much worth infilling upon in the Ameri- 
 can hiftory. A few fldrmiihes with a favage 
 people, and fome voyages and difcoveries ex- 
 actly refembiing each other, changing only the 
 names and fituations, is the matter, which, in 
 my opinion, unprofitably fills fo many volumes, 
 and contains very little of either curiofity 
 or inftru&ion. How r ever, when I come to 
 treat of the feveral European fettlements par- 
 ticularly, I (hail not omit to mention any 
 thing in their hiftory that contains either the 
 one or the other. 
 
 End of the First Part. 
 
( i6i ) 
 
 PART II. 
 
 The Manners of the Americans. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 r T n H E Aborig ! nes of America, through- 
 out the whole extent of the two vail 
 continents which they inhabit, and amongft the 
 infinite number of nations and tribes into which 
 they are divided, differ very little from each 
 other in their manners and cuftoms, and they all 
 form a very ftriking picture of the moft diftant 
 antiquity. Whoever confiders the Americans of 
 this day, not only ftudies the manners of a re- 
 mote prefent nation, but he ftudies, in fome mea- 
 fure, the antiquities of all nations ; from which 
 no mean lights may be thrown upon many 
 parts of the ancient authors, both facred and 
 profane. The learned Lafitau has laboured 
 this point with great fuccefs, in a work which 
 deferves to be read amongft us much more 
 than I find it is. 
 
 The peopie of America are tall, and ftrait 
 in their limbs beyond the proportion of moft 
 nations : their bodies are ftrong ; but of a 
 fpecies of ftrength rather fitted to endure 
 
 M much 
 
1 62 An Account of the European 
 
 much hardfhip, than to continue long at any 
 fervile work, by which they are quickly 
 confumed ; it is the ftrength of a beaft of 
 prey, rather than that of a beaft of burthen. 
 Their bodies and heads are flattifh, theeftedt of 
 art ; their features are regular, but their coun- 
 tenances fierce ; their hair long, black, lank, 
 and as ftrong as that of a horfe. No beards. 
 The colour of their fkin a reddifli brown, ad- 
 mired amongft them, and improved by the 
 conftant ufe of bear's fat and paint. 
 
 When the Europeans firft came into Ame- 
 rica, they found the people quite naked, except 
 thofe parts which it is common for the mod 
 uncultivated people to conceal. Since that 
 time they have generally a coarfe blanket to 
 cover them, which they buy from us. The 
 whole fafhion of their lives is of a piece; 
 hardy, poor, and fqualid ; and their education 
 from their infancy is folely directed to fit their 
 bodies for this mode of life, and to form their 
 minds to inflidt and to endure the greateft evils. 
 Their only occupations are hunting and war. 
 Agriculture is left to the women. Merchan- 
 dize they contemn. When their hunting 
 feafon is paft, which they go through with 
 much patience, and in which they exert great 
 ingenuity, and their provifions once laid up, 
 they pals the reft of their time in an entire 
 indolence. They deep half the day in their 
 huts, they loiter and jeft among their friends, 
 
Settlements in America. 163 
 
 and they obferve no bounds or decency in 
 their eating and drinking. Before we difcovered 
 them they wanted fpirituous liquors; but 
 now, the acquirement of thefe is what gives a 
 fpur to their induftry, and enjoyment to 
 their repofe. This is the principal end they 
 purfue in their treaties with us ; and from 
 this they fuflfer inexprefilble calamities • for, 
 having once begun to drink, they can preferve 
 no meafure, but continue a fucceffion of 
 drunkennefs as long as their means of pro- 
 curing liquor lads. In this condition they lie 
 expofed on the earth to all the inclemency of 
 the feafons, which waftes them by a train of 
 'the moft fatal diforders. They perim in rivers 
 and marfhes ; they tumble into the fire; they 
 quarrel, and very frequently murder each 
 other; and in Ihort, excefs in drinking, which 
 with us is rather immoral than very de- 
 ftructive, amongft this uncivilized people, 
 who have not art enough to guard againft the 
 confequence of their vices, is a public cala- 
 mity. The few amongft them who live 
 free from this evil, enjoy the reward of their 
 temperance in a robuft and healthy old age. 
 The diforders which a complicated luxury has 
 introduced, and fupports in Europe, are ftran- 
 gers here. 
 
 The character of the Indians is linking. 
 They are grave even to fadnefs in their de- 
 portment upon any ferious occafion ; obfer- 
 
 M 2 vant 
 
x64 Account of the European 
 
 vant of thofe in company ; refpe&ful to the 
 old ; of a temper cool and deliberate ; by 
 which they are never in hafle to fpeak before 
 they have thought well upon the matter, and 
 are fure the perfon who fpoke before them 
 has finifhed all he had to fay. They have 
 here fore the greateft contempt for the vivacity 
 of the Europeans, who interrupt each other, 
 and frequently fpeak all together. Nothing is 
 more edifying than their behaviour in their 
 public councils and affemblies. Every man 
 there is heard in his turn, according as his 
 years, his wifdom, or his fervices to his coun- 
 try have ranked him. Not a word, not a 
 whifper, not a murmur is heard from the reft 
 whilft he fpeaks. No indecent condemnation, 
 no ill-timed applaufe. The younger fort at- 
 tend for their inftrudion. Here they learn 
 the hiftory of their nation ; here they are in- 
 flamed with the fongs of thofe who celebrate 
 the warlike adtions of their anceftors ; and 
 here they are taught what are the interefts of 
 their country, and how to purfue them. 
 
 There is no people amongft whom the 
 laws of hofpitality are more facred, or exe- 
 cuted with more generofity and good-will. 
 Their houfes, their provifion, even their 
 young women are not enough to oblige a 
 gueft. To thofe of their own nation they 
 are likewife very humane and beneficent. 
 Has any one of them lucceeded ill in his 
 
 hunting ? 
 
Settlements in America. 165 
 
 hunting? has his harveft failed? or is his houfe 
 burned ? He has no other effect of his mif- 
 fortune, than that it gives him an opportunity 
 to experience the benevolence and regard of 
 his fellow citizens, who for that purpofe have 
 all things almoft in common. But to the 
 enemies of his country, or to thofe who have 
 privately offended, the American is implaca- 
 ble. Ke conceals his fentiments, he appears 
 reconciled, until by fome treachery or furprize 
 he has an opportunity of executing an hor- 
 rible revenge. No length of time is fufficient 
 to allay his refentment - 7 no diftance of place 
 great enough to protect the object; he croffes 
 the fteepeft mountains, he pierces the mod 
 impracticable forefts, and traverfes the moft 
 hideous bogs and defarts for feveral hundreds 
 of miles, bearing the inclemency of the fea- 
 fons, the fatigue of the expedition, the ex- 
 tremes of hunger and thirft with patience 
 and chearfulnefs, in hopes of furprizing his 
 enemy, on whom he exercifes the moft mock- 
 ing barbarities, even to the eating of his 
 flem. To fuch extremes do the Indians pufh 
 their friendship or their enmity ; and fuch 
 indeed in general is the character of all ftrong 
 and uncultivated minds. 
 
 Notwithftandingt his ferocity, no people have 
 their anger, or at ieaft the fliew of their anger, 
 more under their command. From their infancy 
 they are formed with care to endure fcoffis, taunts, 
 M 3 blows. 
 
1 66 An Account of the European 
 
 blows, and every fort of infult patiently, or at 
 leaft with a compofed countenance. This is 
 one of the principal objects of their education. 
 They efleem nothing fo unworthy a man of 
 fenfe and conftancy, as a peevifh temper, and a 
 pronenefs to a fudden and rafh anger. And this 
 fo far has an effect, that quarrels happen as 
 rarely amongft them when they are not intoxi- 
 cated with liquor, as does the chief caufe of 
 all quarrels, hot and abufive language. But 
 human nature is fuch, that as virtues may with 
 proper management be engrafted upon almoft 
 all fort of vicious paffions, fo vices naturally 
 grow out of the beft difpofitions, and are the 
 confequence of thofe regulations that produce 
 and flrengthen them. This is the reafon 
 that when the pafiions of the Americans are 
 roufed, being (hut up, as it were, and converg- 
 ing into a narrow point, they become more 
 furious 5 they are dark, fullen, treacherous 
 and unappealable. 
 
 A people who live by hunting, who inhabit 
 mean cottages, and are given to change the 
 place of their habitation, are feldom very re- 
 ligious. The Americans have fcarce any 
 temples. We hear indeed of fome, and thofe 
 extremely magnificent, amongft the ancient 
 Mexicans and Peruvians ; but the Mexicans 
 and Peruvians were comparatively civilized 
 nations. Thofe we know at prefent in any 
 part of America are no way comparable to 
 
 them. 
 
Settlements in America. 167 
 
 them. Some appear to have very little idea 
 of God. Others entertain better notions j 
 they hold the exiftence of a Supreme Being, 
 eternal and incorruptible, who has power 
 over all. Satisfied with owning this, which 
 is traditionary amongft them, they give him no 
 fort of worihip. There are indeed nations 
 in America, who feem to pay fome religious 
 homage to the fun and moon; and as moft of 
 them have a notion of fome invifible beings, 
 who continually intermeddle in their afTairs, 
 they difcourfe much of demons, nymphs, 
 fairies, or beings equivalent. They have 
 ceremonies too, that feem to fhew they had 
 once a more regular form of religious worship ; 
 for they make a fort of oblation of their firft 
 fruits ; obferve certain ceremonies at the full 
 moon, and have in their feftivals many things 
 that very probably came from a religious origin, 
 though they perform them as things handed 
 down to them from their anceftors, without 
 knowing or enquiring about the reafon. Tho* 
 without religion, they abound in fuperftitions ; 
 as it is common for thofe to do, whofe fub- 
 fiftence depends like theirs, upon fortune. 
 Great obfervers of omens and dreams, and 
 pryers into futurity with great eagernefs, they 
 abound in diviners, augurs, and magicians, 
 whom they rely much upon in all affairs 
 that concern them, whether of health, war, 
 or hunting. Their phyfic, which may ra- 
 
 M 4 ther 
 
1 68 An Account of the European 
 
 ther be called magic, is entirely in the hands 
 of the priefts. The fick are naturally prone 
 to fuperftition, and human help in fuch cafes 
 is generally found fo weak, that it is no won- 
 der that in all countries and ages, people have 
 amufed themfelves in that difmal circum (lance 
 of human nature, with the hope of fuperna- 
 tural affiftance. 
 
 Their phyficians generally treat them, in 
 whatever diforder, in the fame way. That is, 
 they fir ft cnclofe them in a narrow cabbin, 
 in the midft of which is a ftone red hot, on 
 which they throw water until the patient is well 
 foaked with the warm vapour, and his own 
 fweat; then they hurry him from this bagnio, 
 and plunge him fuddenly into the next river. 
 This is repeated as often as they judge necef- 
 fary, and by this method, extraordinary cures 
 are fometimes performed. But it frequently 
 happens too, that this rude [method kills the 
 patient in the very operation, efpecially in the 
 new diforders brought to them from Europe 
 and it is partly owing to this manner of pro- 
 ceeding, that the fmall pox has proved fo much 
 more fatal to them than to us It mud not 
 be denied that they have the ufe of fome 
 fpecifics of wonderful efficacy ; the power of 
 which they however attribute to the magical 
 ceremonies with which thev are conftantly 
 adminiftered. 
 
 C H A P. 
 
Settlements in America. 
 
 169 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 T IBERT Y in it's fulleft extent is the 
 
 J j darling paffion of the Americans. To 
 
 this they facrifice every thing. This is what 
 makes a life of uncertainty and want, fup- 
 portable to them ; and their education is di- 
 rected in fuch a manner as to cherifti this dif- 
 pofition to the utmoft. They are indulged in 
 all manner of liberty ; they are never upon any 
 account chaftifed with blows ; they are rarely 
 even chided. Reafon, they fay, will guide their 
 children when they come to the ufe of it; and 
 before that timetheir faults cannot be verygreat. 
 But blows might abate the free and martial 
 fpirit which makes the glory of their people, 
 and might render the fenfe of honour duller, 
 by the habit of a flavifh motive to action. 
 When they are grown up, they experience 
 nothing like command, dependence, or fub- 
 ordination ; even ftrong perfuafion is induf- 
 trioufly foiborn by thole who have influence 
 amongft them, as what may look too like 
 command, and appear a fort of violence of- 
 fered to their will. 
 
 On the fame principle, they know no punish- 
 ment but death. They lay no fines, becaufe they 
 I have no way of exacting them from free men ; 
 and the death, which they fomctimcs inflict, is 
 rather a confequence of a fort of war declared 
 again ft a public enemy, than an act of judicial 
 
 power 
 
170 An Account of the European 
 
 power executed on a citizen or fubjedh This 
 free difpofition is general, and though fome 
 tribes are found in America, with an head 
 whom we call a king, his power is rather 
 perfuafive than coercive, and he is reverenced 
 as a father, more than feared as a monarch. 
 He has no guards, no prifons, no officers 
 of juftice. The other forms, which may 
 be confidered as a fort of ariftocracies, have 
 no more power. This latter is the more 
 common in North America. In fome tribes 
 there are a kind of nobility, who, when they 
 come to years of difcretion, are entitled to a 
 place and vote in the councils of their nation ; 
 the reft are excluded. But amongft the Five 
 nations, or Iroquois, the moft celebrated com- 
 monwealth of North America, and in fbmei 
 other nations, there is no other qualification j 
 abfolutely neceffary for their head men, but 
 age, with experience and ability in their 
 affairs. However, there is generally in every 
 tribe fome particular flocks, which they re- 
 fpeft, and who are confidered in fome fort! 
 as their chiefs, unlefs they fhew themfelves 
 unworthy of that rank ; as among the tribes 5 
 themfelves there are fome, who, on account of 
 their number or bravery, have a pre-eminence 
 over the reft ; which, as it is not exacted with! 
 pride and infolence, nor maintained by tyran-; 
 ny on one hand, fo it is never difputed on'the* 
 other when it is due. 
 
 Their 1 
 
Settlements in America. 171 
 
 Their great council is compofed of thefe 
 heads of tribes and families, with fuch whofe 
 capacity has elevated them to the fame degree 
 of confideration. They meet in a houfe, which 
 they have in each of their towns for the purpofe, 
 upon every folemn occafion, to receive am- 
 bafladors, to deliver them an anfwer, to fing 
 their traditionary war fongs, or to commemo- 
 rate their dead. Thefe councils are public. 
 Here they propofe all fuch matters as concern 
 the ftate, which have already been digefted 
 in the fecret councils, at which none but the 
 head men affile. Here it is that their orators 
 are employed, and difplay thofe talents which 
 diftinguiih them for eloquence and knowledge 
 of public bufinefs j in both of which fome of 
 them are admirable. None elfe fpeak in their 
 public councils 3 thefe are their ambalTadors, and 
 thefe are the commiffioners who are appoint- 
 ed to treat of peace or alliance with other na- 
 tions. The chief fkiil of thefe orators confifts 
 in giving an artful turn to affairs, and in expref- 
 fing their thoughts in a bold figurative manner, 
 much ftronger than we could bear in this part 
 of the world, and with geftures equally violent, 
 but often extremely natural and expreffive. 
 
 When any bufinefs of confequence is 
 tranfacted, they appoint a feaft upon the 
 occafion, of which almoft the whole na- 
 tion partake?. There are leffer feafts upon 
 matters of lefs general concern, to which 
 
 none 
 
ij2 An Account of the European 
 
 none are invited but they who are engaged in k 
 that particular bufinefs. At thefe feafts it is a- 
 gainfl: all rule to leave any thing; (o that if they pal 
 cannot confutne all, what remains is thrown in- i rec 
 to the fire, for they look upon fire as a thing lb 
 facred, and in all probability thefe feafts were m; 
 anciently facrifices. Before the entertainment is b 
 ready, the principal perfon begins a fcng, the a 
 fubjecl of which is the fabulous or real io 
 hifiory of their nation, the remarkable events of 
 which have happened, and whatever matters to 
 may make for their honour or inftruclion. an 
 The others fing in their turn. They have ea 
 dances too, with which they accompany I 
 their fongs, chiefly of a martial kind ; and no p 
 folemnity or public bufinefs is carried on oi 
 without fuch fongs and dances. Every thing : in 
 is tranfadted amongft them with much cere- j ar 
 mony ; which in a barbarous people is necef- m 
 fary ; for nothing elfe could hinder all their | te 
 affairs from going to confufion ; befides that fa 
 the ceremonies contribute to fix all tran factions tc 
 the better in their memory. - c; 
 
 To help their memory, they have bitsoffmall u 
 fhells or beads of different colours, which have j$ 
 all a different meaning, according to their j r , 
 colour or arrangement. At the end of every 5 
 matter they difcourfc upon, when they treat I ? 
 with a foreign ftate, they deliver one of if 
 theic belts. If they mould omit this ceremony, ; i, 
 what they lay paffes for nothing. Theft I 
 
 belts I 
 
Settlements in America. 173 
 
 belts are carefully treafured up in each town, 
 and they ferve for the public records of the 
 nation; and to thefe they occafionally have 
 recourfe, when any contefts happen between 
 them and their neighbours. Of late, us the 
 matter of which thefe belts is made is grown 
 fcarce, they often give fome fkins in the place 
 of the wampum, for fo they call thefe beads 
 in their language, and receive in return rrefents 
 of a more valuable nature; for neither will they 
 conlider what our commiflioners fay to be of 
 any weight, unlefs fome prefent accompanies 
 each propofal. 
 
 The fame council of their elders, whieh re- 
 gulates whatever regards the external policy 
 of the ftate, has the charge likewife of it's 
 internal peace and order. Their fuits are few 
 and quickly decided, having neither property 
 nor art enough to render them perplexed or 
 tedious. Criminal matters come before the 
 fame jurifdiclion, when they are fo flagrant as 
 to become a national concern. In ordinary 
 cafes, the crime is either revenged or compro- 
 mifed by the parties concerned. If a murder 
 is committed, the family which has loft a 
 relation, prepares to retaliate on that of the 
 offender. They often kill the murderer, and 
 when this happens, the kindred of thelaft per- 
 fon flain look upon themfelves to be as much 
 injured, and think themfelves as much juftified 
 in taking vengeance, as if the violence had not 
 
 be<run 
 
174 ^Account of the Europe an 
 
 begun amongft themfelves. But in general 
 things are determined in a more amicable 
 manner. The offender abfents himfelf $ his 
 friends fend a compliment of condolance to 
 thofe of the party murdered ; prefents are 
 offered, which are rarely refufed ; the head 
 of the family appears, who in a formal fpeech 
 delivers the prefents, which confifr. often of 
 above fixty articles, every one of which is 
 given to cancel fome part of the offence, and 
 to afTuage the grief of the fuffering party. 
 With the firft he fays, " By this I remove 
 the hatchet from the wound, and make it fall 
 out of the hands of him who is prepared to re- 
 venge the injury^" with thefecond, " I dry up 
 the blood of that wound;' 1 and fo on, in apt 
 figures, taking away one by one all the ill 
 confequences of the murder. As ufual, the 
 whole ends in mutual feafting, fongs, and 
 dances. If the murder is committed by 
 one of the fame family, or cabbin, that cabbin 
 has the full right of judgment, without appeal, 
 within itfelf, either to punifh the guilty with 
 death, or to pardon him, of to force him to 
 give fome recompence to the wife or children 
 of the (lain. All this while the fupreme au- 
 thority of the nation looks on unconcerned, 
 and never roufes its ftrength, nor exerts the 
 fulnefs of a power more revered than felt, 
 but upon fome fignal occafion. Then the 
 power feems equal to the occafion. Every 
 
 one 
 
Settlements in America. 175 
 
 one haftens to execute the orders of their 
 fenate ; nor ever was any inftance of difloyalty 
 or rebellion known amongft this people. 
 Governed as they are by manners, not by 
 laws, example, education, and the conftant 
 practice of their ceremonies, gives them the 
 moft tender affection for their country, and 
 infpires them with moft religious regard for 
 their conftitution, and the cuftoms of their 
 anceftors. The want of laws, and of an uni- 
 form ftrong coercive power, is not perceived 
 in a narrow fociety, where every man has 
 his eye upon his neighbour, and where the 
 whole bent of every thing they do is to 
 ftrengthen thofe natural ties by which fo- 
 ciety is principally cemented. Family love, 
 rare amongft us, is a national virtue amongft 
 them, of which all partake. Friendfhips 
 there are amongft them, fit to vie with thofe 
 of fabulous antiquity ; and where fuch friend- 
 fhips are feen to grow, the families concerned 
 congratulate themfelves as upon an acquifition, 
 that promifes to them a mutual ftrength, and 
 to their nation the greateft honour and ad- 
 vantage. 
 
 CHAP.. 
 
176 An Account of the European 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 
 ^ I ^ H E lofs of any one of their people > 
 I whether by a natural death, or by 
 war, is lamented by the w 7 ho!e town he- 
 belongs to In fuch circumftances no 
 bufinefs is taken in hand, however im- 
 portant, nor any rejoicing permitted, how- 
 ever interefting the occafion, until all the 
 pious ceremonies due to the dead are per- 
 formed. Thefe are alwavs performed with 
 the greateft folemnity. The dead body is 
 warned, anointed, and painted, fo as in fome 
 meafure to abate the horrors of death. Then 
 the women lament the lofs with the moft bit- 
 ter cries, and the moft hideous howlings, in- 
 termixed with fongs, which celebrate the great 
 ailions^of thedeceafed, and thofe of his ances- 
 tors. The men mourn in a lefs extravagant 
 manner. The whole village attends the body 
 to the grave, which is interred, habited in their 
 moft fumptuous ornaments. With the body 
 of the deceafed are placed his bow and arrows, 
 with what he valued moft in his life, and pro- 
 vifions for the long journey he is to take; for 
 they hold the immortality of the foul univer- 
 fally, but their idea is grofs.. Feafting attends 
 this, as it does every folemnity. After the fune- ! 
 
 ral, I 
 
 * The towns are fmall, and except the affairs of war, oj (late, 
 they have no bufinefs to employ them, for the greateit part of ; 
 the year, after the hunting feftfon \% over. 
 
 3 
 
Settlements in America.' 177 
 
 ral, they who are nearly allied to the deceafed, 
 conceal themfelves in their huts for a consi- 
 derable time to indulge their grief. The com- 
 plimen s of condolance are never omitted, nor 
 are prefents wanting upon this occafion. After 
 fome time they revifit the grave ; they renew 
 their forrow ; they new cloath the remains of 
 the body, and act over again the folemnities 
 of the firft funeral. 
 
 Of all their inftances of regard to their de- 
 ceafed friends, none is fo ftriking as what 
 they call the feaft of the dead, or the feaft 
 of fouls. The day for this ceremony is ap- 
 pointed in the council of their chiefs, who 
 give orders for every thing, which may enable 
 them to celebrate it with pomp and magnifi- 
 cence. The riches of the nation is exhaufted 
 on this occafion, and all their ingenuity dis- 
 played . The neighbouring people are invited 
 to partake of the feaft, and to be witneffes of 
 the folemnity. At this time, all w 7 ho have died 
 fince the laft folemn feaft of that kind, are 
 taken out of their graves. Thofe who have 
 been interred at the greateft diftance from the 
 villages are diligently fought for, and brought 
 to this ereat rendevous of carcafTes. It is not 
 difficult to conceive the horror of this general 
 disinterment. I cannot paint it in a mere 
 lively manner than it is done by Lafitau. 
 
 " Without queftion, fays he, the opening of 
 thefe tombs difplay one of the mod ftriking 
 
 N fcenes 
 
178 An Account of the European 
 
 fcenes that can be conceived ; this humbling 
 pourtrait of human mifery, in fo many images 
 of death, wherein fhe feems to take a pleafure 
 to paint herfelf in a thoufand various fhapes 
 of horror, in the feverai carcafTes, according 
 to the degree in which corruption has pre- 
 vailed over them, or the manner in which it 
 has attacked them. Some appear dry and 
 withered ; others have a fort of parchment 
 upon their bones ; fome look as if they were 
 baked and fmoaked, without any appearance 
 of rottennefs 5 fome are juft turning towards 
 the point of putrefaction ; whilft others are 
 all fwarming with worms, and drowned in 
 corruption. I know not which ought to 
 ftrike us moft, the horror of fo fhocking 
 a fight, or the tender piety and affedion of 
 thefe poor people towards their departed 
 friends 5 for nothing deferves our admiration 
 more, than that eager diligence and attention 
 with which they difcharge this melancholy 
 duty of their tendernefs ; gathering up care- 
 fully even the fmalleft bones ; handling the 
 carcaffes, difguftful as they are, with every 
 thing loathfome ; cleanfing them from the 
 worms, and carrying them upon their (boul- 
 ders through tirefome journeys of leveral 
 days, without being difcouraged by their 
 infupportable flench, and without fufrer- 
 ing any other emotions to arife, than thofe 
 of regret, for having loft perfons who were 
 
Settlements in America. 179 
 
 fo dear to them in their lives, and fo lamented 
 in their death/' 
 
 This ftrange feftival is the moft magnificent 
 and folemn which they have ; not only on ac- 
 count of the great concourfe of natives and 
 ftrangers, and of the pompous reinterment 
 they give to their dead, whom they drefs in 
 the fin eft fkins they can get, after having ex- 
 pofed them feme time in this pomp; but for 
 the games of all kinds which they celebrate 
 upon the occafion, in the fpirit of thofe which 
 the ancient Greeks and Romans celebrated 
 upon fimilar occafions. 
 
 In this manner do they endeavour to 
 footh the calamities of life, by the honours 
 they pay their dead ; honours, which are the 
 more chearfully paid, becaufe in his turn each 
 man expects to receive them himfelf. Tho' 
 amongft thefe favage nations this cuftom is 
 imprefled with ftrong marks of the ferocity of 
 their nature, an honour for the dead, a tender 
 feeling of their abfence, and a revival of their 
 memory, are fome of the moft excellent in- 
 ftruments for fmoothing our rugged nature 
 into humanity. In civilized nations fuch 
 ceremonies are lefs praftifed, becaufe other 
 inftruments for the fame purpofes are lefs 
 wanted ; but it is certain a regard for the 
 dead is ancient and univerfal. 
 
 Tho' the women in America have gene- 
 rally the laborious part of the ceconomy upon 
 themfclves, yet they are far from being the 
 N 2 flaves 
 
i So ^.Account of the European 
 
 flaves they appear, and are not at all fubjedt 
 to the great fubordination in which they are 
 placed in countries where they feem to be 
 more refpected. On the contrary, all the ho- 
 nours of the nation are on the fide of the wo- 
 men. They even hold their councils, and have 
 their fhare in all deliberations which concern 
 the ftate ; nor are they found inferior to the part 
 they act. Polygamy is pra&ifed by fome na- 
 tions, but it is not general. In moft they con- 
 tent themfelves with one wife, but a divorce 
 is admitted, and for the fame caufes that it was 
 allowed amongft: the Jews, Greeks, and Ro- 
 mans, No nation of the Americans is with- 
 out a regular marriage, in which there are 
 many ceremonies ; the principal of which is, 
 the bride's prefenting the bridegroom with a 
 plate of their corn. 
 
 Incontinent before wedlock, after marriage 
 the chaftity of their women is remarkable. 
 The punifhment of the adulterefs, as well as 
 that of the adulterer, is in the hands of the 
 hufband himfelf; and it is often fevere, as in- 
 flicted by one who is at once the party and the 
 judge. Their marriages are not fruitful, feldom 
 producing above two or three children, but 
 they are brought forth with lefs pain than our 
 women fuffer upon fuch occafions, and with 
 little confequent weaknefs. Probably, that, 
 fevere life which both fexes lead, is not favour- 
 able to procreation. And the habit unmarri- 
 ed women have of procuring abortions, in 
 
 which 
 
I 
 
 Settlements in America. i 8 i 
 
 which they rarely fail, makes them the more 
 unfit for bearing children afterwards. This 
 is one of the reafons of the depopulation of 
 America ; for whatever lofTes they fuffer, ei- 
 ther by epidemical difeafes or by war, are re- 
 paired flowly. 
 
 t; hap. iv. 
 
 ALMOST the fole occupation of the 
 American is war, or fuch an exer- 
 cifes as qualies him for it. His whole 
 glory confifts in this ; and no man is at 
 all confidered until he has increafed the 
 I rtrength of his country with a captive, or 
 adorned his houfe with the fcalp of one of it's 
 enemies. When the ancients refolve upon 
 war 5 they do not always declare what nation 
 it is they are determined to attack ; that the 
 enemy, upon whom they really intend to full, 
 may be off his guard. Nay, they even fome- 
 times let years pafs over without committing 
 any aft of hoftility, that the vigilance of all 
 may be unbent by the long continuance of the 
 watch, and the uncertainty of the danger. In 
 the mean time they are not idle at home. 
 The principal captain fummons the youth of 
 the town to which he belongs - y the war ket- 
 tle is fet on the fire : the war fopes and 
 dances commence ; the hatchet is fent to all 
 the villages of the lame nation, and to all its 
 
 N 3 allies $ 
 
1 82 An Account of the European 
 
 allies ; the fire catches, the war fongs are heard 
 in all parts, and the moft hideous bowlings 
 continue without intermiffion day and night 
 over that whole trad: of country. The women 
 add their cries to thofe of the men, lamenting 
 thofe whom they have either loft in war, or by 
 a natural death, and demanding their places 
 to be fupplied from their enerrtfes, ftimulating 
 the young men by a fenfe of fhame, which 
 women know to excite in the ftrongeft man- 
 ner, and can take the beft advantage of when 
 excited. 
 
 When by thefe, and every other means, the 
 fury of the nation is raifed to the greateft 
 height, and all long to embrew their hands 
 in blood, the war captain prepares the feaft, 
 which confifts of dogs flefh. All that par- 
 take of this feaft receive little billets, which 
 are fo many engagements which they take to 
 be faithful to each other, and obedient to 
 their commander* None are forced to the 
 war ; but when they have accepted this billet, 
 they are looked upon as lifted, and it is then 
 death to recede. All the warriors in this 
 affembly have their faces blackened with 
 charcoal, intermixed with dafhes and ftreaks 
 of vermillion, which give them a moft horrid 
 appearance. Their hair is dreffed up in an 
 odd manner, with feathers of various kinds. 
 In this affembly, which is preparatory to their 
 military expedition, the chief begins the war 
 
 fongi 
 
Settlements in America. 183 
 
 \ fong ; which having continued for fome time, 
 he raifes his voice to the higheft pitch, and 
 turning off fuddenly to a fort of prayer, he ad- 
 dreffes himfelf to the god of war, whom they 
 call Arefkoui. " I invoke thee, fays he, to be 
 favourable to my enterprife ! I invoke thy 
 care upon me and my family ! I invoke ye 
 likewife, all ye fpirits and demons good and 
 evil ! All ye that are in the fkies, or on 
 the earth, or under the earth, to pour de- 
 ftru&ion upon our enemies, and to return me 
 and my companions fafely to our country." 
 All the warriors join him in this prayer with 
 fhouts and acclamations. The captain renews 
 his fong, ftrikes his club againft the ftakes of 
 his cottage, and begins the war dance, accom- 
 panied with the fhouts of all his companions, 
 which continue as long as he dances. 
 
 The day appointed for their departure being 
 arrived, they take leave of their friends \ they 
 change their cloaths, or whatever moveables 
 they have, in token of mutual friendfhip ; 
 their wives and female relations go out 
 before them, and attend at fome diftance from 
 the town. The warriors march out all dreft 
 in their fineft apparel, and mo ft fhowy orna- 
 ments, regularly one after another, for they 
 never march in rank. The chief walks flow- 
 ly on before them, finging the death fong, 
 whilft the reft obferve the moft profound 
 filence. When they come up to their women, 
 
 N 4 they 
 
184 An Account of the European 
 
 they deliver up to them all their finery, put 
 on their worn: cloaths. and then proceed as 
 their commander thinks fit. 
 
 Their motives for engaging in a war are rarely 
 thofe views which excite us to it. They have 
 no other end but the glory of the victory, or 
 the benefit of the flaves which it enables them 
 to add to their nation, or facrifice to their 
 brutal fury ; and it is rare that they take any 
 pains togive their wars even a colour of juftice. 
 It is no way uncommon among them for the 
 young men to make feafts of dogs flefli, and 
 war dances, in fmall parties, in the midft of 
 the mod profound peace. They fall fome- 
 times on one nation, fometimes on another, 
 and furprize fome of their hunters, whom 
 they fcalp or bring home as prifoners. Their 
 fenators wink at this, or rather encourage it, 
 as it tends to keep up the martial fpirit of their 
 people, inures them to watchfulnefs and hard- 
 fhip, and gives them an early tafte for blood. 
 
 The qualities in an Indian war are vigi- 
 lance and attention, to give and to avoid 
 a furprize ; and patience and flrength, to en- 
 dure the intolerable fatigues and hardfhips 
 which always attend it. The nations of Ame- 
 rica are at an immenfe diftance from each 
 other with a vaft defart frontier, and hid in 
 the bofom of hideous, and almoft boundlefs 
 forefts. Thefe muft be travelled before they 
 meet an enemy, who is often atfuch a diflance 
 
 as 
 
Settlements in America. 185 
 
 as might be fuppofed to prevent either quarrel 
 or danger. But notwithstanding the fecrecy of 
 the destination of the party that firft moves, the 
 enemy has frequently notice of it, is prepared 
 for the attack, and ready to take advantage 
 in the fame manner of the leaft want of vi- 
 gilance in the aggreffors. Their whole art 
 of war confifts in this : they never fight in the 
 open field, but upon fome very extraordinary 
 occafions ; not from cowardice, for they are 
 brave ; but they defpife this method, as un- 
 worthy an able warrior, and as an affair in 
 which fortune governs more than prudence. 
 The principal things which help them to 
 find out their enemies are the fmoke of their 
 fires, which they fmell at a diftance almoft 
 incredible • and their tracks, in the difcovery 
 and diftinguifhing of which they are pofielfed 
 of a fagacity equally aftonifhing ; for they 
 will tell in the footfteps, which to us would 
 feem mod confufed, the number of men 
 that have palled, and the length of time fince 
 they have paffed 5 they even go fo far as to 
 diftinguifh the feveral nations by the different 
 marks of their feet, and to perceive footfteps, 
 where we could diftinguifh nothing lefs. A 
 mind diligently intent upon one thing, and 
 exercifed by long experience, will go lengths 
 at firft view fcarcely credible. 
 
 But as they who are attacked have the 
 fame knowledge, and know how to draw the 
 
 fame 
 
1 86 An Account of the European 
 
 fame advantages from it, their great addrels is 
 to baffle each other in thefe points. On the 
 expedition they light no fire to warm them- 
 felves, or prepare their victuals, but fubfift 
 merely on the miferable pittance of fome of 
 their meal mixed with water ; they lie clofe 
 to the ground all day, and march only in | 
 the night. As they march in their ufual ( 
 order in files, he that clofes the rear diligently [ 
 covers his own tracks, and thofe of all who 
 preceded him, with leaves. If any ftream »; 
 occurs in their rout, they march in it for a n 
 confiderable way to foil their purfuers. When, j 
 they halt to reft and refrefh themfelves, fcouts x \ 
 are fent out on every fide to reconnoitre, [r , 
 the country, and beat up every place where B , 
 they fufpedt an enemy may lie perdue. In j 
 this manner they often enter a village, whilft [j 
 the ftrength of the nation is employed in hunt- \ 
 ing, and maffacre all the helplefs old men, j e 
 women, and children, or make prifoners asi | t 
 many as they judge they can manage, or have 
 ftrength enough to be ufeful to their nation. 
 
 They often cut off fmall parties of men ^ 
 in their huntings ; but when they difcover an 
 army of their enemies, their way is to throw , r 
 themfelves flat on their faces amongft the l 
 withered leaves, the colour of which their « ^ 
 bodies are painted to refemble exadlly, ; !0 
 They generally let a part pafs unmolefted,, 
 and thenrifing a little, they take aim, for they ! ^ 
 
 are 
 
Settlements in America. 187 
 
 are excellent markfmen, and fetting up a 
 mod tremendous fhout, which they call the 
 war cry, they pour a ftorm of mufquet bullets 
 upon the enemy ; for they have long fince laid 
 afide the ufe of arrows ; the party attacked re- 
 turns the fame cry. Every man in hafte covers 
 himfelf with a tree, and returns the fire of the 
 adverfe party ; as foon they raife themfelves 
 from the ground to give the fecond fire. 
 
 After fighting fome time in this manner, 
 the party which thinks it has the advantage 
 rufhes out of it's cover, with fmall axes in 
 their hands, which they dart with great 
 addrefs and dexterity ; they redouble their 
 cries, intimidating their enemies with me- 
 naces, and encouraging each other with a 
 boaftful difplay of their own brave adlions. 
 Thus being come hand to hand, the conteft 
 is foon decided - y and the conquerors fatiate 
 their favage fury with the mod {hocking in- 
 fults and barbarities to the dead, biting their 
 fle(h, tearing the fcalp from their heads, and 
 wallowing in their blood like wild beafts. 
 
 The fate of their prifoners is the mod: fevere 
 >f all. During the greateft part of their journey 
 lomewards they fuffer no injury. But when 
 hey arrive at the territories of the conquering 
 late, or at thofe of their allies, the people 
 rom every village meet them, and think they 
 hew their attachment to their friends by their 
 ►arbarous treatment of the unhappy prifoners ;fo 1 
 
 that 
 
1 88 An Account of the European 
 
 that when they come to their ftation, they arc 
 wo: nded and bruifed in a terrible manner. The 
 conquerors enter the town in triumph. The! 
 war captain waits upon the head men, and in a 
 low voice gives them a circumftantial account 
 of' very particular of the expedition, of the 
 damage the enemy has fuffered, and his own; 
 loffes in it. This done, the public orator re-! tl 
 lates the whole to the people, Before they n 
 yield to the joy which the vi&ory occafions, t 
 they lament the friends which they have loft i 
 in the purfuit of it. The parties mod nearly, e 
 concerned are affli&ed apparently with a deep ji 
 and real forrow. But by one of thofe ftrange! |i 
 turns of the human mind, fafhioned to any f 
 thing by cuftom, as if they were difciplined in p 
 their grief, upon the fignal for rejoicing, in a t 
 moment all tears are wiped from their eyes, f 
 and they rum into an extravagance and phren- \ 
 zy of joy for their vidlory. j j 
 
 In the mean time the fate of the prifoners < 
 ( remains undecided, until the old men meet, and! ; 
 j determine concerning the diftribution. Itisjj 
 ( ufual to offer a {lave to each houfe that has loft s { 
 ! a friend; giving the preference according to | 
 ' the greatnefsof the lofs. The perfon who has j< 
 \ taken the captive attends him to the door of j 
 J the cottage to which he is delivered, and with! | 
 him gives a belt of wampum, to mew that he! | 
 has fulfilled the purpofe of the expedition in : , 
 fupplying the lofs of a citizen. They view ! \ 
 
 the 
 
Settlements in America^ jSg 
 
 the prefent which is made them for fome 
 time, and according as they think him or her, 
 for it is the fame, proper or improper for the 
 bufinefs of the family, or as they take a capri- 
 cious liking or difpleafure to the countenance 
 of the victim, or in proportion to their natural 
 barbarity, or their refentment for their lcflTes, 
 theydeftine concerning him, to receive him in- 
 to the family, or fentence him to death. If the 
 latter, they throw away the belt with in- 
 dignation. Then it is no longer in the pow- 
 er of any one to favc him. The nation is af- 
 fembled as upon fome great folemnity. A 
 fcaffold is raifed, and the prifoner tied to the 
 ftake. Inftantly he opens his death fong, and 
 prepares for the eniuing fcene of cruelty with 
 the moft undaunted courage. On the other 
 fide, they prepare to put it to the utmoft proof, 
 with every torment, which the mind of man 
 ingenious in mifchief can invent. They be- 
 gin at the extremities of his body, and gradu- 
 ally approach the trunk. One plucks out his 
 nails by the roots, one by one ; another takes 
 a finger into his mouth, and tears off the flefti 
 with his teeth ; a third thrufts the ringer, man- 
 gled as it is, into the bole of a pipe made red 
 hot, which he fmoaks like tobacco. Thenthey 
 pound his toes and fingers to pieces between 
 two flones; they cut circles abouthisjoints, and 
 gafhes in the flefhy parts of his limbs, which 
 they fear immediately with red-hot irons, cut- 
 ting 
 
190 An Account of the European 
 
 ting and fearing alternately - y they pull off this 
 flefh, thus mangled and roafted, bit by bit, de- 
 vouring it with greedinefs, and fmearing their 
 faces with the blood, in an enthufiafm of hor- 
 ror and fury. When they have thus torn off 
 the flefh, they twift the bare nerves and ten- 
 ders about an iron, tearing and fnapping them ; 
 whilft others are employed in pulling and ex- 
 tending the limbs themfelves, in every way 
 that can increafe the torment. This conti- 
 nues often five or fix hours together. Then 
 they frequently unbind him to give a breath- 
 ing to their fury, to think what new torments 
 they fhall inflidt, and to refrefh the ftrength of 
 the fufferer, who wearied out with fuch a va- 
 riety of unheard-of torments, often falls imme- 
 diately into fo profound a fleep, that they are 
 obliged to apply the fire to awaken him, and 
 renew his fufferings. 
 
 He is again fattened to the flake, and again 
 they renew their cruelty ; they ftick him all 
 all over with fmall matches of a wood that 
 eafily takes fire, but burns flowly ; they con- 
 tinually run fharp reeds into every part 
 of his body ; they drag out his teeth with 
 pincers, and thruft out his eyes - y and laftly, 
 after having burned his flefh from the bones 
 with flow fires ; after having fo mangled the 
 body that it is all but one wound ; after having 
 mutilated his face in fuch a manner as to carry 
 nothing of human in it ; after having peeled 
 
 the 
 
 3 
 
Settlements in America. 191 
 
 the fkin from the head, and poured a heap of 
 red-hot coals, or boiling water on the naked 
 [fkull; they once more unbind the wretch, 
 I who blind and daggering with pain and weak- 
 I nefs, aflaulted and pelted upon every fide with 
 clubs and ftones, now up, now down, falling 
 into their fires at every ltep, runs hither and 
 thither, until fome of the chiefs, whether out 
 of companion, or weary of cruelty, puts an 
 end to his life with a club or a dagger. The 
 body is then put into the kettle, and this bar- 
 barous employment is fucceeded by a feaft 
 as barbarous. 
 
 The women, forgetting the human as well 
 as the female nature, and transformed into 
 fomething worfe than furies, aft their parts, 
 and even outdo the men in this fcene of horror. 
 The principal perfons of the country fit round 
 the ftake fmoaking and looking on without 
 the lead emotion. What is mod: extraordi- 
 nary, the fufferer himfelf, in the little intervals 
 of his torments, fmoaks too, appears uncon- 
 cerned, and converfes with his torturers about 
 indifferent matters. Indeed, during the whole 
 time of his execution, there feems a conteft 
 between him and them which fhall exceed, 
 they in inflicting the moft horrid pains, or he 
 in enduring them with a firmnefs and con- 
 ftancy almoft above human. Not a groan, 
 I not a figh, not a diftortion of countenance 
 efcapes him ; he poffefles his mind entirely in 
 
192 An Account of the European 
 
 the midft of his torments; he recounts his own 
 exploits, he informs them what cruelties he 
 has inflicted upon their countrymen, and 
 threatens them with the revenge that will at- 
 tend his death ; and though his reproaches 
 exafperate them to a perfect madnefs of rage 
 and fury, he continues his reproaches even of 
 their ignorance in the art of tormenting, point- 
 ing out himfelf more exquifite methods, and 
 more fenfible parts of the body to be afflict- 
 ed. The women have this part of courage 
 as well as the men and it is as rare for any 
 Indian to behave otherwife, as it would be for 
 an European to fuffer as an Indian. 
 
 I do not dwell upon thefe circumftances of 
 cruelty, which fo degrade human nature, out 
 of choice; but as all who mention the cuftoms 
 of this people have infifted upon their beha- 
 viour in this refpect very particularly, and as 
 it feems neceffary to give a true idea of their, 
 character, I did not chufe to omit it. It 
 ferves to fhew too, in the ftrongeft light, 
 to what an inconceiveable degree of barba- 
 rity the paffions of men let loofe will carry 
 them. It will point out to us the advantages 
 of a religion that teaches a companion to our 
 enemies, which is neither known nor practifed 
 in other religions ; and it will make us more 
 fenfible than fome appear to be, of the value 
 of commerce, the arts of a civilized life, and 
 the lights of literature ; which, if they have 
 abated the force of fomc of the natural virtues 
 
 by 
 
Settlements in America. 193 
 
 by the luxury which attends them, have 
 taken out likewife the fling of our natural 
 vices, and foftened the ferocity of the human 
 race without enervating their courage. 
 
 On the other hand, the conftancy of the 
 fufferers in this terrible fcene fhews the Won- 
 derful power of an early inftitution, and a 
 ferocious thirft of glory, which makes men 
 imitate and exceed what philofophy, or 
 even religion can effedt. 
 
 The prifoners who have the happinefs to 
 pleafe thofe to whom they are offered, have a 
 fortune altogether cppofite to that of thofe 
 who are condemned. They are adopted into 
 the family, they are accepted in the place 
 of the father, fon, or hufband that is loft - y 
 2nd they have no other mark of their cap- 
 tivity, but that they are not fuffered to return 
 to their own nation. To attempt this would 
 be certain death. The principal purpofe of 
 the war is to recruit in this manner ; for 
 which reafon a general who lofes many of 
 his men, though he mould conquer, is little 
 better than difgraced at home; becaufe the 
 end of the war was not anfwered. They 
 are therefore extremely careful of their men, 
 and never chufe to attack but with a very un- 
 doubted fuperiority, either in number or 
 fituation. 
 
 The fcalps which they value fo much are 
 the trophies of their bravery ; with thefe they 
 
 O adorn 
 
1 94 An Account of the European 
 
 adorn their houfes, which are efteemed in 
 proportion as this fort of fpoils is more nume- 
 rous. They have folemn days appointed, 
 upon which the young men gain a new name 
 or title of honour from their headmen , and 
 thefe titles are given according to the qualities 
 of the pcrfon, and his performances - 3 of which 
 thefe fcalps are the evidence. This is all the 
 reward they receive for the dangers of the 
 war, and the fatigues of many campaigns, fevere 
 almoft beyond credit. They think it abun- 
 dantly fufficient to have a name given by 
 their governors; men of merit themfelves, and 
 judges of it ^ a name refpe&ed by their coun- 
 trymen, and terrible to their enemies. There 
 are many other things fit to engage the curiofi- 
 ty, and even afford matter of inftru&ive re- 
 flection, in the manners of this barbarous peo- 
 ple j but thefe feem to be the moft ftriking, 
 and fitteft to be infifted on in a work which 
 is to give a general idea of America. The pre- 
 fent fettlements, their commerce and pro- 
 ductions, ought to be allowed their proper 
 room. In which I propofe to treat, fir ft of 
 the Spanifh colonies, as the lirft difcovered and 
 largeft objedt, and that in which the reft of 
 Europe, though excluded, is the moft con- 
 cerned. The Portuguefe as neareft in place and 
 rank, mall be fecond. The French mall next 
 be confidered. The Englim mall be referved 
 to the laft;, as the moft important to ourfelves, 
 
 PART 
 
TTLEMENTS in AMERICA. I95 
 
 PART III. 
 
 SPANISH AMERICA. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 IY A V I N G defcribed with as much 
 ' £ concifenefs as the fubjecl would bear, 
 the manners of the original inhabitants of 
 America, as we had before that related the 
 moft remarkable adventures of it's difcoverers 
 and conquerors ; it will be neceflary to view 
 more minutely, what and how advantageous a 
 country thefe conquefts and difcoveries have 
 added to the world - y and what are the views, 
 interefts, and characters of thofe, who at 
 prefent poffefs the greateft part of that exten- 
 five region. 
 
 America extends from the North Pole to 
 the fifty-feventh degree of South latitude ; it 
 is upwards of eight thoufand miles in length -> 
 It fees both hemifpheres ; it has two fummers 
 and a double winter 3 it enjoys all the variety 
 of climates which the earth affords ; it is 
 waflied by the two greateft oceans. To the 
 O 2 Eaft- 
 
196 An Account of the European 
 
 Eaftward it has the Atlantic ocean, which 
 divides it from Europe and Africa. To the 
 Weft it has another ocean, the great South- 
 Sea, by which it is disjoined from Afia. 
 By thefe feas it may, and does carry on a 
 direct commerce with the other three parts of 
 world. It is compofed of two vaft continents, 
 one on the North, the other upon the South, 
 which are joined by the great kingdom of 
 Mexico, which forms a fort of ifthmus fif- 
 teen hundred miles long, and in one part, at 
 Darien, fo extremely narrow, as to make the 
 communication between the two oceans by no 
 means difficult. In the great gulph, which is 
 formed between this ifthmus and the North- 
 ern and Southern continents, lie an infinite 
 multitude of iflands, many of them large, and 
 mo ft of them fertile, and capable of being 
 cultivated to very great advantage. 
 
 America in general is not a mountainous 
 country, yet it has the greateft mountains 
 in the w r orld. The Andes, or Cordilleras, run 
 from North to South along the coaft of 
 the Pacific ocean, Though for the molt part 
 within the torrid zone, they are perpetually 
 covered with mow, and in their bowels con- 
 tain inexhauftible treafures. In the province 
 of St. Martha in South America are likewife 
 very great mountains, which communicate 
 with the former. In North America we 
 know of none confiderable, but that long 
 
Settlements z/z America." 197 
 
 ridge which lies to the back of our fettle- 
 ments, which we call the Apalachian, or 
 Allegeney mountains ; if that may be at all 
 confidered as a mountain, which upon one 
 fide indeed has a very great declivity, but 
 upon the other is nearly on a level with the 
 reft of the country for the greater part. 
 
 Without comparifon, America is that part 
 of the world which is the beft watered ; and 
 that not only for the fupport of life, but 
 for the convenience of trade, and the inter- 
 courfe of each part with the others. In 
 North America the great river Miflifippi rifing 
 from unknown fources, runs an immenfe 
 courfe from North to South, and receives the 
 vaft tribute of the Ohio, the Ouabache, and 
 other immenfe rivers, not to be poftponed to 
 the Rhine or the Danube, navigable almoft to 
 their very fources, and laying open the inmoft 
 recefTes of this continent. Near the heads of 
 thefe are five great lakes, or rather feas of 
 frefh water communicating with each other, 
 and all communicating with the ocean by the 
 river St. Laurence, which pafles through them. 
 Thefe afford fuch an inlet for commerce as 
 muft produce the greateft advantages, when- 
 ever the country adjacent fhall come to be fully 
 inhabited, and by an induftrious and civilized 
 people. The Eaftern fide of North America, 
 which is our portion, befides the noble rivers 
 Hudfon, Delaware, Sufquehanna, Patowmack, 
 
 O 3 fupplies 
 
1 98 An Account of the European 
 
 fupplies feveral others of great depth, 
 length, and commodious navigation. Many 
 parts of our fettlements are fo interfered 
 with navigable rivers and creeks, that the 
 planters may be faid, without exaggera- 
 tion, to have each a harbour at his own 
 door. 
 
 South America is, if poffible, in this re- 
 fpecl, even more fortunate. It fupplies much 
 the two largeft rivers in the world, the river 
 of Amazons, and the Rio de la Plata. The firft 
 riling in Peru, not far from the South-Sea, 
 paries from Weft to Eaft, almoft quite thro' 
 the continent of South America, navigable for 
 fome fort or other of veflels all the way, and 
 receiving into it's bofom a prodigious number 
 of rivers, all navigable in the fame manner, 
 and fo great, that Monfieur Condamine found 
 it often almoft impoflible to determine which 
 was the main channel. The Rio de la Plata 
 riling in the heart of the country, fhapes it's 
 courfe to the South-Eaft, and pours fuch an 
 immenfe flood into the fea, that it makes it 
 tafte frefh a great many leagues from the 
 fhore ; to fay nothing of the Oronoquo, 
 which might rank the foremoft amongft any 
 but the American rivers. The foil and pro- 
 duels in fuch a variety of climates, cannot 
 fatisfaclorily be treated of in a general de- 
 fcription ; we fhall in their places conlider 
 them particularly. 
 
 All 
 
Settlements in America. 199 
 
 All America is in the hands of four na- 
 tions. The Spaniards, who, as they firft dis- 
 covered it> have the largeft and richeft fhare. 
 All that part of North America, which com- 
 pofes the ifthmus of Mexico, and what lies 
 beyond that towards the river Miffifippi on. 
 the Eaft, the Pacific ocean to the Weft 
 and North-Weft, and they poffefs all South 
 America, excepting Bralil, which lies between 
 the mouth of the river of Amazons and that 
 of Plata along the Atlantic ocean ; this be- 
 longs to Portugal. That part of North America 
 which the Spaniards have not, is divided 
 between the Englifh and French. The Englim 
 have all the countries which incircle Hud- 
 fon's Bay, and thence in a line all along the 
 Eaftern fhore to the thirtieth degree of North 
 latitude. France claims the country which 
 lies between this and the Spanifti fettlements 
 to the Weft, and fecures an intercourfe with 
 them by the mouths of the Miflifippi, the 
 Mobile, and of the river St. Laurence, which 
 are the only avenues of navigation to this very 
 extenfive country. The multitude of iflands 
 which lie between the two continents, are 
 divided amongft the Spaniards, French, and 
 Englifh. The Dutch poffefs three or four 
 fmall iflands, which, in any other hands, would 
 be of no confequence. The Danes have one 
 or two, but they hardly deferve to be named 
 amongft the proprietors of America. 
 
 O 4 CHAP. 
 
2oq An Account of the European 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 ? | ^ H E order which I intend to obferve 
 in treating of the Spanifh colonies is, 
 after having fet forth their lituation, their 
 climate, and the nature of their foil, to de- 
 fer i be thofe commodities in which they trade; 
 to give a clear and concife account of their 
 method of manufacturing them ; and then to 
 lay open the manner of their dealing in them 
 as well as that by which they carry on their fo- 
 reign commerce. Laft of all I mall fay fome- 
 thing of the genius and temper of the inhabi- 
 tants ; of fuch cuftoffis of theirs as are remark- 
 able, and of their civil policy, and of their 
 military, fo far as they are come to my know- 
 ledge, or as they are worthy the attention of 
 the reader. The exact divifion of the pro- 
 vinces, the courfes of the rivers, the difiances 
 of places, the exact dimenfions of harbours 
 and their foundings ; all thefe, as they are 
 infinitely better known from maps and charts, 
 fo it would be impertinent and tedious to fill 
 up this fhort work with them, which propofes 
 to give, even fhort as it is, a delcription 
 of every thing that may tend to a juft notion 
 of America; and therefore cannot facrifiee 
 matters of more moment to the defcription of 
 things, of which a far better idea may be ac- 
 quired by other means to thofe whom they 
 
 concern ; 
 
Settlements in America. 201 
 
 concern - 9 and to thofe whom they do not in- 
 tereft, who are by far the majority, muft be 
 tedious and uninftru&ive. 
 
 The firft country which the Spaniards fet- 
 tled upon the continent of America was 
 Mexico ; and it ftill continues their principal 
 fettlement, whether we conrlder it's number 
 of inhabitants, it's natural wealth, or it's ex- 
 tended traffick. As it lies for the moft part 
 within the torrid zone, it is exceffively hot 5 
 and on the Eaftern coaft, where the land 
 is low, marfhy, and conftantly flooded in the 
 rainy feafons, it is likewife extremely un- 
 wholfome ; neither is that coaft pleafant in 
 any refpedt ; incumber'd for the moft part 
 with almoft impenetrable woods of man- 
 grove trees, of a bare and difagreeable afpe£t, 
 and which extend into the water for a con- 
 fiderable way. The inland country affumes a 
 more agreeable afpect, and the air is of a 
 better temperament ; here the tropical fruits 
 grow in great abundance ; the land is of 
 a good variety, and would not refufe any fort of 
 grain, if the number or induftry of the inha- 
 bitants were any v/ay proportioned to the 
 goodnefs of the foil. But on the Weftern fide 
 the land is not fo low as on the Eaftern, much 
 better in quality, and full of plantations. 
 
 It is probable the Spaniards chufe to leave 
 the Eiftern coaft in it's prefent ftate of rude- 
 nefs and defolation, judging that a rugged and 
 
 unwholfome 
 
202 An Account of the European 
 
 unwholfome frontier is a better defence a- 
 gainft an European enemy, than fortifications 
 and armies, to be maintained at a vaft expence ; 
 or than the ftrength of the inhabitants, made 
 by the climate effeminate and pufillanimous, 
 and kept fo by policy : and indeed it would 
 be next to impoffible to make any confide- 
 rable eftablifhment on that coaft, that could 
 effectually anfwer the purpofes of any power 
 in Europe, without ftruggling with the great- 
 eft difficulties ; and as for a fudden invafion, 
 the nature of the country itfelf is a good 
 fortification. In general, few countries un- 
 der the fame afpect of the heavens, enjoy 
 more of the benefits of nature, and the necef- 
 faries of life ; but, like all the tropical coun- 
 tries, it rather is more abundant in fruits than 
 in grain. Pine apples, pomegranates, oranges, 
 lemons, citrons, figs, and cocoa nuts, are here 
 in the greateft plenty and perfection. Vines 
 and apples require temperate climates. 
 
 The number of their horned cattle is in 
 a manner infinite ; fome private perfons are 
 faid to have poffefTed forty thoufind head ; 
 many are wild, and a very confiderable trade 
 is driven in their hides and tallow, but the 
 extreme heat prevents their turning the flefli 
 to any account in commerce. Swine are 
 equally numerous, and their lard is much 
 in requeft all over this country, where it is 
 ufed inftead of butter. Sheep are numerous 
 
 in 
 
Settlements in America. 203 
 
 in Mexico, but I do not find that wool is an 
 article of any great confederation in their 
 1 trade; nor is it probable that it is of a good 
 kind, as it is fcarce ever found ufeful between 
 the tropicks, where it is hairy and (hort, except 
 only in Peru ; and that is the produce of fbeep 
 of a fpecies very different from that in the reft 
 of America - 9 as Peru is itfeit remarkably diffe- 
 rent in climate from all other countries under 
 the torrid zone. But cotton ib here very good, 
 1 and in great plenty. It is manufactured large- 
 ly, for as it is a light wear, fuitable to the 
 climate, and all other cloathing being extrava- 
 gantly dear, it is the general wear of the inha- 
 bitants 3 the woollens and linens of Europe 
 being rather luxuries, and worn only by per- 
 fons of fome condition. Some provinces 
 produce filk, but not in that abundance or 
 perfection to make a remarkable part of their 
 export^ not but that the country is very fit for 
 that, and many other things valuable, which 
 are but little cultivated; for the gold and filver, 
 which makes the glory of this country, and 
 in the abundant treafures of which it exceeds 
 all the world, engages almoft the whole at- 
 tention of the inhabitants, as it is almoft 
 the only thing for which the Spaniards value 
 their colonies, and what alone receives the en- 
 couragement of the court ; therefore I fhall 
 infill: moft largely upon thefe articles. After 
 that I fhall fpeak of thofe commodities, which 
 
 are 
 
204 An Account of the European 
 
 are produced here of mo ft importance in 
 foreign commerce, and reft upon them in 
 proportion to their importance. Thefe are 
 cochineal, indigo, and cacao, of which choco- 
 late is made. As for fugar and tobacco, and 
 indigo, though no part of the world produces 
 better than Mexico and as for logwood, 
 though it be in a manner peculiar to this 
 country, yet as the firft is largely raifed and 
 manufactured elfewhere, and as our own com- 
 merce in the two laft is what chiefly interefts 
 an Englifti reader, I fhall referve them to 
 be treated of in the divifion I allot to the 
 Englifh colonies. 
 
 CHAP. III. 
 T'T is not known with certainty, whether 
 all, or fome provinces only of New Spain, 
 produce mines of gold and filver. It is, how- 
 ever, allowed that the chief mines of gold 1 
 are in Veragua and New Granada, confining 
 upon Darien and Terra Firma. Thofe of 
 filver, which are much more rich as well as 
 numerous, are found in feveral parts, but in 
 none fo much as in the province of Mexico. • 
 But all the mines, whether of gold or filver, 
 are always found in the mountainous and bar- 
 ren parts ; nature often making amends one 
 way for her failures in another. 
 
 Gold is found either in the fand of rivers, 
 native, and in fmall grains, or it is dug out of 
 
 the 
 
Settlements in America. 250 
 
 the earth in the fame condition in fmall bits, 
 almoft wholly metallic, and of a tolerable 
 parity - y or it is found like the ore of other 
 metals in an aggregate opaque mafs, in a 
 mixture of earth, ftone fulphur, and other 
 metals. In this ftate it is of all colours, 
 red, white, blackilh, and making little or 
 no oftentation of the riches it contains. Some- 
 times it forms part of the ornament of fome 
 beautiful ftones, which are of various lively 
 colours, interfered with filaments of this 
 metal, quite native. Lapis lazuli is one of 
 thefe, which has always fome fmall portions of 
 gold ; but this golden ftreaking is often ex- 
 tremely fallacious, and has betrayed many in- 
 to ruinous expences, for in feveral ftones thefe 
 fine veins have been nothing more than 
 marcafite, but fuch marcafites or fire-ftones 
 are found in mines, which contain real gold. 
 But gold, howfoever found, whether native, 
 or in what is called the ore, is feldom or never 
 without a mixture of other metals, generally 
 lilver or copper. 
 
 The gold mines, though they contain the 
 richeft of all metajs, it is remarkable mod fre- 
 quently difappoint the hopes, andruin the for- 
 tunes of thofe who engage in them 3 tho 1 neither 
 the labouring of the mine, nor the purifying the 
 metal, is attended with fuch an expence as what 
 thofe are obliged to, who work mines of the in- 
 ferior metals. For the vein is, of all others, the 
 
 rnoft 
 
2c6 An Account of the European 
 
 moft unequal $ fometimes very large, full, and 
 rich; then it often decays by a quick gradation, 
 and is fometimes fuddenly loft. But the ends 
 of the veins are, on the other hand, often ex- 
 tremely rich ; they are called the purfe of the 
 vein ; and when the miner is fo happy as 
 to light on one of thefe purfes, his fortune is 
 made immediately. 
 
 When the ore is dug out, the moft ufual 
 method is to break it to pieces in a mill, ex- 
 actly refembling thofe large ones we ufe for 
 grinding apples, wherein a mill-ftone fet on 
 end is made to turn in a circular channel 
 of ftone. When the ore is thus broke, and 
 the gold fomewhat feparated from the im- 
 pure mafs, they add to the whole a quantity 
 of quickfilver. Quickfilver has, of all other 
 bodies, the greateft attraction with gold, which 
 therefore immediately breaks the links which 
 held it to the former earth, and clings clofe to 
 this congenial fubftance. Then a rapid ftream 
 of water is let into the channel, which fcour- 
 ing away (through a hole made for the pur- 
 pofe) the lighter earth, by the brifknefs of 
 it's current, leaves the gold and mercury 
 precipitated by it's weight at the bottom. 
 This amalgama, or pafte, is put into a linen 
 cloth, and fqueezed fo as to make the quick- 
 filver feparate and run out. To compleat 
 this feparation, it is neceflary to/ufe the metal, 
 and then all the mercury flies oft' in fumes. 
 
 But 
 
Settlements in America. 207 
 
 But in many parts of Spanim America, ano- 
 ther way of getting and purifying gold is 
 practifed. When by fure tokens they know- 
 that gold lies in the bed of a rivulet, they turn 
 the current into the inward angles, which 
 time and the ftream have formed - y whilft 
 this runs, they dig and turn up the earth to 
 make it the more ealily diftblved and carried 
 off. When the furface is thus compleatly 
 warned away, and they are come to a fort of 
 ftirT earth, which is the receptacle of gold, 
 they return the ftream into it's former chan- 
 nel, and dig up the earth as they find it, 
 which they carry to a little bafon fomewhat 
 in the form of a fmith's bellows. Into this they 
 turn a fmall but lively ftream to carry off the 
 foreign matter, whilft they facilitate the ope- 
 ration by ftirring the mafs with an iron hook, 
 which diffolves the earth, and gathers up the 
 ftones, which are carefully thrown out that they 
 may not interrupt the paffages that carry off 
 the earth. By this means the gold loofened 
 from the grofs matter, which adhered to 
 it, falls to the bottom, but mixed fo inti- 
 mately with a black heavy fand, that none of 
 the gold can be perceived, uniefs it happens to 
 be a pretty large grain. To feparate it from 
 this fand, it is put into a fort of wooden plat- 
 ter, with a little hollow of about the depth of 
 half an inch at bottom. This platter they fill 
 with water, and turning the mafs about brifkly 
 
 with 
 
 3 
 
2c8 An Account of the European 
 
 with their hands for fome time, the fand 
 paffes over the edges, and leaves the gold in 
 fmall grains, pure, and of it's genuine colour, 
 in the hollow at the bottom. Thus is gold 
 refined without fire or mercury, merely by 
 warning. The places where this is performed 
 are called therefore Lavaderos by the Spa- 
 niards. There are many more methods of 
 extracting and purifying this precious metal, 
 but thefe are the moft common ways ufed by 
 Spaniards in their Indies. 
 
 Silver is the metal next in rank, but firft in 
 confequence in the Spanifh traffick, as their 
 mines yield a much greater quantity of the 
 latter than of the former. It is found in the 
 earth under different forms, as indeed the ore of 
 all metals is. Such is the diverfity of ores in this 
 refpedt, that nothing but a long experience in 
 this particular branch can exactly afcertain 
 the fpecies of the metal, which almoft any ore 
 contains at firft view. I have feen fpecimens 
 wherein the filver, almoft pure, twined itfelf 
 about a white ftone, penetrating into the in-* 
 terftices in the fame manner that the roots of 
 trees enter into the rocks, and twift themfelves 
 about them. Some are of an afh-coloured ap- 
 pearance, others fpotted of a red and blue, fome 
 of changeable colours, and many almoft black, 
 affefting fomewhat of a pointed regular form 
 like cryftals. I cannot find that it is ever found 
 in grains or fand, native, as gold ie. 
 
Settlements in America^ 
 
 The manner of refining filver does not 
 differ effentially from the procefs which is 
 employed for gold. They are both purified 
 upon the fame principle; by clearing away as 
 much of the earth as can be, with water • by 
 uniting, or amalgamating it with mercury ; 
 and afterwards by clearing off the mercury k- 
 felf, by (training and evaporation. But the 
 management of filver in this reipect is much 
 more difficult than that of gold ; becaufe this 
 metal is much more intimately united with 
 the foreign matters with which it is found in 
 the mine and it's attraction with mercury is 
 much weaker ; therefore there is great care 
 taken in the amalgamation, and it is a long 
 time before they are perfectly mixed. A 
 quantity of fea-falt is likewife added. No 
 filver is had by mere warning. 
 
 The chymifts have talked very freely of the 
 production of thefe and other metals in the 
 earth - y of the fait, fulphur, and mercury that 
 compofe them, and the manner in which 
 thefe fubftances are united and changed fo as 
 to form metals and minerals of every fpecies. 
 Some have recourfe to the fun as the great 
 agent in this procefs, efpeciaily in gold and 
 filver, as the moft worthy fuch an operator. 
 Others call in the aid of fubterraneous fires 
 and central heat, but in reality they have ad- 
 vanced very little that is fatisfa&ory upon 
 this fubjedt. They have never by any method 
 
 P of 
 
210 An Account of the European 
 
 of joining the matters, which they have af- 
 figned as the conftituent parts of metals, in 
 any proportions whatfoever, nor by any de- 
 grees of their great agent fire, been able 
 to make metal of that which was not metal 
 before. Neither have they found what they 
 allot as the component parts of all metals 
 in fuch a manner in all, as to enable them to 
 fix any common principle for their generation. 
 Some they cannot analyfe by any art, as 
 gold ; they indeed define it a composition of a 
 very fubtile mercury, and a fulphur as fub- 
 tile. 
 
 But how this comes to be known, when 
 no procefs hitherto difcovered, has been able 
 to extradl either of theie from gold, they 
 who have advanced fuch things ought to 
 tell. It is reafonable to believe, that there is 
 fome plaftic principle in nature, perhaps 
 fomething analagous to the feminal principle 
 in plants and animals, whatever that is, 
 which does not, as we know, refemble any 
 known body, nor is compofed of any com- 
 bination of known bodies; but powerful of 
 itfelf to combine and vary fuch a part of the 
 common ftock of matter as it is fitted to 
 operate upon, which it draws to itfelf, and 
 caufes to form an animal, or a plant, or a 
 mineral, or metal, of this or that nature, ac- 
 cording to the original nature of the feed. 
 Suppofe a plant fubjected to all the torture of 
 
Settlements in America, 21 r 
 
 the chymical queftion : you find it contains 
 various matters ; an earth, water, oil, fait, 
 fpirit, and in the three laft perhaps fbme- 
 thing fpecific, and differing from other plants. 
 But neither the fame quantities of fimilar 
 matter, nor thefe very matters themfelves, can 
 ever come to form a plant like the original, or 
 any thing like a plant at all, becaufe the 
 feminal virtue is wanting, nor is it perhaps 
 difcoverable. And as for the other matters, 
 they are the inert parts of the plant; with- 
 out power themfelves, they are the materials 
 with which, and on which the feminal virtue 
 adts, to organize the mafs, to fpread the bran- 
 ches, to moot out the gems, to mature the 
 fruit, and in fhort to perform all the func- 
 tions of a complete plant. The fame may be 
 faid of animals. And why not of minerals, 
 though of a lefs nice organization ? Why 
 fhould they not have the feminal principle too, 
 which operating by it's own power, and in a 
 way of it's own, upon the elements of air, 
 earth, water, oil, and fait, is capable of pro- 
 ducing iron, copper, gold, filver, and other 
 metals The want of this will alwavs 
 hinder us from being able to produce any 
 metal from other than metalline ingredients, 
 though we mould take fuch things as re- 
 femble the ingredients they yield upon an 
 analyfis, and in the fame quantities in which 
 we find them. This I do not fay as favouring 
 P 2 the 
 
212 ^Account of the European 
 
 the notion that ftones and metals vegetate ex- 
 actly like plants. That thefe are often found 
 where they had formerly been exhaufted, and 
 that they are known to extend their dimen- 
 fions, is pretty certain ; but that they affimi- 
 late the heterogeneous matter which increafes 
 their bulk, in a manner analagous to plants, I 
 cannot venture to propofe. It muft be al- 
 lowed that filver has been found, and I have 
 fo feen it, extending itfelf among the inter- 
 ftices of ftones, not unlike ivy and other para- 
 lite plants ; yet as a metal no way differing 
 from it, or at all inferior, is extracted from 
 ores, which have an appearance altogether 
 different, and which too is the ufual way, it is 
 probable the manner in which they grow is 
 not the fame. 
 
 What I had to fay of gold and filver, as 
 both are had, and the latter in vaft quantities, 
 in Mexico, 1 thought it proper, for the fake 
 of avoiding repetitions, to bring them under 
 that head, though all the reft of the Spanifh 
 territories produce largely of both. 
 
 Of the plenty of gold and filver, which 
 the mines of Mexico afford, great things have 
 been faid, and with juftice - y as this, with 
 the other Spanifh* colonies in America, in a 
 manner furnifh the whole world with filver ; 
 and bear a great proportion in gold to the 
 whole of what the world produces. A late 
 very judicious collector of voyages fays, that 
 2 the 
 
Settlements in America. 213 
 
 the revenues of Mexico can hardly fall fhort of 
 twenty-four millions of our money. He 
 founds this upon a return made by the bimops 
 of their tenths, which, without doubt, were 
 not over-rated ; and that thefe amounted to 
 one million and a half fterling; that thefe are 
 about a fourth of the revenues of the clergy ; 
 and that the eftates of the clergy are about the 
 fourth part of the whole revenues of the 
 kingdom, which at this rate amount to 
 twenty-four millions Englifh. He takes ano- 
 ther method of computing the wealth of this 
 province, which is, by the fifth paid to the 
 king of the gold and filver dug out of their 
 mines. This he obferves in the year 1730 
 amounted to one million of marks in filver, 
 each mark equivalent to eight ounces; fo 
 that if we compute this filver at five (hillings 
 per ounce, then the inhabitants receive from 
 their mines ten millions in money. For my 
 part, I neither diftruft the candor or good 
 fenfe of this writer ; but I can hardly avoid 
 thinking he muft be mifinformed in the 
 accounts upon which he has built his calcula- 
 tion. If New Spain draws from her filver 
 and gold mines ten millions annually ; Peru, 
 even fince the decline of the mines of Potofi, 
 has fcarce ever been thought lefs rich in filver 
 than Mexico, and muft therefore be rated 
 at the fame proportion, and allowed to yield 
 ten millions more annually. New Mexico 
 P 3 abounds 
 
214 ^ n Account of the European 
 
 abounds likewife in very rich rilver mines ; 
 but that we may not exceed, we will allow 
 for this province but two millions, which, 
 allowing for the large produce of New Spain, 
 is certainly not above the proportion. Chili 
 has, indeed, no confiderable mines of filver, but 
 then thofe of gold are by far the richeft in the 
 world ; and taking the comparative wealth of 
 this province with the others, it cannot be lefs 
 than two millions, if we add to it what is pro- 
 duced in Terra Firma ; fo that the gold and 
 filver raifed in the Spaniib colonies cannot be 
 eftimated at lefs than twenty-four millions 
 yearly. Uztariz, in his celebrated difcourfe 
 on the Spanifli commerce, an author who 
 was undoubtedly well informed, and in an 
 argument where it anfwered his purpofe to 
 make the mo ft of this importation, does not 
 allow that more than fifteen millions of dollars 
 are brought into Spain annually in gold and 
 filver. This is confiderably lefs than four 
 millions lierling ; but becaufe we ought to 
 allow for concealments, which to be fure 
 are confiderable, we will ftate it at four mil- 
 lions. The Acapulco trade, we will admit, 
 carries off one million more, though this 
 is rather over. There is another vent too, the 
 contraband trade with the Englifh, French, 
 and Dutch, which draws away largely ; but I 
 fuppofe two millions will be thought largely 
 allowed. Now the whole of this does not 
 
 exceed 
 
Se TTLEMENTS in AMERICA, 21 f 
 
 exceed feven millions annually carried out of 
 the country 3 and there remains a clear fum of 
 feventeen millions, after all deductions. If this 
 be the cafe, muft not the wealth of Spanifli 
 America in a little time accumulate to a 
 degree far exceeding the bounds of all proba- 
 bility? Since 1730, when this obfervation was 
 made, twenty-fix years are now pafied, and we 
 have no reafon to believe the mines are at all 
 exhaufted in that time 5 and if in any year fince 
 1724, when Uztariz wrote, mors plate has 
 parTed into Europe than was brought at that 
 time, it is reafonable to believe it is becaufe the 
 mines have produced more largely. Now if 
 we multiply the annual fum remaining, coined 
 and uncoined in Spanifh America, which is 
 feventeen millions, by twenty-fix, the number 
 of years fince the calculation was made, it will 
 produce four hundred and forty-two millions, 
 accumulated in twenty-fix years. But looking 
 a little backward at this rate of annual faving, 
 fee what the produce muft have been fince the 
 beginning of the laft century, when the mines 
 yielded as plentifully as they do now, in 
 general, and fome much more plentifully. 
 It muft be from the year 1600 to this day, 
 not lefs than two thoufand fix hundred 
 and fifty-two millions Englifli money, amaf- 
 fed and hoarded up within the Spanifli colo- 
 nies ; befides the (livings of the foregoing 
 century, which muft be far from inconfide- 
 P 4 rable. 
 
216 An Account of the European 
 
 rable. Make almoft any abatements in this j 
 allow that the churches are enriched to a 
 degree of profufenefs, as they are ; allow that 
 the private houfes have the meaneft utenfils of 
 gold and filver, as it is faid in fome places 
 they have * allow for the wear, which even 
 in thefe metals is not little ; allow ail this ; 
 and yet after all, it muft very far exceed 
 belief, that any riches like thefe, or bearing 
 any proportion to thefe, are to be found in 
 Spanifh America, where the majority of the 
 people are flaves, or Indians in a ftate next to 
 flavery, and even where the Spaniards have 
 comparatively but few rich amongft them, 
 moft who make their fortunes haftening to 
 Europe to enjoy them. After all, we have, I 
 fear, no certain way of eftimating the im- 
 menfe treafures, of which this country is an 
 inexhauftible fountain ; great they are un- 
 doubtedly, though by no means fo great as is 
 reprefented. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
r 
 
 Settlements in America. 217 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 COCHINEAL, the next commodity for 
 value which they export, is ufed in 
 dying all the feveral kinds of the fineft fcarlet, 
 crimfon, and purple. After much difpute 
 about the nature of this curious drug, it feems 
 at laft agreed, that it is of the animal kind; an 
 infect of the fpecies of the gall infects. This 
 animal is found adhering to various plants, 
 but there is only one which communicates to 
 it the qualities which make it valuable in 
 medicine and manufactures. This plant is 
 called opuntia by the botanifts. It conlifts 
 wholly of thick fucculent oval leaves, joined 
 end to end, and fpreading out on the fides in 
 various ramifications. The flower is large, 
 and the fruit in fhape refembling a fig ; this 
 is full of a crimfon juice, and to this juice it 
 is that the cochineal infect owes it's colour. 
 
 When the rainy feafons come on, they 
 who cultivate this plant, cut off thofe heads 
 which abound mod with fuch infects, as are 
 not yet at their full growth ; and preferve 
 them very carefully from the weather and all 
 other injuries. Thefe branches, though fepa- 
 rated from their parent flocks, preferve their 
 frefhnefs and juices a long time ; and this en- 
 ables the infect not only to live out the rains, 
 but to grow to its full lize, and be in readinefs 
 
 t© 
 
218 An Account of the European 
 
 to bring forth it's young, as foon as the incle- 
 mency of the feafon is over. When this time 
 comes on, they are brought out, and placed 
 upon the proper plants, difpofed in little nefts 
 of fome mofly fubftance. As foon as they 
 feel the enlivening influence of the frefh air, 
 they bring forth in three or four days from 
 their expofure at fartheft. The young fcarce 
 bigger than a mite, runs about with a won- 
 derful celerity, and the whole plantation is 
 immediately peopled 5 yet what is fomewhat 
 lingular, this animal, fo lively in it's infancy, 
 quickly lofes all it's aftivity, and attaching it- 
 felf to fome of the leaft expofed, and moft 
 fucculent part of the leaf, it clings there for 
 life, without ever moving, not wounding the 
 leaf for it's fuftenance, but fucking with a 
 probofcis, with which it is furni£hed for this 
 purpofe. 
 
 What is not lefs remarkable than the way 
 of life of this animal, is the nature of the 
 male, which has no appearance of belonging 
 to the fame fpecies ; far from being fixed to a 
 fpot, he has wings, and is, like the butterfly, 
 continually in motion ; they are fmaller than 
 the cochineal, and conftantly feen amongft 
 them, and walking over them without being 
 fufpefted by thofe who take care of the infedt, 
 of being a creature of the fame kind, though 
 they believe that the cochineals are impreg- 
 nated 
 
Settlements hi America. 219 
 
 nated by them. Bat it is the female cochi- 
 neal only which is gathered for ufe. 
 
 They make four gatherings a year, which 
 are fo many generations of this animal. When 
 they are fufficiently careful, they brum off the 
 infe&s one by one with a fort of hair pencils, 
 and take them as they fall but they often 
 brufh the whole plant in a carelefs manner, fo 
 that fragments of it are mixed with the cochi- 
 neals, and themfelves mixed, the oldand young 
 together, which carelefsnefs abates much of 
 the value ; but what chiefly makes the good- 
 nefs of this commodity, is the manner of 
 killing and drying the cochineals, which is 
 performed three ways ; the firft is by dipping 
 the bafket in which it is gathered into boiling 
 water, and afterwards drying them in the fun, 
 this the Spaniards call renegrida. The fecond 
 method is by drying them in ovens made 
 for the purpofe ; this, from it's grey colour, 
 veined with purple, is called jafpeade. The 
 third manner is, when the Indians dry them 
 on their cakes of maize, which are baked 
 upon flat ftones ; this laft is the worit kind, 
 as it is generally overbaked, and fomething 
 burned. They call it negra. 
 
 This drug has a very uncommon good 
 quality, and the more extraordinary as it be- 
 longs to the animal kingdom, and to the mod 
 perimable of that kind, that it never decays. 
 Without any other care than having been 
 
 put 
 
220 An Account of the European 
 
 put by in a box, fome have been known 
 to keep fixty, fome even upwards of a hun- 
 dred years, and as fit for the purpofes of medi- 
 cine, or manufacture, as it ever was. It is 
 ufed in medicine as a cord ; al and fudorific, in 
 which intentions few things anfwer better.! 
 And indeed as it anfwers fuch good purpo-*! 
 fes in medicine, is fo efiential in trade, and 
 produced only in this country, it may be 
 confidered in all markets as equivalent to 
 gold or filver, by the certainty and quicknefs of 
 the fale. It is computed they annually export 
 no lefs than nine hundred thoufand pound 1 
 weight of this commodity. 
 
 The cocao, or cacao of which chocolate is 
 made, is a confiderable article in the natu- 
 ral hiftory and commerce of New Spain.! 
 It grows upon a tree of a middling fize ; 
 the wood is fpungy and porous, the bark 
 fmooth, and of a cinamon colour : the flower 
 grows in bunches between the ftalk and the 
 wood, of the form of rofes, but fmall, and i 
 without any fcent. The fruit is a fort of pod, 
 which contains the cacao, much about the 
 fize and fhape .of a cucumber. Within there is j 
 a pulp of a mpft refreming acid tafte, which i 
 fills up the interfaces between the nuts be- 1 
 fore they are ripe ; but when they fully ripen, I 
 thefe nuts are packed up wonderfully clofe, 
 and in a moft regular and elegant order ; 
 they have a pretty tough fhel!, and within is 
 
 the • 
 
r 
 
 Settlements in America. 221- 
 
 the oily rich fubftance, of which chocolate is 
 made. This fruit grows differently from our 
 European fruits, w T hich always hang upon the 
 fmall branches ; but this grows along the 
 body of the great ones, principally at the 
 joints. None are found upon the fmall, 
 which, though it is a manner of vegetation 
 unknown here, prevails in feveral other plants 
 within the tropicks. This cacao is a very 
 tender tree, equally impatient of the wind, 
 heat or cold, and will flourifh only in the 
 (hade for which reafon in the cacao walks, 
 they always plant a palm-tree for every one 
 of cacao. I need fay little of the ufe of this 
 fruit j it is general amongft ourfelves, and it's 
 virtues well known • but however great the 
 external call for it may be, the internal con- 
 fumption is much greater ; fo that in Mexico 
 and Terra Firma, in fome provinces of which 
 latter it is found in the greateft perfection, 
 their foreign and domeftic commerce in this 
 article is immenfe, and the profits fo great, 
 that a fmall garden of the cacaos is faid to 
 produce twenty thoufand clowns a year. Tho* 
 I believe this to be exaggerated, it fhews, 
 however, in what a light of profit this como- 
 dity is confidered. At home it makes the 
 principal part of their diet, and is found whol- 
 fome, nutritious, and fuitable to the climate. 
 This fruit is often confounded with the cocoa 
 nut, which is a fpecies wholly different. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
222 An Account of the European 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 TH E trade of Mexico may be confidered 
 as confifting of three great branches, 
 by which it communicates with the whole 
 world ; the trade with Europe by La Vera 
 Cruz 5 the trade with the Eaft-Indies by Aca- 
 pulco; and the commerce of the South- Sea by 
 the fame port. The places in New Spain, 
 which can interefl a ftranger, are there- 
 fore three only, La Vera Cruz, Acapulco, 
 and Mexico. 
 
 Mexico, the capital of the kingdom, the 
 refidence of the viceroy, the feat of the firft 
 audience or chamber of juftice, and an arch- 
 bifhopric, is certainly one of the richeft and 
 moft fplendid cities, not only in America, but 
 in the whole world. Though no fea-port 
 town, nor communicating with the fea by any 
 navigable river, it has a prodigious com- 
 merce, and is itfelf the center of all that is 
 carried on between America and Europe on 
 one hand, and between America and the 
 Eaft-Indies on the other ; for here the prin- 
 cipal merchants refide, the greateft part of the 
 bufinefs is negociated, and the goods that 
 pafs from Acapulco to La Vera Cruz, or from 
 La Vera Cruz to Acapulco, for the ufe of the 
 Philippines, and in a great meafure for the 
 ufe of Peru and Lima, all pais through this 
 
 3 cit y> 
 
Settlements in America. 223 
 
 city, and employ an incredible number of 
 horfes and mules in the carriage. Hither all 
 the gold and filver comes to be coined, here 
 the king's fifth is depofited, and here is 
 wrought all that immenfe quantity of utenfils 
 and ornaments in plate, which is every year 
 fent into Europe Every thing here has the 
 greateft air of magnificence and wealth ; the 
 fhops glitter upon all fides with the expofure 
 of gold, filver, and jewels, and furprize yet 
 more by the work of the imagination upon 
 the treasures which fill great cherts piled up to 
 the ceilings, whilft they wait the time of 
 being fent to Old Spain. It is faid that the 
 negro wenches, who run by the coaches of the 
 ladies there, wear bracelets of gold, pearl 
 necklaces, and jewels in their ears, whilft the 
 black foot-boys are all over covered with 
 lace and embroidery. It cannot exactly be 
 alcertained what number of -people are in this 
 city, it is certainly very confiderable, by 
 many not made lefs than feventy or eighty 
 thoufand. This city itfelf is well and regu- 
 larly built, though the houfes are not lofty - y 
 the monasteries are numerous, and richly en- 
 dowed, and the churches extravagantly rich 
 in their ornaments, though comparatively poor 
 in the tafte of their architecture. 
 
 The port neareft to this city is Acapulco, 
 upon the South-Sea, upwards of two hundred 
 miles diftant from the capital. Acapulco it- 
 felf 
 
224 Account of the European 
 
 felf has one of the deepeft, fecureft, and moft 
 commodious harbours in the South-Sea, and 
 indeed almoft the only one which is good 
 upon the Weftern coaft of New Spain. The 
 entrance of the harbour is defended by a cattle 
 of tolerable ftrength ; the town itfelf is but ill 
 built, and makes every way a miferable figure, \ 
 except at the time of the fairs, when it intirely 
 changes it's appearance, and becomes one of 
 the moft confiderable marts in the world. 
 About the month of December, the great 
 galleon, which makes the whole communica- 
 tion that is between America and the Philip- 
 pines, after a voyage of five months, and fail- 
 ing three thoufand leagues without feeing any 
 other land than the little Ladrones, arrives 
 here loaded with all the rich Commodities 
 of the Eaft ; cloves, pepper, cinnamon, nut- 
 megs, mace, china, japan wares, callicoes 
 plain and painted, chints, muflins of every 
 fort, filks, precious ftones, rich drugs, and 
 gold duft. At the fame time the annual 
 fhip from Lima comes in, and is not com- 
 puted to bring lefs than two millions of pieces 
 of eight in filver, befides quickfilver, cacao, i 
 drugs, and other valuable commodities, to be 
 laid out in the purchafe of the commodities 
 of the Eaft-Indies. Several other (hips from 
 different parts of Chili and Peru meet upon 
 the fame occafion ; and befides the traffic 
 for the Philippine commodities, this caufes a 
 
 very 
 
 ' :.§ 
 J 
 
SETTLEMENTS in AMERICA. 22jf 
 
 very large dealing for every thing thofe coun- 
 tries have to exchange with one another, as 
 well as for the purchafe of all forts of Euro- 
 pean goods. The fair lafts fometimes for thirty 
 days. As foon as the goods are difpofed of, 
 the galleon prepares to fet out on her voyage 
 to the Philippines with her returns, chiefly in 
 filver, but with fome European goods too, 
 and fome other commodities of America. I 
 fpeak here, as though there were but one 
 veffel on the trade with the Philippines^ and in 
 fact there is only nominally one trading veffel, 
 the galleon itfelf, of about tw T elve hundred 
 tuns ; but another attends her commonly as a 
 fort of convoy, tvhich generally carries fuch a 
 quantity of goods as pretty much difables her 
 from performing that office. The galleon has 
 often above a thoufand people on board, ei- 
 ther interefted in the cargo, or merely paffen- 
 gers ; and there is no trade in which fo large 
 profits are made ; the captain of the veffel, the 
 pilots, their mates, and even the common 
 failors, making in one voyage, what in their 
 feveral ranks may be confidered as eafy for- 
 tunes. It is faid by the writer of lord Anfon's 
 voyage, that the jefuits have the profits of this 
 fhip to fupport their millions; and if fo, their 
 gains muft be extremely great, and muft add 
 much to the confequcnce of a fociety which 
 has as great a reputation for it's riches as 
 it's wifdom. 
 
 CI This 
 
226 An Account of the European 
 
 This commerce to fo vaft a value, though 
 carried on directly between the king of 
 Spain's own dominions, enriches them in pro- 
 portion but Very little \ the far greater part of 
 every thing that comes from the Philippines, 
 being the produce, or the fabric of other 
 countries ; the Spaniards add none of the arti- 
 ficial value of labour to any thing. The Chi- 
 nefe are largely interefted in this cargo, and it 
 is to them they are indebted for the manu- 
 facturing fuch of their plate, as is wrought into 
 any better fafhion than rude ingots, or inelegant 
 coins. When this fair is over, the town is 
 comparatively deferted^ however, it remains for 
 th£ whole year the moft conflderable port in 
 Mexico for the trade with Peru and Chili, 
 which is not very great. The Eaft-India 
 goods brought here are carried on mules to 
 Mexico, from whence what exceeds their 
 own confumption is fent by land carriage 
 to La Vera Cruz, to pafs over to Terra Firma, 
 to the illands, and fome even to Old Spain, 
 though in no great quantity. 
 
 From the port of La Vera Cruz it is that 
 the great wealth of Mexico is poured out upon 
 all the old wond \ and it is from this port 
 alone, that thev receive the numberlefs 
 luxuries and neceffaries that the old world 
 yields them in return* To this port the an- 
 nual fleet from Cadiz, called the flota, 
 arrives about the latter end of November, 
 
 after 
 
Settlements in America. 227 
 
 after a paflage of nine weeks. This fleet, 
 which fails only from Cadiz, confiftsof abouC 
 three men of war as a convoy, and fourteen 
 or fifteen large merchant /hips, from four 
 hundred to one thoufand tuns burthen. They 
 are loaded almoft with every fort of goods 
 which Europe produces for export - y all forts 
 of woollens, linens, filks, velvets, laces, 
 glafs, paper, cutlery, all forts of wrought 
 iron, watches, clocks, quickfilver, horfe furni- 
 ture, fhoes, ftockings, books, pictures, military 
 ftores, wines and fruits, fo that all the trading 
 part3 of Europe are highly interefted in the 
 cargo of this fleet. Spain itfelf fends out little 
 more than the wine and fruit. This, with the 
 freight and commiffions to the merchant, and 
 the duty to the king, is almoft all the advan- 
 vantage which that kingdom derives from her 
 commerce with the Indies. It is ftri&ly pro- 
 hibited to load any commodities on board 
 this fleet without entering the goods, the 
 value, and the owner's name, in the India 
 houfe at Seville ; and when they return, they 
 muft bring a certificate from the proper 
 officer there, that the goods were duly landed, 
 and in the proper port. They are not per- 
 mitted to break bulk upon any account until 
 they arrive at La Vera Cruz, nor are they 
 fuflfered to take in any other than Spanifh 
 paflengers, nor them without a licence firft 
 obtained at the India houfe. 
 
 0^2 Jealouly 
 
228 An Account of the European 
 
 Jealoufy is the glaring character of the 
 court of Spain, in whatever regards their 
 American empire; and they often facrifice the 
 profperity to an exceffive regard to the fe- 
 curity of their polfeffions. They attend in 
 this trade principally to two objefts ; the 
 exclufion of all ftrangers from any mare 
 in it, and the keeping up the market for 
 fuch goods as they fend; and they think 
 both thefe ends beft anfwered by fending out 
 only one annual fleet, and that from one only 
 port in Spain, and to one port only in Mexico. 
 Thefe views, which would be impolitic in 
 any power in Europe befides, are judicious 
 enough in Spain; becaufe the goods they fend 
 belonging moftly to Grangers, and the profits 
 upon the fale in the Indies being the only 
 thing that really accrues to themfelves, it 
 is certainly right to confult primarily how 
 they mall get the greateft returns upon the 
 fmalleft quantity of goods. It would be quite 
 otherwife, if all, or moft of what they fend 
 abroad, were their own produce or manu- 
 facture. They are undoubtedly right too in 
 keeping the trade very carefully to themfelves, 
 though perhaps the means taken to attain 
 this end, will not be thought fo rational. 
 By fuffering all the trade to be carried on 
 only between two ports, they difcourage in 
 the old world all their towns from that emu- 
 lation, which would not only enable them to 
 
 3 traffic 
 
Settlements in America. 229 
 
 traffic in foreign commodities, but in time to 
 fet up fabrics of their own ; whereas now, 
 with regard to the export of their commodi- 
 ties, they ftand upon the level of ftrangers ; 
 they cannot carry their produce dire&ly 
 to the heft market; and it is very certain, 
 that even trifling difcouragements operate 
 very powerfully where the commercial fpirit 
 is weak, and the trade in it's infancy. Again ; 
 in the new world, this confinement of the 
 trade encourages interlopers, and an illicit 
 commerce, too gainful for any regulations to 
 prevent, and which may afford fuch bribes as 
 will difarm the moft rigid juftice, and lull 
 the moft attentive vigilance. So that in reality 
 it may greatly be doubted, whether the pre- 
 cautions, fo fyftematically purfued, and im- 
 proved from time to time with fo much care 
 and forefight, are at bottom of moft advantage 
 or prejudice to that nation. It was. probably 
 fome confideration of this kind, that firft gave 
 rife to the cuftom of regiftcr (hips : it was 
 found that this confined commerce fupplied 
 it's extenfive objedt very imperfe&ly ; and 
 that thofe who were at watch to pour in 
 counterband goods, would tike advantage of 
 this want of a regular fupply from Spain. 
 When therefore a company of merchants 
 of Cadiz or Seville, judge that goods muft be 
 wanting at any certain port in the Weft- 
 Indies, the courfe is, to petiton the council 
 Q..3 of 
 
230 An Account of the European 
 
 of the Indies for licence to fend a fliip of three 
 hundred tuns, or under, to that port. They pay 
 for this licence forty or fifty thoufand dollars, 
 befides preferits to the officers, in propor- 
 tion to the connivance neceffary to their de- 
 fign ; for though the licence runs to three 
 hundred tuns at the utmoft, the veffel fitted 
 out is feldom really lefs than fix hundred. 
 This fhip and cargo is regiftered at the 
 pretended burthen. It is required too, that a 
 certificate be brought from the king's officer 
 at the port to which the regifter (hip is bound, 
 that fhe does not exceed the fize at which me 
 is regiftered ; all this paffes of courfe 5 thefe 
 are what they call regifter mips, and by thefe 
 the trade of Spanifh America has been carried 
 on principally for fome years paft, fome think 
 as much to the prejudice of their trade, as 
 contrary to all their former maxims in carry- 
 ing it on. But to return to the Acta, 
 
 When all the goods are landed, and dif- 
 poicd of at La Vera Cruz, the fleet takes 
 in the plate, precious ftones, cochineal, indi- 
 go, cacao, tobacco, fugar, and hides, which 
 are their returns for Old Spain. Sometimes 
 in May, but more frequently in Auguft, they 
 are ready to depart. From La Vera Cruz 
 they fail to the Havanna in the ifle of Cuba, 
 which is the place of rendezvous where they 
 meet the galleons; another fleet which carries 
 on all the trade of Terra Firma by Cartha- 
 
 gena, 
 
Settlements in America. 231 
 
 gena, and of Peru by Panama and Portobello, 
 in the fame manner that the flota ferves for 
 that of New Spain. When they arrive at 
 this port, and join the galleons and the regifter 
 fhips that colled at the fame port from all 
 quarters, fome of the cleaneft and beft failing 
 of their vefTels are dilpatched to Spain, with 
 advice of the contents of thefe feveral fleets, as 
 well as with treafure and goods of their own, 
 that the court may judge what indulto or 
 duty is proper to be laid on them, and what 
 convoy is neceffary for their fafety. Thefe 
 fleets generally make fome ftay at the Havan- 
 na before all the fhips that compofe them 
 are collected and ready to fail. As Icon 
 as this happens they quit the Havanna, and 
 beat through the gulph of Florida, and 
 palling between the Bahama iflands, they 
 hold their courfe to the North-Baft, until 
 they come to the height of St. Auguftin, and 
 then fteer away to Old Spain. When the 
 flota has left La Vera Cruz, it has no longer 
 the appearance of a place of confequence ; it 
 is a town in a very unhealthy fituation, inha- 
 bited icarcely by any but Indians, Meztezes, 
 or negroes. All the merchants of any confe- 
 quence refide at fome diftance, at a place 
 called Los Angelos. This town may contain 
 about three thoufand inhabitants. 
 
 Q_4 CHAP. 
 
232 
 
 An Account of the European 
 
 CHAP. VI. 
 
 TH E inhabitants of New Spain are 
 compofed of people of three different 
 races; whites, Indian?, and negroes, or the 
 feveral mixtures of thofe. The whites are 
 either born in Old Spain, or they are Creoles ; 
 thofe who are native Spaniards are moftly 
 in offices, or in trade, and have the (lime cha- 
 racter and manners with the Spaniards of 
 Europe ; the fame gravity of behaviour, the 
 fame natural fagacity and good fenfe, the fame 
 indolence, and a yet greater (hare of pride and 
 ftatelinefs; for here they look upon the being 
 natives of Old Spain as a very honourable 
 diftin&ion, and are in return looked upon by 
 the Creoles with no fmall fhare of hatred and 
 envy. The latter have little of that firmnefs 
 and patience which makes one of the fined 
 parts of the character of the native Spaniard. 
 They have little courage, and are univerfally 
 weak and effeminate. Living as they do in a 
 conftant enervating heat, furfeited with wealth, 
 and giving up their whole time to loitering 
 and inactive pleafures, they have nothing bold 
 or manly to fit them for making a figure in 
 adlive life ; and few or none have any tafte 
 for the fatisfadtions of a learned retirement. 
 Luxurious without variety or elegance, and 
 expenfive with great parade, and little con- 
 
Settlements in America. 233 
 
 veniency, their general character is no more 
 than a grave and fpecious infignificance. 
 
 They are temperate at their tables and in 
 their cups, bat from idlenefs and conftitution, 
 their whole bufinefs is amour and intrigue ; 
 thefe they carry on in the old Spaniih taffe, by 
 doing and faying extravagant things, by bad 
 mufic, worle poetry, and exceffive expences. 
 Their ladies are little celebrated for their 
 chaftity or domeftic virtues but they are ftill 
 a good deal retrained by the old-famioned 
 etiquette, and they exert a genius whichi is 
 not contemptible, in combating the rellrants 
 which that lays them under. 
 
 The clergy are extremely numerous, and 
 their wealth and influence cannot be doubted 
 among fo rich and fuperftkious a people. it 
 is faid, that they acfuaiiy poffefs a fourth of 
 the levenues of that whole kingdom ; which, 
 after all abatements, certainly amounts to 
 feveral millions. And as to their numbers, it is 
 not extravagant to fay, that priefts, monks, and 
 nuns of all orders, are upwards of one fifth 
 of all the white people, both here and in the 
 other parts of Spanifh America. But the clergy 
 here being too ignorant in general to be able 
 inftructors by their preaching, and too loofe 
 and debauched in their own manners to in- 
 ftrudl: by their example, the people are little the 
 better for then numbers, wealth or influence. 
 Many of them arc no other than adventurers 
 
 from 
 
234 d* 1 Account of the European 
 
 from Old Spain, who without regard to their 
 character or their vows, ftudy nothing but 
 how to raife a fudden fortune, by abufing 
 the ignorance and extreme credulity of the 
 people. A great deal of attention is paid 
 to certain mechanical methods of devotion. 
 Moral duties are little talked of. An ex- 
 treme veneration for faints, lucrative to the 
 orders they have founded, or are fuppofed to 
 patronize, is ftrongly inculcated, and makes 
 the general fubjecl: of their fermons, defigned 
 rather to raife a ftupid admiration of their 
 miracles, than an imitation of the. fandity of 
 their lives. However, having faid this, it 
 muft be confidered as all general obfervations, 
 with the reafonable allowances ; for many of 
 the dignified clergy, and others among them, 
 underftand, and praftife the duties of their 
 flat ion, and fome whole orders, as that of the 
 jefuits, are here as they are elfewhere, diftin- 
 guifhable for their learning, and the decency 
 of their behaviour And certainly, with all 
 their faults, in one refpedl their zeal is highly 
 commendable ; that they are the caufe of fe- 
 veral charitable foundations ; and that; they 
 bring the Indians and blacks into fome know- 
 ledge of religion, and in fome meafure miti- 
 gate their flavery. This too has a good poli- 
 tical v efFecT:, for thofe flaves are more faith- 
 ful than ours, and though indulged with great- 
 er liberty, are far lefs dangerous. I do not 
 
 remember 
 
Settlements in America. 235 
 
 remember that any infurre£tion has been ever 
 attempted by them, and the Indians are re- 
 duced to more of a civilized life, than they are 
 in the colonies of any other European nation. 
 
 This race of people are now, whatever 
 they were formerly, humble, dejedted, timo- 
 rous, and docile ; they are generally treated 
 with great indignity, as the (late of all people 
 fubjedied to another people, is infinitely worfe 
 than what they fuffer from the preffure of the 
 worft form, or the worlt adminiftration of 
 any government of their own. 
 
 The blacks here, as they are imported 
 from Africa, have the fame chara&er as the 
 blacks of our colonies j ftubborn, hardy, of an 
 ordinary underfranding, and fitted for the grofs 
 flavery they endure. 
 
 Such are the characters of the people, not 
 only of New Spain, but of all Spanifh Ame- 
 rica. When any thing materially different 
 occurs, I (hall not fail to mention it. 
 
 The civil government is adminiftered by 
 tribunals, w r hich here are called audiences, 
 confining of a certain number of judges, 
 divided into different chambers, more refem- 
 bling the parliaments in France than our 
 courts. At the head of the chief of thefe 
 chambers the viceroy himfelf prefides when 
 he fees fit. His employment is one of the 
 greateft truft and power the king of Spain has 
 in his gift ; and is perhaps the richeft govern- 
 ment 
 
236 An Account of the European 
 
 ment entrufted to any fubjecT: in the world. 
 All employments here are held only by na- 
 tive Spaniards, and by them but for a certain 
 limited time ; moft not above three years. 
 Jealoufy, in this refpect, as in all others re- 
 lative to the Indies, is the fpirit that influences 
 all their regulations ; and it has this very bad 
 effect ; that every officer, from the higheft 
 to the loweft, has the aviditv which a new and 
 lucrative poft infpires ; ravenous becaufe his 
 time is fhort, he oppreffes the people, and 
 defrauds the crown 5 another fucceeds him 
 with the fame difpofitions ; and no man is 
 careful to ertablim any thing ufeful in his 
 office, knowing that his fucceffor will be fure 
 to trample upon every regulation which is not 
 fubfervient to his own interefts fo that this 
 enflaved people has not the power of put- 
 ting in ufe the fox's policy, of letting the 
 firft fwarm of bloodfuckers ftay on, but is 
 obliged to fubmit to be drained by a con- 
 ftant fuccefiion of hungry and impatient 
 harpies. 
 
 There are fome troops kept in New Spain, 
 and a good revenue appropriated for their 
 maintenance, and for the fupport of the forti- 
 fications there; but the foldiers are few; ill 
 cloathed, ill paid, and worfe difciplined ; the 
 military here keep pace with the civil and 
 ecclefiaftical adminiftration, and every thing 
 is a jobb. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Settlements in America. 237 
 
 CHAP. VII. 
 
 NEW MEXICO. 
 
 NEW Mexico lies to the North and 
 North-Eaft of New Spain. It's bounds 
 • to the North are not afcertained. Taking in 
 California, it has the great South-Sea to the 
 I Weft, and to the Eaft it is bounded by the 
 [ French pretenfions on the Miffifippi. This 
 t country lies, for the moft part, within the 
 temperate zone, and has a moft agreeable 
 ' climate, and a foil in many places productive 
 \ of every thing for profit or delight. It has 
 rich mines of filver, and fome of gold, which 
 are worked more and more every day ; and 
 it produces precious ftones of feveral kinds ; 
 ' but it has no dired intercourfe with any part 
 of Europe. The country is but little known 
 at all to Europeans ; and the Spanifh fettle- 
 ments there are comparatively weak ; how- 
 ever, they are every day increasing, in pro- 
 portion as they difcover mines 5 which are 
 here not inferior to any that have been 
 j difcovered in the other parts of Ameri- 
 ( ca. The inhabitants are moftly Indians, but 
 , in many places lately reduced by the Spanim 
 \ miffionaries, to chriftianity, to a civilized life, 
 to follow trades, and to raife corn and wine, 
 which they now export pretty largely to Old 
 
 Mexico. 
 
3S An Account of the European 
 
 Mexico. This ufeful change was principal- 
 ly effected at the expence of a Spanifh no- 
 bleman, the marquis Velafco, whom the re- 
 verend author of lord Anfon's voyage calls, 
 for that reafon, a munificent bigot. 
 
 The famous peninfula of California is a part, 
 and far from an inconfiderable part of this coun- 
 try. It is a place finely licuatea tor trade, and 
 has a pearl fifhery of great value It was firft 
 difcovered by the great conqeror of Mexi- 
 co Hernando Cortes. Our famous admiral 
 and navigator Sir Francis Drake landed there, 
 and took poffefiion of it in 1578 and he 
 not only took poffeffion, but obtained the 
 belt right in the world to the poffeffion ; the 
 principal king having formally inverted him 
 with his principality. However, J do not find 
 that we have thought of afferting that right 
 fince his time ; but it may probably employ, 
 in fome futi re time, the pens of thofe lawyers 
 who difpute with words, what can only be 
 decided by the fword I will afford large 
 matter upon che right of diicovery, occupancy 
 and fettlement. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Settlements in America. 
 
 2 39 
 
 CHAP. VIII. 
 PERU. 
 
 TH E conqueft of Peru, atchieved in fo 
 extraordinary a manner, brought into 
 the power of Spain a country not lefs wealthy, 
 and nearly as extenfive as Mexico; but far be- 
 yond it for the conveniency of habitation and 
 the agreablenefs of the climate. Like Mexico 
 it is within the torrid zone; yet having on one 
 fide the South-Sea, and on the other the great 
 ridge of the Andes through it's whole length, 
 the joint effects of the ocean and the moun- 
 tains temper the equinoctial heat in a manner 
 equally agreeable and furprifing. With a fky 
 for the moft part cloudy, which fhields them 
 from the rays of the vertical fun, it never rains 
 in this country. But every night a foft be- 
 nign dew broods upon the earth, and refrefhes 
 the grafs and plants Jo as to produce in ibme 
 iparts the greateft fertility ; what the dew 
 wants in perfecting this, is wrought by the 
 vaft number of ftreams, to which the frequent 
 rains and the daily melting of the fnow on 
 thofe aftoniming mountains give rife; for thofe 
 mountains, tho' within the tropics, have their 
 tops continually covered with fnow, which 
 lis an appearance unparallelled in the fame 
 climate. Along the fea coaft Peru is generally a 
 
 dry 
 
240 An Account of the Europe.an 
 
 dry barren fand, except by the banks of the 
 rivers and ftreams we have mentioned, where 
 it is extrcmly fertile, as are all the valleys in 
 the hilly country. 
 
 The caufe of the want of rain in all tne flat 
 country of Peru, is difficult to be affigned; 
 though the agents in it are not improbably 
 the conftant South- Weft wind, that prevails 
 there for the greateft part of the year; and the 
 immenle height of the mountains, cold with 
 a conftant fnow. The plain country between, 
 refrefhed as it is on the one hand by the cool 
 winds that blow from the frigid regions of 
 the South, and heated as uniformly by the di- 
 rect rays of the equinoctial fun, prefer ves fuch 
 an equal temper, that the vapour once eleva- 
 ted can hardly ever defcend in rain: But in the 
 mountainous part of the country, by the al- 
 ternate contraction and dilatation of the air 
 from the daily heats, and the fucceeding colds, 
 which the fnows communicate in the abfence 
 of the fun, as well as from the unequal tem- 
 per of the air which prevails in all hilly 
 places, the rain falls very plentifully ; the 
 climate in the mountainous countries is ex- 
 tremely changeable, and the changes fudden. 
 
 All along the coaft of Peru, a current fets 
 ftrongly to the North ; further out to fea I 
 it paffes with equal rapidity to the South, j 
 This current probably moves eddy wife 5 for 
 having run as far as it's moving caufe impels ; 
 
 * it,! 
 
Settlements in America, 241 
 
 it, it naturally pafles back again where it has 
 leaft refinance. The ignorance of this dou- 
 ble current made the navigation in the South 
 feas originally very uncertain and fatiguing; but 
 now the courfe is, for thofe who pafs from 
 Chili to Peru, to keep in to the fliore in their 
 paffage to Callao, and on their return to ftand 
 out a great many leagues to fea and take the 
 Southern current homewards. The fame me- 
 thod, but reverfed, is obferved in the voyages 
 between Panama, and all the other Northern 
 countries, and the ports of Peru. 
 
 The commodities of Peru, for export, may 
 be reduced to thefe articles. Firft, filver and 
 gold; fecondly, wine, oil and brandy • thirdly, 
 Vigonia wool; fourthly, jefuit's bark ; fifthly, 
 Guinea or Jamaica pepper. Of the firft of 
 thefe articles we have already treated in our 
 defcription of Mexico. The mines of gold 
 in Peru, are almoft all in the Northern part, 
 not very remote from Lima ; thofe of filver 
 almoft wholly in the Southern. The voyagers 
 who treat of this country, are generally pret- 
 ty diffufe in their accounts of the principal 
 places, where mines are found ; but it does 
 not therefore give us encouragement to infift 
 much on thefe particulars; becaufe they con- 
 tain vciy little inftrudtion in themfelves ; and 
 if they were things in their own nature in- 
 ftru&ive, it would be little to the purpofe to 
 dwell upon what is continually changing. 
 
 R New 
 
242 An Account of the European 
 
 New mines are dally opened, and the old ex- 
 haufted or deferted. The towns fhift with 
 the mines. A rich mine is always founder of 
 a town in proportion to its produce ; the 
 town which it fubfifts, when the mine 
 is exhaufted, difappears. Indeed the great 
 mines of Potofi in the province of Los Char- 
 cas, are the inheritance of ages ; and after 
 having enriched the world for centuries, ft ill 
 continue the inexhauftible fources of new 
 treafure. They are not however quite fo valu- 
 able now as formerly; not fo much from 
 any failure of the vein, as from the immenfe 
 depth to which they have purlued it, which 
 by the greater labour neceffary leiTens, the 
 profit on what it yields, in proportion as 
 they defcend ; befides new mines are daily 
 opened, which are worked at a lefs ex- 
 pence : fo that the accounts we have had 
 of the great number which inhabited the 
 city of Potofi, when Mr. Frezier was in 
 that country, mull; have fince fufFered fome 
 abatement. It had then upwards of feventy 
 thoufand fouls, Spaniards and Indians - y of 
 which the latter were fix to one. 
 
 The Spaniards oblige this unfortunate peo- 
 ple to fend annually a certain number from 
 the villages of the adjacent country, who are 
 compelled to work for a limited time ; 
 afterwards they may return. But having loft 
 the fweetnefs of their former connections, they 
 
 that 
 
Settlements ifi America. 243 
 
 that furvive this flavery commonly fettle 
 in the city of Potofi. It is incredible how 
 thefe mines (the moft terrible fcourge with 
 which God could affli<3 the inhabitants,) have 
 contributed to depopulate this country. Worfe 
 they are than fword or peftilence; equally 
 fatal to their lives; and where thofe efcape, 
 they are embittered by the circumftance of an 
 ignominious flavery, without any profpect of 
 end or mitigation. The effedls of this fervitude 
 would be yet more fatal, if it were not for the 
 ufe of an herb which the inhabitants callCoca, 
 to which they afcribe the moft extraordinary 
 virtues, and which they conftantly ufe. It's 
 qualities feem to be of the opiate kind, and 
 to have fome refemblance to thofe of tobac- 
 co ; for it produces a kind of ftupid compo- 
 fure. It is an antidote againft poifons and 
 poifonous effluvia, and makes thofe who ufe 
 it, fubfitt a long time without food. Though 
 neceflary to thofe only who work in the 
 mines, it is ufed for plea lure by all the Indians, 
 who chew it conftantly, tho' it makes thofe 
 who ufe it ftink in a moft offenfive manner. 
 This herb is gathered by the Indians with many 
 fuperftitious ceremonies, to which they at- 
 tribute it's virtues; for which reafon it is in 
 many parts of Peru, with equal fuperftition, 
 ftri&ly forbidden; the Spaniards, as well as the 
 Indians, giving the credit of it's effects to 
 magic, and allowing to thefe more than they de- 
 ll 2 ferve; 
 
244 ^ n Account of the European 
 
 ferve- for they think the Indians fuperiority in 
 ftrength owing principally to them. How- 
 ever, notwithstanding the feverity of the in- 
 quifition which is eftablifhed in all the Spa- 
 nifh dominions with great terror, neceffity 
 makes them wink at the practice, where the 
 mines are worked. 
 
 They make ufe of another prefervative, an 
 infufion of the herb of Paraguay ; fomething 
 of the nature of tea. The confumption of 
 this in Peru by all ranks of people is prodi- 
 gious. Above 18,000 hundred weight is 
 annually brought into Chili and Peru, and is 
 worth, when the duty is paid, not lefs than 
 80,000 pounds fterling. The fineft of this 
 fpecies of tea comes from the country of 
 the jefuits. 
 
 CHAP IX, 
 
 r I 1 H E Southern part of Peru which lies 
 without the tropic of Capricorn, pro- 
 duces wine in great plenty, but not in a 
 perfection proportionable. .The Spaniards dif- 
 like and leave it to the Indians and negroes, 
 chufing rather, what may feem odd, to re- 
 gale in the brandy of the fame wine, which 
 is likewife made and exported in large quan- 
 tities, not only to all parts of Peru, but to 
 Panama, and the ports of New Spain. The 
 greateft quantity is made near a place other- 
 
Settlements in America. 245 
 
 wife of no confequence, called Moquaga \ 
 here it is faid they make annually of wine 
 and brandy one hundred thoufand jars, which 
 Mr. Frezier reckons at three million two 
 hundred thoufand Paris pints. A vaft quantity 
 in a fmall territory. The value of this produce 
 is four hundred thoufand pieces of eight. 
 Other places trade in wine, fuch as Pifco, 
 but of a goodnefs not fuperior. Oil is 
 likewife had in Peru, but both the wine 
 and oil are moftly the produce of thofe 
 places that lie beyond the Southern tropic. 
 
 Wool makes one of the moll valuable 
 commodities of the growth of this country. 
 And it is not more remarkable for it's fine 
 long ftaple, than for the Angularity of the 
 animal which carries it. It is meered from 
 a fort of fheep, which they call lamas and 
 vicunnas • the lamas have fmall heads, re- 
 fembling in fome meafure both an horfe and 
 fheep 3 the upper lip is cleft like that of the 
 hare, through which, when they are enraged, 
 they fpit even to ten paces diftance, a fort of 
 envenomed juice, which, when it falls 011 
 the fkin, caufes a red fpot and great itching. 
 The neck is long like that of a camel ; 
 the body refembles that of a fheep, but the 
 legs are much longer in proportion. This 
 animal has a difagreeable fmell, but it's flefli is 
 good; and it is extremely ufeful, not only for 
 R 3 the 
 
246 An Account of the European 
 
 the wool, which is very long and fine, but as it 
 is a beaft of burthen , ftrong, patient, and kept 
 at a very eafy expence. It feldom caries above 
 one hundred and fifty pound w r eight, but 
 then it carries that weight a vaft way without 
 tiring, eats very little, and never drinks. As 
 foon as night comes the lama lies down, and 
 no blows can get him to move one foot after 
 the time he deftines for his reft and food. 
 
 The vicunna is an animal refembling the 
 lama, pretty much as the dromedary does the 
 camel. He is Imaller and fwifter, with a 
 far finer wool, but otherwife exadtly like the 
 lama in all refpefts. The wool of thefe 
 creatures isalmoft as fine as filk. Probably 
 the famous fheep of Cachemir, of whofe 
 wool they make the little white cloths fo 
 much valued in India, is of this fpecies. I 
 cannot afcertain what quantity of this wool is 
 exported manufactured or raw out of Peru, 
 either to New or Old Spain ; but I have 
 reafon to believe it is n<at at all inconfi- 
 rable. 
 
 The fourth great article of their commerce 
 is jefuit's bark, fo well known in medicine as 
 a fpecific in intermitting diforders, and the 
 many other great purpofes, which experience 
 daily finds it to anfwer. The tree which 
 produces this valuable bark, grows principally 
 in the mountainous parts of Peru, and that 
 
 moll 
 
Settlements in America. 247 
 
 moft and beft in the province of Quito. 
 jjOndamine informs us, that it grows on the 
 ither fide of the Andes, no way inferior to 
 the Peruvian in quantity and goodnefs ; the 
 beft is produced on the high and rocky 
 grounds ; and it is not Angular in this, for it 
 feems in a good meafure to be the cafe of all 
 plants, whofe juices are much more ftrong and 
 effective when elaborated in fuch fituations. 
 The tree which bears it is about the fize of a 
 cherry-tree ; it's leaves are round and indent- 
 ed ; it bears a long reddifh flower, from 
 whence arifes a fort of hufk, which envelopes 
 a flat and white kernel, not unlike an almond. 
 This bark was firft introduced in France by 
 the cardinal Lago, a jefuit, about the year 1650. 
 Hence it had it's name of jefuit's bark. It is 
 faid to have been difcovered by the accident of 
 an Indian's drinking in a fever of the water of 
 a lake into which fome of thefe trees had 
 fallen, and by which he was cured. This 
 medicine, as ufual, was held in defiance for a 
 good while by the faculty; but after an obfti- 
 nate defence, they have thought proper at laft 
 to furrender. Notwithstanding all the mif- 
 chiefs at firft forefeen in it's ufe, every body 
 knows that it is at this day innocently and 
 efficacioufly prefcribed in a great variety of 
 cafes; for which reafon it makes a confiderable 
 and valuable part of the cargo of the gal- 
 leons. 
 
 R 4 Guinea 
 
248 An Account of the European 
 
 Guinea pepper, Agi, or as it is called by us, 
 Cayenne pepper is a very great article in the 
 trade of Peru, as it is ufed all over Spanifli 
 America in almoft every thing they eat. 
 This is produced in the greateft quantity 
 in the vale of Arica, a diftricSt in the Southern 
 parts of Peru, from whence they export to the 
 annual value of fix hundred thomand crowns. 
 The diftri£t which produces this pepper in 
 fuch abundance, is but fmall, and naturally 
 barren ; it's fertility in pepper, as well as in 
 grain and fruits, is owing to the advantage of a 
 fpecies of very extraordinary manure, brought 
 from an ifland called Iquiqua. This is a fort 
 of yellowim earth, of a fetid fmell. It is 
 generally thought to be dung of birds, becaufe 
 of the fimilitude of the fcent, that feathers 
 have been found very deep in it, and that vaft 
 numbers of fea fowls appear upon that and all 
 the adjacent coafts. But on the other hand, 
 whether we look upon this fubftance as the 
 dung of thefe fea fowls, or a particular fpecies 
 of earth, it is almoft equally difficult to con- 
 ceive how the fmall ifland of Iquiqua, not 
 above tw r o miles in circumference, could fup-> 
 ply fuch immenfe quantities 5 and yet after 
 fupplying upwards of twelve fhip loads an- 
 nually for a century together for the diftant 
 parts, and a vaftly larger quantity for the ufe 
 of the neighbourhood, it cannot be obferved 
 that it is in the leaft diminifhed, or that the 
 
 height . 
 
Settlements in America. 249 
 
 height of the ifland is at all leflened. But 
 thefe are matters, which to handle properly, 
 requires a more tx%8t knowledge of all the 
 circumftances relating to them, than can be 
 gathered from travellers. 
 
 Quickfilver is a remarkable article in their 
 trade, becaufe the purification of their gold and 
 filver depends upon it. I do not find that any 
 other part of the Spanifh America produces it ; 
 fo that Mexico and Terra Firma are fupplied 
 from Old Spain with all they want of that 
 mineral, which is brought them on the king's , 
 account only*, except that fome arrives from 
 from Peru in a counterband manner. In 
 Peru likewife it is monopolized by the crown. 
 The principal mine of this extraordinary 
 fubftance is at a place called Guancavelica, 
 where it is found in a whitifh mafs, refemb- 
 ling brick ill burned • this they pound, and 
 put into a furnace vaulted at the top ; it is laid 
 upon an iron grate covered with earth. Thro* 
 this the fire pafTes, and volatilizing the mineral, 
 it is raifed in a fmoak, which finding no 
 paflage but through a little hole contrived for 
 that purpofe, it rufhes through it into a fuc- 
 ccffion of little round veffels, united to each 
 other by the necks ; here the fmoak circulates, 
 and it condenfes by means of a little water 
 at the bottom of each veflel, into which the 
 quickfilver falls in a pure heavy liquid. The 
 men who work in the mines of this mineral, 
 
 are 
 
250 An Account of the European 
 
 are yet mroe fubjedt to difeafes than thofe 
 who toil in the others, and they make ufe of 
 the fame prefervatives of Paraguay, tea and 
 coca. 
 
 CHAP. X. 
 
 THE manners of the Spaniards and 
 Creolians of Peru relemble, with 
 little difference, thofe of the Spaniards and 
 Creolians of Mexico, other than that the 
 natives of Peru feem to be of a more liberal 
 turn, and of greater ingenuity, but they are 
 equally deftitute of all cultivation. The 
 flavery of the Indians is here yet more fevere. 
 The magiftrate and the prieft devour their 
 whole fubftance ; and every Spaniard infults 
 them with impunity. The traveller takes as 
 much of their provifion as he pleafes, and de- 
 cides for himfelf what he fhall pay, or whe- 
 ther he fhall pay any thing at all. Com- 
 plaints are anfwered with new indignities, 
 and with blows, which it is a crime to return. 
 This cruel irregular bondage contributes to 
 difpeople this country even more than the 
 methodical tyranny of the government. To 
 avoid the plunder he is hourly fubjed: to, the 
 mafter of the family often raifes no more 
 grain than what juft fuffices for the fuftenance 
 of his family ; this he buries, and he keeps the 
 fecret of his hoard to himfelf, only drawing 
 
 out 
 
Settlements in America. 25 r 
 
 out daily juft fo much as ferves for the ufe of 
 the day. If he chances to die fuddenly, the 
 family flarves ; if a bad feafon comes, the 
 calculated produce falls fhort, and they are all 
 reduced to beggary. Yet vvorfe, they are 
 even the flaves of fhves - y for the Spaniards 
 encourage their negroes to treat them with 
 the greateft infolence ; and they politically 
 keep up a rancour, now grown inveterate be- 
 tween thefe two races of people. They are 
 forbidden, under the fevereft penalties, to 
 marry, or to have an unlawful intercourfe to- 
 gether. Divifion is the great inftrument in 
 which the Spaniards truft for the prefervation 
 of their colonies. The native Spaniard has 
 alone all the lucrative offices, civil, ecclefiafti- 
 cal, and military. He defpifes the Creolian. 
 The Creolian hates and envies him. Both 
 contemn and maltreat the Indians, who, on 
 their fide, are not infenfible of the indignities 
 they fuffer. The blacks are encouraged to 
 trample on the Indians, and to confider their 
 interefts as altogether oppofite; whilft the 
 Indians in their nominal freedom look with 
 an envious difdain upon the flavery of the 
 negroes, which makes them their matters. 
 
 What is extraordinary, the Spaniards, not 
 content with reducing this unhappy nation 
 under fo cruel a yoke, as if they thought 
 it nothing, unlefs they were thoroughly fen- 
 fible of it's weight, fuffer the Indians to cele- 
 brate 
 
252 An Account of the European 
 
 brate an annual feftival, in which plays are rc- 
 prefented, commemorating the overthrow of 
 their own ftate. Thefe are adled with all 
 the horrid and aggravating circumftances 
 which attended this event; and the people are 
 at this time fo enraged, that the Spaniards find 
 it dangerous to go abroad. In the city of 
 Lima, there is annually celebrated a feftival of 
 this kind, with a grand proceffion, wherein 
 they carry in a fort of triumph the remaining 
 defcendant of the yncas of Peru, and his wife ; 
 who at that time receive all imaginable ho- 
 nours in the moft melancholy pomp, from a 
 race bowed down with the fenfe of the com- 
 mon bondage of prince and people. This 
 throws the moft affe&ing gloom over the 
 feftival that renews the image of their former 
 freedom. To this remaining ynca the viceroy 
 of Peru does homage when he enters upon 
 his government. The ynca fits upon a lofty 
 ft age, and the viceroy makes his obeifance 
 upon an horfe, who is taught to kneel upon 
 the occafion. This manner of proceeding 
 may be thought of the moft refined ftrain of 
 infolent tyranny, and to be as unpolitic as it is 
 infulting ; but it is not impofiible that thofe 
 vents, which they fufFer the indignation of 
 the people to take, may carry off a fpirit, that 
 might otherwife break out in a much more 
 fatal manner. However it is, whether by the 
 divifion they keep up, or by thefe vents, or 
 
Settlements in America. 253 
 
 :>y the management of the clergy, or by 
 whatever means, the Spaniards preferve their 
 conquefts with very little force ; the Indians 
 are even armed, and make a confiderable part 
 of their militia ; it is true, they are interdidted 
 the ufe of weapons without licence 3 but 
 licence is procured without much difficulty. 
 They have likewife a large number of free 
 blacks, and they too are formed into com- 
 panies in their militia. Certain it is, that 
 both in the Spanifh and Portuguefe' colonies, 
 they find flavery compatible enough with 
 great licence in fome refpedts, and both with 
 the fecurity of the matters. Things deferving 
 our confideration 3 as we do not feem to excel! 
 in the conciliating arts of government in our 
 colonies, nor to think that any thing is to 
 be effected by other inftruments than thofe of 
 terror and rude force. 
 
 CHAP. XI. 
 
 r I S HERE are three cities in Peru famous 
 \^ for their opulence and trade ; Lima, 
 Cufco, and Quito. Lima lies in the Northern 
 part of Peru, about two leagues from the fea, 
 upon a river called Rimac, fmall and unnavi- 
 gable. This is the capital of Peru, and of all 
 South America ; a beautiful city, with the 
 ftreets laid out with the greateft regularity, 
 cutting each other at equal diftances and right 
 
 3 angles 5 
 
254 Account of the European 
 
 angles ; the houfes, on account of the equality 
 of the climate, are only covered with mats, as 
 they are built low to avoid the confequences 
 of earthquakes, frequent and dreadful in this 
 country. They are painted all over both 
 infide and outfide, with flowers and landfkips, 
 and other ornamental fancies, not altogether 
 unfkilfully executed. To add to the elegance 
 and convenience of this city, mo ft houfes 
 have a little garden, which is watered by cuts 
 drawn from the river • fo that each man com- 
 mands a little running ftream for his own ufe$ 
 in a hot and dry country as this is, no fmall 
 matter of convenience and delight. They 
 have a walk by the river fide two hundred 
 fathom long, confifting of five rows of fine 
 orange trees. Here the company reforts at 
 five in the evening drawn in their calames ; of 
 which, fuch is the opulence of this city, they 
 had no lefs than four thoufand in the year 
 17 15. It has fifty- four churches, taking in 
 the cathedral, the parochial, and conventual j 
 twenty monafteries of men, one of which 
 contains feven hundred, and another five hun- 
 dred friars and fervants ; twelve nunneries, 
 one of which has not lefs than three hundred 
 nuns 3 and twelve hofpitals, befides foun- 
 dations for the portioning of poor girls. 
 With thefe the whole number of the inha- 
 bitants is faid not to exceed thirty thou- 
 fand. 
 
 They 
 
Settlements in America. 255 
 
 They tell a very remarkable fact, that 
 may help us to fome idea of the vaft 
 wealth of this City. When their viceroy 
 the duke de laPalata made his publick en- 
 try in 1 63 2, they caufed two of the prin- 
 cipal ftreets to be paved with ingots of filver, 
 that had paid the fifth to the king, of between 
 twelve and fifteen inches long, four or five 
 in breadth, and two or three in thicknefs; 
 , the whole of which could not amount to 
 J lefs than fixteen or feventeen millions fter- 
 " ling. The trade of the French to Peru, du- 
 j ring the general war in Europe which was 
 caufed by the difputes about the Spanim fuc- 
 ' cefiion, made this city decay not a little by 
 ^ diffufing the commerce, of which before it 
 v was the center, amongft the other towns 
 \ which lie along the coaft; but as that pri- 
 vilege has been fince taken away, Lima 
 > began to revive again, and continued in great 
 fplendor until the year 1747, when a moll 
 ' tremendous earthquake, which entirely de- 
 voured Callao the port belonging to it, laid 
 1 three fourths of this city level with the ground. 
 " The deftru&ion of Callao was the moft per- 
 ; feet and terrible that can be conceived - y no 
 more than one of all the inhabitants efcap- 
 ing, and he by a providence the moft Angular 
 ' and extraordinary imaginable. This man 
 * was on the fort that overlooked the harbour, 
 going to ftrike the flag, when he perceived 
 
 the 
 
256 An Account of the European 
 
 the fea to retire to a considerable diftance | 
 and then fwelling mountain high it returned 
 with great violence. The inhabitants ran I 
 from their houfes in the utmoft terror and | 
 confufion; he heard a cry oimiferere rife from 
 all parts of the city; and immediately all 
 was filent; the fea had entirely overwhelm- 
 ed this city, and buried it for ever in it's bofom; 
 but the fame wave which deftroyed the 
 city, drove a little boat by the place where 
 the man flood, into which he threw him- 
 felf and was faved. What is remarkable 
 too in this affair, Mr, Frezier, who was in 
 Peru in the year J 7 14, and from whom I 
 have part of my materials, on considering 
 the fituation of this town and the nature 
 of the country, ventured to prophefy for 
 it the deftrudtion, which we have feen ac- 
 complished in our days. Whilft this town 
 fubfifted, it contained about 3006 inhabitants 
 of all kinds, had five convents, and poflefled 
 the fineft port in all Peru. Here were the rich 
 warehoufes furnifhed with all the goods of Eu- 
 rope, which being landed by the galleons at 
 Portobello were brought overland to Panama, 
 and thence tranfported hither by the arma- 
 dilla, or fleet, with a convoy of three men 
 of war referved for this purpofe. To this 
 port arrived the annual fhip from Acapulco 
 loaden with all the produfts of the Eaft ; 
 from Chili it received vaft quantities of 
 
 corn, 
 
Settlements in America. 257 
 
 corn, dried beef and pork, leather, tallow, 
 plank, and feveral forts of woollen goods, 
 particularly carpets like thofe of Turkey. 
 From the ports of Peru were brought fugars, 
 wine and brandy, naval ftores, cacao and to- 
 bacco. From Mexico it had pitch and tar, 
 woods for dying, and that balfam, which 
 we improperly call of Peru, fince it comes 
 from Guatimala. As the port of Callao is 
 fo excellent^, and as it is that by which the 
 trade of Lima wholly, and that of all Peru 
 in a great meafure, muft be carried on, we 
 cannot doubt but that a new city is alrea- 
 dy built there ; and that Lima is reftored to 
 it's former luftre ; efpecially as this latter is 
 the feat of fo great a government. For to 
 the viceroy of Peru, both Chili and Terra 
 Firma are fubject. His fettled falary is 40,000 
 pieces of eight yearly ; his perquifites are 
 great ; as often as he goes to Callao, he is 
 intitled to 3000 pieces of eight for that 
 little airing ; he has 10,000 for every pro- 
 grefs into more diftant parts ; he has the 
 fole difpofal of above a hundred great ma- 
 gistracies j and, in mort, the granting of all 
 triennial employments both civil and mili- 
 tary throughout the extent of his ample 
 jurifdi&ion. It cannot therefore be doubted 
 that his perquifites, even his lawful ones, 
 (for there are many others,) at leaft double the 
 value of his falary. And certainly, whatever 
 
 S the 
 
258 An Account of the European 
 
 the king of Spain may lofe by the bad 
 (Economy in his affairs, no prince in the 
 world has fuch means of rewarding the 
 fervices of his fubjeds, without any imme- 
 diate burthen upon his own revenues. 
 
 Cufco, the capital of the ancient empire, 
 is ftill a very confiderabie city ; it is at a 
 good diftance from the fea, and fituated in 
 the mountainous part of the country ; it 
 has not lefs than forty thoufand inhabitants, 
 three parts Indians, who are very induftrious 
 and ingenious. Though little inftruded in 
 the art, many fhew the rudiments of a tafte 
 for painting ; and there are an incredible 
 quantity of pidures painted here, which are 
 difperfed all over Peru and Chili. They have 
 here likewife, manufadures of bays and cot- 
 ton* and they work largely in leather in moll 
 of the ways in which it is ufed. 
 
 Quito is likewife an inland town ; it is 
 fituated in the moft northern part of Peru; 
 it is a confiderabie place, and drives a great 
 trade with the Indians ; but I can get but 
 little account of the inhabitants, or the ma- 
 nufadures which employ them. 
 
 It is not eafy to calculate the number of in- 
 habitants in Peru, becaufe we have none of 
 thofe data which are neceflary to ground fuch a 
 calculation. There are a good many large and 
 populous towns difperfed through that coun- 
 try; but in many places it is little better 
 
 than 
 
Settlements in America. 259 
 
 than a defart ; partly for want of water, 
 but much more generally through the pride 
 of one part of the people, the miferable 
 fubjection of the other, and the floth of all. 
 The mines undoubtedly contribute largely 
 to depopulate the country, by turning the 
 inhabitants from agriculture and manufac- 
 tures, employments that prolong life and 
 provide for it, to the working of metals 
 extremely pernicious to health, and which 
 makes them depend upon others for their 
 neceffary fuftenance. The nations which 
 are poor in refpect of gold, and induftrious 
 from that poverty, have not the leaft rea- 
 fon to envy the wealth of the Peruvians ; 
 who, amidft all that extravagant glare that 
 dazzles the eye, live penurioully and for- 
 didlv : and are o'ten in extreme want in 
 a country, which in many places is one of 
 the moft fertile in the world. In fact, the 
 countries which employ their men in art9 
 and in agriculture, and receive their return in 
 gold and filver from the countries which 
 abound in thofe metals, may be confidered as 
 the real proprietors of the mines; the imme- 
 diate pofTeffors, only as their ftewards to 
 manage, or as their flaves to work them ; 
 whilft they are employed themfelves only at 
 an eafy labour, friendly to life, and necef- 
 fary to their well-being. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
260 An Account of the European 
 
 chap. xn. 
 
 CHILL 
 
 T Mmediately to the Southward of Peru 
 X lies Chili, extending itfelf in a long 
 narrow flip, along the coaft of the South- Sea, 
 in the South temperate zone. The air here 
 is remarkably clear and ferene. Scarce any 
 changes happen for three parts of the year. 
 Very little rain falls during that period. But 
 the benign dews every night, and the 
 many rivulets which the neighbourhood of 
 the Andes fupplies them, fertilize the plain 
 country, and make it produce as much 
 corn, wine, oil, and fruits, as the number of 
 the inhabitants, which is ^ery fmall, or their 
 induftry, which is bun moderate, will fuffer 
 them to cultivate. If it were under a more 
 favourable government, and better peopled, 
 there is hardly .any part of the world which 
 could enter into competition with this. For 
 at the fame time that it enjoys a very health- 
 ful air, and is warmed by an heat no way op- 
 preffive, it bears many of the tropical fruits 
 that would thrive no where elfe out of the 
 torrid zone. It is luxuriant on the furface 
 with every thing for profit and delight; and 
 beneath it is rich to profufion with veins of 
 
 gold, 
 
 3 
 
Settlements America. 261 
 
 gold, filver, copper, lead, quickfilver, and iron. 
 Thofe of gold are the moll wrought ; and in- 
 deed there is fcarce a rivulet in the country in 
 which gold is not found in fmaller or greater 
 pl nty; but want of people, which is here 
 more felt than in the other Spanifh fet de- 
 ments, hinders them from working all their 
 mines ; and what is worfe, from improving 
 the furface of their country to any thing like 
 the degree of perfe&ion to which it might be 
 brought. For in this whole extent of coun- 
 try, upwards of twelve hundred miles in length, 
 and from three hundred to five hundred miles 
 in breadth, it is not reckoned they have 
 much above twenty thoufand whites fit to 
 bear arms, and about three times that number 
 of Indians, blacks, and mulattoes. Yet with 
 fo few hands, and thofe not the moft in- 
 duftrious, they export annually from the ports 
 of Chili, to Callao, and other ports of Peru, 
 corn enough to fupport fixty thoufand men ; 
 great quantities of wine; hemp, (which is 
 raifed in no other part on the South-Seas,) 
 hides, tallow, and falted provifions ; to fay no- 
 thing of the gold, and other minerals which 
 form their principal wealth. This country is 
 in general, not fo fit for paflurage, tho' it has 
 a fufficient number of ufeful cattle of all forts. 
 Thofe whofe flefh they fait, and in whofe 
 hides they trade to Peru, come from the other 
 fide of the Andes, from the province of Tucu- 
 S 3 man 
 
262 An Account of the European 
 
 man in Para?uay. Chili has hut a very few 
 
 beafts of prey, and thofe timoroas ; and al- 
 though to^ds, fnakes, and fcorpions, are here 
 as numerous as in oc^er hot countries, they are 
 found en ireiv harmlefs. 
 
 There are in Chili four towns of fome note, 
 either on the fea or near it ; St. Jago which 
 is the capital, La Conception, Coquimbo or 
 La Serena, and Baldivia. The three firft of 
 thefe towiu are laid out in a manner exadtly 
 refembling each other, the ftreets, like thofe 
 of Lima, catting one another fo as to form 
 fquares like thofe of a draft board. They 
 have all gardens between the houfes, and 
 running waters drawn from the neighbouring 
 rivers to fei tiiize them ; but the ho jfes are fo 
 low and meanly built, (mud walls, and thatch 
 in fome, ) thai hey rather refemble agreeable 
 country villages than cities of bufinefs or gran- 
 deur. However, fome of the houfes are well 
 furnifhed, and it is laid, that in St. Jago there 
 are many, which have the meaneft utenfils of 
 the kitchen, of gold and filver. As for Baldi- 
 via, it is not more remarkable for being the 
 ftrongeft fortrefs in the South- Seas, than for 
 the manner in which it is peopled; for hither 
 the criminals from Peru and the other parts of 
 Chili are tranfported, either for a time, or for 
 life, and obliged to labour upon the fortifica- 
 tions and other public works. What is lin- 
 gular, thefe criminals are at once the prifoners 
 
 and 
 
Settlements in America. 263 
 
 and the jailors - 3 for the garrifon of the place, 
 the whole corps, foldiers and officers, is 
 formed of no other. The town contains 
 about two thoufand fouls, and all of them 
 baniflied people, or the defcendants of fuch. 
 
 The trade of Chili is entirely confined to 
 what they carry on with Peru, one or two 
 ports of New Spain, and with Panama. None 
 of their fhips ever penetrate the (traits of 
 Magellan, or pafs Cape Horn. They fend 
 their commodities to thefe ports in Mexico 
 and Peru, and receive their European goods 
 from Panama. 
 
 CHAP. XIII. 
 
 A S in Chili they are weak in men, and 
 /\ have a large body of independent In- 
 dians, ill-affected to them on their borders, 
 and know that the Dutch once attempted an 
 eftablilhment here, and that other people 
 have nourished projedts of the fame nature, 
 they are extremely cautious and watchful on 
 the coaft, and the country is immediately in 
 arms upon every alarm 3 which is given when 
 any fhip appears off the coait that is not of 
 Spanifh built. Yet, notwithftanding all their 
 caution, their fecurity is rather owing to the 
 fyftem of Europe, of which it is a part to keep 
 the Spanifh pofleffions in the hands of theprefent 
 proprietors, and to the difficult and dangerous 
 S 4 paflage 
 
264 An Account of the European 
 
 paffage of the ftraits of Magellan or Cape 
 Horn, for any European armament of force, 
 than either to their own ftrength or vigilance. 
 The Indian inhabitants of Chili are a brave 
 and warlike people, who defended their liber- 
 ties vigoroufly, made feveral fuccefful infur- 
 redtions, killed Peter Baldivia the conqueror 
 of the country, and maintained a war againft 
 the whole Spanifh power in that part of the 
 world for feveral years ; which was only ter- 
 minated on the part of feveral of the nations 
 near the mountains, by an honourable peace, 
 which is preferved to this day. None can be 
 more jealoufly watchful than this people of 
 their freedom. They traffic indeed with the 
 Spaniards, but with fo much caution, and under 
 limitations fo ftridf, that they can take very 
 little advantage of this communication. As 
 for thofe who were obliged to fubmit, it is to 
 a yoke nothing near fo heavy as that which 
 oppreffes the people who inhabit the other 
 Spanifh provinces; partly from the better 
 terms which were procured • and partly from 
 the fear of a nation, whom they have expe- 
 rienced to be brave, and know to be furround- 
 ed with many, who are of the fame blood, 
 and have defended their freedom with better 
 fuccefs. A good example, even in the unfor- 
 tunate, how much a brave defence of liberty 
 may contribute to procure, if nothing elfe, 
 yet a more tolerable fervitude. The Indians 
 
 of 
 
Settlements in America. 265 
 
 of this country have more refemblance to thofe 
 of North America, though more humane and 
 civilized in their manners, than to the Peru- 
 vians and Mexicans. Here they have lefs 
 fuperftiticn naturally ; and far from having 
 that exceffive veneration, which thofe na- 
 tions had for their kings, they have no kings 
 at all, and very little form of government; 
 each family being fovereign within itfelf, and 
 independent. The bufinefs which concerns 
 them all, is tranfadted in the affemblies of all; 
 and the plurality of voices decides. They 
 are much given to liquor; and they practife 
 polygamy, which in America is not common. 
 However, the Spanifli miffionaries have now 
 made a confiderable progrefs amongft thefe 
 free nations ; they have a college for the edu- 
 cation of the Indian youth; and their influence 
 is a great means of preferving pe ce between 
 the Spanifli fettlements and the free Indians on 
 their borders, which, without their afliftance, 
 would be difficult. For though they liflen to 
 the Spanifli priefts, they preferve a very juft 
 terror of falling under their government, and 
 no fmall hatred to the people. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
266 An Accoun t of the European 
 
 CHAP. XIV. 
 PARAGUAT. 
 
 ) | ^ H E country of Paraguay, or La Plata J 
 fhuts up the Eaftern fide of a confide-l 
 rable part of Chili and Peru ; whence extend-| 
 ing over a trad of country, above a thoufand 
 miles broad, it bounds Brazil upon the Weft, \ 
 and upon the South butts upon the At- 
 lantic ocean; being fifteen hundred miles at \ 
 leaft in length, from the mouth of the great 
 river Plata to it's Northern boundary the 
 country of the Amazons. This vaft terri- 
 tory is far from being wholly fubdued or 
 planted by the Spaniards. There are many 
 parts in a great degree unknown to them, or ! 
 to any other people of Europe. In fuch 
 a vaft country, and lying in climates fo diffe- 
 rent, for it lies on the Northern frontier under 
 the equinoctial line, and on the South advances 
 to the thirty-feventh degree of latitude, far 
 into the South temperate zone, we muft ex- 
 pect to meet great diverfity of foil and pro- 
 duct. However, in general this great country 
 is fertile; the paftures particularly are fo rich, ! 
 that they are covered with innumerable herds 
 of black cattle, horfes and mules ; in which 
 hardiy any body thinks it worth his while 
 to claim a property. Any perfon takes and 
 breaks them according to his occafions. 
 
 This 
 
Settlements in America. 267 
 
 This country, belides an infinite number 
 of fmaller rivers, is watered by three prin- 
 cipal ones, which unite near the fea, to form 
 the fam-us Rio de la Plata. The firft is 
 Paraguay, from whence the country is deno- 
 minated ; this forms the main channel. It 
 has it's origin from a great lake in the center 
 of South America, called the lake of Xarayes, 
 and runs in a courfe nearly North and South, 
 Parana, which rifes amongft the mountains on 
 the frontiers of Brazil, runs a floping courfe to 
 the South-Weft, until it joins the Paraguay at 
 a great diftance from the ocean aboutithe 
 twenty-feventh degree of South latitude. U- 
 raguay rifes likewife upon the fame fide, and 
 runs almoft an equal courfe before it meets 
 thofe united rivers at no great diftance from 
 the ocean, with which it mixes, along with 
 them. 
 
 The principal province which concerns us 
 in this vaft tract, is that which is called Rio 
 de la Plata, towards the mouth of the above- 
 mentioned rivers. This province, with all the 
 adjacent parts, is one continued level, interrupt- 
 ed by not the leaft hill for feveral hundreds 
 of miles every way • extremely fertile in moft 
 things ; but contrary to the general nature of 
 America, deftitute of woods; this want they en- 
 deavour to fupply bv plantations of every kind 
 of fruit trees ; all which thrive here to admira- 
 tion. The air is remarkably fweet and ferene, 
 
 and 
 
268 An Account cf the European 
 
 and the waters of the great river are equal- 
 ly pure and wholfome; they annually over-, 
 flow their banks ; and on their recefs, leave 
 them enriched with a flime, which produces ij 
 the greateft plenty of whatever is committed j 
 to it. 
 
 The principal town is Buenos Ayres, on 
 the South fide of the river ; it was fo cal- 
 led upon account of the excellence of the 
 air. This town is the only place of traf- 
 fic to the Southward of Brazil ; yet it's 
 trade, confidering the rich and extenfive 1 
 country to which it is the avenue, is very 
 inconfiderable. No regular fleet comes here, 
 as to the other parts of Spanifh America ; 
 two, or at moft three regifter (hips, make 
 the whole of their regular intercourfe with ' 
 Europe. Their returns are very valuable* 
 cdnfifting chiefly of gold, filver, fugar and II 
 hides. I cannot learn that they have opened j 
 any confiderable mines in this province ; but t 
 it is probable there are rich ones in the pro- \ 
 vinces, which lie to the Eaftward of the \ 
 Andes ; befides it is certain that a good deal i 
 of gold is returned from Chili, for the mules* ji 
 cattle and tea which are fent thither and 
 that filver from the province of Los Charcas £ 
 in Peri* is fent upon the fame account, for the It] 
 moft part by land carriage. There is befides ? 
 a tolerable water carriage; for a large river, a 
 called Pilcomayo, rifes not far from the 
 
 mines 
 
Settlements in America. 269 
 
 I mines of Potofi, which winding amongft the 
 • openings of the Cordillera, difcharges itfelf 
 I at laft into the Paraguay; and this river is 
 ■ navigable to the very fource, allowing for 
 I the interruption of fome falls, which is the 
 cafe of the river of Plate itfelf. By this 
 way it is, I judge, that a great quan- 
 tity of filver comes to Buenos Ayres. In- 
 deed it is in great plenty in that province 5 
 and thofe who now and then carry on a 
 counterband trade to this country, find it far 
 more advantageous than any other whatfo- 
 ever. 
 
 CHAP. XV. 
 
 HP H E trade of Paraguay, and the man- 
 JL ners of the people, are fo much the 
 fame with thofe of the reft of the Spanifti 
 colonies in South America, that nothing fur- 
 ther can be faid on thofe articles ; but it 
 would be inexcufable to quit the country 
 without faying fomething of that extraor- 
 dinary fpecies of commonwealth which the 
 jefuits have eredted in the interior parts. 
 
 About the middle of the laft century thofe 
 fathers reprefented to the court of Madrid, 
 that their want of fuccefs in their millions 
 was owing to the fcandal which the im- 
 morality of the Spaniards never failed to give, 
 
 and 
 
270 An Account of the European 
 
 and to the hatred which their infolent be- It 
 haviour caufed in the Indians wherever they' 2 
 came. They infinuated, that if it were not i 
 for that impediment, the empire of the gof- t 
 pel might, by their labours, have been ex- I 
 tended into the moft unknown parts of j f 
 America j and that all thofe countries might t 
 be fubdued to his catholic majefty's obedience t 
 without expence and without force. This I 
 remonftrance was liftened to with attention 5 i 
 the fphere of their labours was marked i 
 out ; an uncontrouled liberty was given j t 
 to the jefuits within thefe limits; and the r 
 governors of the adjacent provinces had or- ji 
 ders not to interfere, nor to fuffer any Spa- t 
 niard to enter into this pale without licence ( 
 from the fathers. They on their part a- c 
 greed, to pay a certain capitation tax in pro- 1 
 portion to their flock; and to fend a cer- f 
 tain number to the king's works when- 
 ever they fhould be demanded, and the ; 
 rniflions mould become populous enough to 1 
 fupply them. ' 
 
 On thefe terms the jefuits entered upon the ( 
 fcene of a£tion,and opened their fpirituaicam- ( 
 paign.They began by gathering together about t 
 fifty wandering families, whom they perfuad- 't 
 ed to fettle; and they united them into a js 
 little townfhip. This was the flight foun- \i 
 dation upon which they have built a fuper- I 
 
 ftrudture, i 
 
Settlements in America. 271 
 
 ftrudture, which has amazed the world, and 
 added fo much power, at the fame time that 
 it has brought fo much envy and jealoufy on 
 their fociety. For when they had made this 
 beginning, they laboured with fuch inde- 
 ifatigable pains, and with fuch mafterly policy, 
 that, by degrees, they mollified the minds of 
 the moft favage nations - y fixed the moft ram- 
 bling; and fubdued the moft averfe to govern- 
 ment. They prevailed upon thoufands of 
 various difperfed tribes of people to embrace 
 their religion, and to fubmit to their govern- 
 ment ; and when they had fubmitted, the 
 efuits left nothing undone, that could conduce 
 to their remaining in this fubjeSion, or that 
 could tend to increafe their number to the 
 degree requifite for a well ordered and potent 
 fociety ; and their labouis were attended with 
 ifuccefs. 
 
 It is faid, that from fuch inconsiderable be- 
 ginnings, feveral years ago, their fubjecls a- 
 mounted to three hundred thoufand families. 
 They lived in towns ; they were regularly 
 clad ; they laboured in agriculture 5 they exer- 
 cifed manufactures. Some even afpired to 
 the elegant arts. They were inftructed in 
 the military with the moft exact difcipline; 
 and could raife fixty thoufand men well 
 armed. To effect thefe purpofes, from time 
 !to time they brought over from Europe feve- 
 ral handicraft men, muficians, and painters. 
 
 Thefe, 
 
272 An Account of the European 
 
 Thefe, I am told, were principally from Ger- 
 many and Italy. 
 
 We are far from being able to trace with 
 the exa&nefs they defer ve, all the fteps which 
 were taken in the accomplishment of fo ex- 
 traordinary a conqueft over the bodies and 
 minds of fo many people, without arms or 
 violence; and differently from the methods of 
 all other conquefts; not by cutting off a large 
 part of the inhabitants to fecure the reft, but 
 by multiplying their people, whilft they ex- 
 tended their territory. Their own accounts 
 are not very ample; and they are partial 
 to themfelves without doubt. What others 
 have written is with a glaring prejudice a- 
 gainft them. The particulars which feem beft 
 agreed upon by both fides, are the only ones 
 to be mentioned. 
 
 It is agreed then, that in each miffion or 
 diftridl (the country is divided into forty-feven 
 diftridts) a jefuit prefides in chief. He is 
 lodged in a large and commodious houfe 
 called the prefbitery. Adjoining to this houfe 
 are the church, and the public magazines. 
 No perfon under the jurifdiftion of the fathers 
 has any thing that can juftly be called his own 
 property. Each man's labour is allotted him 
 in proportion to his ftrength, or to his ikill in 
 the profeffion which he exercifes. The pro- 
 duct is brought faithfully into the public ma- 
 gazines 3 from whence he is again fupplied 
 
 with 
 
Settlements in America, 273 
 
 with all things which the managers judge to 
 be expedient for the fuftenance of himfelf or 
 his family. All neceffaries are diftributed re- 
 gularly twice a week ; and the magazines al- 
 ways contain fuch a ftock of provifions and 
 goods of every kind, as to anfwer not only the 
 ordinary exigencies, but to provide againft a 
 time of fcarcity, or for thofe whom accidents, 
 age, or infirmities, have difqualified for la- 
 bour. 
 
 They provide early for the marriage of 
 their young people, as well to prevent difor-^ 
 ders, as to multiply their fubjc&s. Here, as 
 interefl can be no motive to the union, there 
 are few difficulties attending it. The young 
 man applies to the governing jefuit, informs 
 him of his defire of marriage, and names the 
 party : (he is confulted, and if there is no ob* 
 jection upon her part, they are immediately 
 married. They are fupplied with all necef- 
 faries for their eftablifhment from the public 
 itores, and they have at the fame time their 
 talk allotted them, by which they are to make 
 amends for what they have received, and t& 
 provide for others in their turn. 
 
 Under the jefuit are magiftrates, or cazi- 
 ques, of the Indian nation, who regulate 
 all thefe matters, decide fuch differences as 
 are too minute for the attention of the father, 
 and give him regularly an exadt account of 
 the (late of his diftrift, and the merit and de- 
 
 T merit 
 
274 ^ n Account of the European 
 
 merit of the people which it contains. They 
 are rewarded or punifhed according to this 
 report. The punifhment is by blows, from 
 which it is faid not even the principal magi- 
 flrates are exempted. Thefe are however re- 
 ceived by aJl, not only with patience, but ac- 
 knowledgment. The rewards are feldom 
 more than benedictions, and fome flight marks 
 of the jefuits favour, which make thofe men 
 entirely happy. 
 
 Nothing can equal the obedience of the 
 people of thefe millions, except their content- 
 ment under it. Far from murmuring, that 
 they have only the neceflaries of life, by a la- 
 bour which might in fome degree procure 
 them the conveniencies of it, they think them- 
 felves a diftinguifhed and favoured people in 
 wanting them - y and they believe their obe- 
 dience a duty, that not only fecures their 
 order and repofe in this world, but the very 
 befl means of infuring their happinefs in the 
 next. This is carefully inculcated j and in- 
 deed befides their attention to the govern- 
 ment, the jefuits are indefatigable in their in- 
 ftru&ions in the doctrines of religion, the re- 
 gularity of life, and the contempt of this 
 world. And by what I can find, the Indians 
 under their jurifdiclion are an innocent people, 
 civilized without being corrupted. 
 
 The jefuits who govern them, are faid to be 
 extremely ftrict in preferring their privilege in 
 2 keeping 
 
Settlements in America^ 275 
 
 keeping all Grangers from amongft them. If any 
 fuch fhould by accident, or in his journey, ar- 
 rive in the country of the miffions, he is im- 
 mediately carried to the preibytery, where he 
 is treated for a day, or two at moft, with 
 great hofpitality, but regarded with no lefs 
 circumfpe&ion. The curiofities of the place 
 are fliewed him in company with the jefuit, 
 and he can have no private converfation with 
 any of the natives. In a reafonable time he 
 is civilly difmiffed, with a guard to conduct 
 him to the next diftrict, without expence, 
 where he is treated in the fame manner, until 
 he is out of the country of the miffions. Cau- 
 tions altogether as Ariel, and in the fame fpiritj 
 are obferved, when the natives are obliged to 
 go out of their own territory to ferve in the 
 king's works, or when any part of their troops 
 are called out for his fervice. They (hun all 
 manner of converfation with ftrangers, upon 
 whom they look with a fort of horror; and fo 
 return, uninformed and untainted, into their 
 own country as they left it. 
 
 I am fenfible, that many have reprefented 
 the conduct of the jefuits in this million in a 
 very bad light 3 but their reflections appear to 
 me not at all fupported by the fads upon 
 which they build them. To judge perfectly 
 of the fervice they have done their people, we 
 muft not confider them in a parallel with 
 the floorifhing nations of Europe, but as com- 
 
 T 2 pared 
 
2j6 An Account of the European 
 
 pared with their neighbours, the lavages of 
 South America, or with the ftate of thofeln- 
 dians who groan under the Spanifh yoke. Con- 
 fidering it in this, which is the true light, it 
 will appear, that human fociety is infinitely 
 obliged to them for adding to it three hundred 
 thoufand families in a well regulated com- 
 munity, in the room of a few vagabond un- 
 taught favages. And indeed, it can fcarce be 
 conceived, that any government has not fome 
 extraordinary perfection, which has a prin- 
 ciple of increafe within it, which draws others 
 to unite themfelves to the old ftock, and 
 moots out itfelf a luxuriance of new branches. 
 Neither can we, by any means, blame a 
 fyftem which produces fuch falutary effects ; 
 and which has found that difficult, but happy 
 way, that grand defideratum in politicks, of 
 uniting a perfect fubje&ion to an entire con- 
 tent and fatisfaction of the people. Matters, 
 which, it were to be wifhed, were fludied 
 with more attention by us, who content our- 
 felves with railing at the diligence of an adver- 
 fary, which we mould rather praife and imitate; 
 and who in our affairs think of ufing hardly 
 any other inftruments than force or money. 
 
 This commonwealth has lately become a 
 fubject of much converfation, upon account 
 of the cefiion which has lately been made of 
 part of that territory to the crown of Portugal. 
 It is well known, that the inhabitants of feven 
 
 of 
 
Settlements in America. 
 
 of the miffions refufed to comply with this 
 divifion, or to fafFer themfelves to be tranf- 
 ferred from one hand to another, like cattle, 
 without their own c'onfent. ' How the jeluits 
 have acquitted themfelves at the courts of 
 Madrid and Lifoon upon this article, I do not 
 know. We are informed by the authority of 
 the gazette, that the Indians actually took up 
 arms ; but notwithftanding the exaclnefs of 
 their difcipline, they were eafily, and with a 
 confiderabie flaughter, defeated by the Euro- 
 pean troops, who were fent to quell them. It 
 feems to have been ill-judged in this people, 
 who had never feen any real fervice, nor 
 were headed by officers who had feen any, 
 without which the beft difcipline is but a fort 
 of play, to have hazarded a battle with troops 
 from Europe. They ought rather to have 
 firft habituated themfelves to adlion by at- 
 tacking fmall parties, by cutting off convoys, 
 by little furprizes, until by ufe and fuccefs in 
 fmallcr matters, they were intitled to hazard 
 the Cam of their affairs in the open field. How- 
 ever, it is not improbable, that this oppolition 
 will roufe the indolence of the Spaniards, and 
 make them take the government of the coun- 
 try out of the hands it is in at prefent. If 
 they do, it is not difficult to forefee, that the 
 fame depopulation, the fame diftrefs, and the 
 fame difcontent, which diftinguifhes the In- 
 dians in the reft of the Spanifli provinces, will 
 
 T 3 be 
 
278 An Account of the European 
 
 be foon equally vifible in this. It will not be 
 difficult for them to eftedt the reduction of 
 this country 5 for the jefuits have too large 
 and valuable an intereft in Old Spain, as well 
 as in the new world, to difpute it with the 
 court, whenever they fhall demand in good 
 earneft to have this country furrendered ; if it 
 be true, that the jefuits have really fuch in- 
 fluence on the inhabitants as is attributed to 
 them. 
 
 It was not orginally fuch bad policy, as it 
 may feem, to have entrufted the jefuits with 
 fo great a power; fince a little time will (hew, 
 that they have given them a territory unknown, 
 unpeopled, and uncultivated, which they have 
 the certain means of repolfeffing when they 
 pleafe, fubdued, peopled, and cultivated. As 
 to it's wealth, it is hard to fay any thing certain ; 
 the jefuits deny it. And truly if they adled 
 with a perfedt policy, they would never have 
 fuffered any mines of gold or filver to be 
 opened in that country. Of this matter I 
 have no information upon which I can depend, 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Settlements in America.^ 
 
 CHAP. XVI. 
 
 r ~TT^ H E Spaniardshave not made any fet- 
 JL tlements in the other divifions of South 
 America, which they claim to the Southward 
 of Buenos Ayres, nor to the Northward, ex- 
 cept in Terra Firma, of which we (hall fay 
 fomething. The country of the Amazons, tho* 
 prodigioufly large, wonderfully fertile, and 
 watered by fo noble a river, is entirely ne- 
 glected. The country of Patagonia is likewife 
 of a van: llretch to the Southward of Buenos 
 Ayres, all in the temperate zone, and extend- 
 ed all along the Atlantic ocean ; a plain coun- 
 try without trees ; but this is the cafe of the 
 delightful and fertile country of Buenos Ayres. 
 It is laid likewife to be barren and defart •> but 
 what is certain, it is unfettled by any European 
 nation, and little known, though it lies open 
 for any power that can avail itfelf of a favour- 
 able opportunity to eftablifli a colony there. 
 
 The Ian: province, according to the order 
 I have obferved, tho' not of the leaft con- 
 fequence in the Spanifli American dominions, 
 is Terra Firma 5 a vaft country, above 2000 
 miles in length, and 500 broad. Bordering 
 on Mexico, Peru, and Amazonia, it ftretches 
 all along the North fea, from the Pacific 
 ocean to the mouth of the river ofi Ama- 
 zons upon the Atlantic. It is divided in- 
 T 4 to 
 
'280 An Account of the European 
 
 to twelve large provinces. They all contain 
 a vaft deal of high and mountainous coun- 
 try, particularly the province of St. Martha, 
 where there are faid to be hills furpaffing 
 Teneriffe itfelf in height; thefe hills com- 
 municate with the Andes. The valleys are 
 deep and narrow, and for a great part of 
 the year flooded ; but they are extremely 
 fertile; produce corn enough; all kinds of 
 the tropical fruits ; rich drugs ; cacao, va- 
 nilla, indigo, piemento, guaiacum, farfapa- 
 rilla, and balfam of Peru. No country a- 
 bounds more in rich and luxuriant paftu- 
 rage, or has a greater Hock of excellent 
 black cattle. Their rivers have rich golden 
 fands ; their coafts have good pearl fifheries ; 
 their mines yield great quantities of gold; 
 and rubies and emeralds are found in plenty. 
 Yet with all this fertility, Terra Firma is, 
 for the greater part, the moft unpleafant and 
 mod unhealthful country of the torrid zone. 
 
 This province has a very confiderable fhare 
 of the trade of Europe ; not only on ac- 
 count of it's own produce and demand; but 
 becaufe all the in tercourfe of Peru and Chili 
 with Old Spain, is carried on through this 
 country. It's capital city Panama is the great 
 barcadier of the South- Sea. Hither is brought 
 all the treafure which the rich mines of 
 Peru and Chili pay to the king, or produce 
 upon a private account 
 
 The 
 
Settlements in America^ 281 
 
 The city of Panama is fituated upon one 
 of the bell harbours in all refpe&s, of the 
 South-Seas. Ships of burthen lie fafe at 
 fome diftance from the town 5 but fmaller 
 veflels come up to the walls. This town, 
 one of the largeft in America, is faid to con- 
 tain five thoufand houfes, elegantly built of 
 brick and ftone, difpofed in a femicircular 
 form, and enlivened with the fpires and domes 
 ©f many fplendid churches and rich monas- 
 teries. It is covered on the land fide with 
 fine orchards and gardens, and at a greater 
 diftance with an agreeable country, diverfified 
 with hills, valleys, and woods. The town 
 ftands upon a dry and healthful ground, and 
 has a great and profitable *xade with Peru, 
 Chili, and the Weftern coaft of Mexico upon 
 one fide, and with the Terra Firma, and 
 with Europe on the other, which is carried on 
 over the ifthmus of Darien, and by the river 
 Chagra. 
 
 The fecond town of confideration in Terra 
 Firma, is Carthagena, which ftands upon a 
 peninfula, that enclofes one of the fafeft and 
 beft defended harbours in all the Spanilli 
 America. The town itfelf is well fortified, 
 and built after the elegant fafhion of moft of 
 the Spanifh American towns, with a fquare in 
 the middle, and ftreets running every way re- 
 gularly from it, and others cutting thefe at 
 right angles. This town has many rich 
 
 churches 
 
282 An Account of the European 
 
 churches and convents ; that of the jefuits is 
 particularly magnificent. Here it is that the 
 galleons on their voyage from Spain put in firft, 
 anddifpofe of a confiderable part of their cargo; 
 which from hence is diftributed to St. Martha, 
 the Caraccas, Venezuela, and moft of the 
 other provinces and towns in the Terra Firma. 
 
 The fleet which is called the galleons, 
 confifts of about eight men of war, of about 
 fifty guns each, defigned principally to fupply 
 Peru with military (lores ; but in reality, laden 
 not only with thefe, but with every other 
 kind of merchandize on a private account ; lo as 
 to be in bad condition for defending them- 
 felves, or protecting others. Under the con- 
 voy of thefe fail about twelve merchant fhips, 
 not inferior in burthen. This fleet of the gal- 
 leons is regulated in much the fame manner 
 with the flotas, and it is deftinedfor the exclu- 
 iive commerce of Terra Firma and the South- 
 Sea, as the flota is for that of Mexico. 
 
 No fooner is this fleet arrived in the haven 
 of Carthagena, than expreffes are immediately 
 difpatched to Portobello, and to all the adja- 
 cent towns ; but principally to Panama; that 
 they may get ready all the treafure which 
 is depofited there, to meet the galleons at 
 Portobello ; at which town, (remarkable for 
 the goodnefs of it's harbour, which brings 
 fach a furprifing concourfe here at the time of 
 the fair, and the unwholfomenefs of the air, 
 
 which 
 
Settlements in America.' 283 
 
 which makes it a defart at all other times) all 
 the perfons concerned in the various branches 
 of this extenlive traffic afTemble 3 and there is 
 certainly no part of the world where bufinefs 
 of fuch great importance is negotiated in fo 
 fhort a time. For in about a fortnight the fair 
 is over ; during which the difplay of the 
 gold, filver, and precious ftones, on the one 
 hand, and of all the curiofity and variety of 
 the ingenious fabrics of Europe on the other, 
 is aftonifhing. Heaps of wedges and ingots 
 of filver are tumbled about on the wharfs like 
 common things. At this time an hundred 
 crowns are given for a poor lodging, a thou- 
 fand for a fhop, and provifion of every kind is 
 proportionably dear ; which may help us to 
 fome idea of the profits made in this trade. 
 The treaiure is brought hither from Panama, 
 by a very dangerous road upon mules. The 
 other good?, fugar, tobacco, and drugs, arc 
 tranfported on the river Chagra. 
 
 When the galleons have taken in their re- 
 turns, they fteer together to the Havanna, 
 which is the place of rendezvous of all the 
 fhips concerned in the Spanifh American 
 trade. 
 
 The Havanna is the capital city of the 
 ifland of Cuba. It is fituated upon an ex- 
 cellent harbour upon the Weftern extremity 
 of the ifland. This city is large, containing 
 not lefs than two thoufand houfes, with a 
 
 number 
 
284 An Account of the European 
 
 number of churches and convents ; but then 
 it is the only place of confequence upon the 
 noble ifland of Cuba, which lies in the latitude 
 20, and extends from Eaft to Weft near 
 feven hundred miles in length, though in 
 breadth it is difproportioned, being but from 
 one hundred and twenty to feventy miles. 
 However, it yields to no part of the Weft- 
 Indies in the fertility of it's foil, or in excel- 
 lence of every thing which is produced in that 
 climate. But the Spaniards, by a feries of the 
 moft inhuman and impolitic barbarities, having 
 exterminated the original inhabitants ; and 
 not finding the quantities of gold in the 
 iflands which the continent afforded, they 
 have left this as well as Hifpaniola ; of which 
 the French now poflefs the greater part, and 
 Porto Rico, a large, excellent, and fertile 
 ifland, comparatively fo many defarts. The 
 commerce between thefe iflands, and the 
 Spanifti continent, is carried on by the Barle- 
 vento fleet, confifting of fix fhips of good 
 burthen and force, who annually make the 
 tour of all thefe iflands, and the coaft of Terra 
 Firma, not only to carry on the commerce 
 between thofe places, but to clear the fea of 
 pirates and illicit traders. Now and then a 
 rcgifter fliip from Old Spain is bound to one 
 or other of thefe iflands. Hitherto the Spa- 
 niards feemed rather to keep them, to prevent 
 any other nation from growing too powerful 
 
Settlements in America. 285 
 
 in thofe feas, than for any profit they expected 
 to derive from them. And it is certain, that 
 if other nations fhould come entirely to poffefs 
 the whole of the iflands, the trade of the 
 American continent, and perhaps the continent 
 itfelf, would be entirely at their mercy. How- 
 ever, of late, the Spaniards have taken fome 
 fteps towards the better fettlement of Porto 
 Rico. They are beginning to open the Ame- 
 rican trade to fome other towns in Spain be- 
 fides Cadiz. They have made a difference in 
 point of duty between their own manufactures 
 and thofe of foreigners. They are, in fhorr, 
 opening their eyes to the true intereft of their 
 country, and moving their hands, though 
 flowly, to promote it. 
 
 Unto this time, the tide of wealth, that 
 conftantly flowed from America into Spain, 
 ran through that kingdom like a hafty torrent, 
 which, far from enriching the country, hurried 
 away with it all the wealth which it found in 
 it's paffage. No country in Europe receives 
 fuch vaft treafures as Spain. In no country 
 in Europe is feen fo little money. The truth 
 is, from the time that the Indies fell into the 
 hands of Spain, the affairs of that monarchy 
 have been conftantly going backward. In 
 America their fettlements were carried on 
 conformably to that genius, and to thofe 
 laxims, which prevailed in their government 
 in Europe. No means of retaining their con- 
 quers 
 
286 An Account of the Eu rope am 
 
 quefts but by extirpating the people; nol' 
 fchemes for the advancement of trade ; no v 
 attempts at the reformation of abufes, which 
 became venerable in proportion to the mif- ^ 
 chiefs they had fuffered by them, In govern- [ 
 ment, tyranny ; in religion, bigotry; in trade, J 
 monopoly. 
 
 When the Spaniards found, to their am- j 
 bition which was boundlefs, that they had 2 
 joined a treafure which was inexhauftible, * 
 they imagined there was nothing too vaft for * 
 them to compafs. They embraced a thoufand 1 
 projects at once; many of them noble ones in 
 theory, but to be executed with different- in- j 
 flruments in different parts of the world, and 
 all at a vaft expence of blood and treafure. ] 
 The wars, which were the refult of thefe 
 fchemes, and the Indies, which were to fup- 2 
 port them, were a continual drain, which car- a 
 ried off their people, and deftroyed all in- c 
 duftry in thofe who remained. The treafure' 1 
 which flowed in every year from the new 1 
 world, found them in debt to every part of P 
 the old ; for to the reft of their revenues they I 
 had forgot to add that, which is a great re-1? 
 venue itfelf, and the great fupport of all th^T 
 others, ceconomy. On the contrary, an ill n 
 order in their finances at Lome, and a de-| 
 vouring ufury abroad, fwallowed up all theirjf. 
 treafure, whilft they multiplied the occafionsjl. 
 for it. With the bed ft I eming heads inff 
 
 Europe,! 
 
Settlements in America, 287 
 
 Europe, they were every where outwitted ; 
 with the braveft and belt difciplined troops, 
 they were almoft always defeated ; with the 
 greateft treafures, they were in want ; and 
 their armies were ill provided, and ill paid. 
 Their friends exhaufted them by trade ; their 
 enemies by plunder. They faw new ftates 
 arife out of the fragments of their dominions ; 
 and new maritime powers ftart up from the 
 wrecks of their navy. In fliort, they pro- 
 voked, troubled, and enriched all Europe; 
 and at laft defifted through mere want of 
 ftrength. They were inactive, but not quiet; 
 and they were enervated as much by their 
 lazinefs during this repofe, as they had beer* 
 weakened before by their ill-judged activity. 
 
 All this happened in a country, which 
 abounded with men of capacity as much as 
 any ftate in Europe, and often with men 
 of great capacity at it's head. But their talents 
 took a wrong turn ; their politics were al- 
 ways more abroad than at home- more em- 
 ployed in weakening their neighbours, than in 
 ftrengthening themfelves. They were wife 
 in the concerns of foreign courts ; they were 
 fatisfied with being formal in their own do- 
 meftic bufinefs. They relied too much upon 
 their riches; and the whole ftate, being mould- 
 ed into a fyftem of corruption from the top to 
 :he bottom, things grew at laft fo bad, that 
 ;he evils themfelves became a fort of remedies; 
 
 and 
 
} 
 
 ^88 An Account cf the European 
 
 and they felt fo feverely the confequences of 
 their former conduit, that they have for fome 
 years paft turned their thoughts into a very 
 good channel 5 and they may in time, and 
 with perfeverance, rife again, , whilft others 
 fhall fall, by adopting the abufes which 
 brought them to ruin. 
 
 At prefent the politics of Spain, with re- 
 gard to America, feem to be ; to preferve 
 South America, and particularly the naviga- 
 tion of the South-Seas, as much as poffible 
 to themfelves ; to deftroy efFe&uaily the 
 counterband trade, and to encourage the ex-> 
 port of their own manufactures. Of us they 
 have long fhewn a remarkable jealoufy; a 
 much greater than of the French, whom they 
 fee quietly fettling in the neighbourhood of 
 New Mexico; and who are growing certainly 
 in the Weft-Indies in a far greater degree than 
 we are. I fliall not pretend to account for 
 this diftindtion. 
 
 PAR 
 
Settlements in America, 289 
 
 PART IV. 
 
 The Portuguefe Settlements. 
 
 CHAP. I. 
 
 IT is very rare that any material difcovery, 
 whether in the arts, in philofophy, or in 
 navigation, has been owing to efforts made di- 
 rdtly for that particular purpofe, and deter- 
 mined by the force of reafonings a priori. The 
 firft hints are owing to accident - 3 and difcoveries 
 in one kind prefent themfelves voluntarily to us, 
 whilft we are in fearch of what flies from us 
 in fome other. The difcovery of America by 
 Columbus was owing originally to a juft rea- 
 foning on the figure of the earth; though the 
 particular land he difcovered was far enough 
 from that which he fought. Here was a 
 mixture of wife defign and fortunate accident ; 
 but the Portuguefe difcovery of Brazil may 
 be confidered as merely accidental For failing 
 U with 
 
290 An Account of the European 
 
 with a confiderable armament to India, by the 
 way of the Cape of Good Hope, but ftanding 
 out to fea to avoid the calms upon the coaft of 
 Africa, the Portuguefe fleet fell in upon the 
 continent of South America. Upon their 
 return they made fo favourable a report of the 
 land they had difcovered, that the court re- 
 folved to fend a colony thither. And accord- 
 ingly made their firft eftablifhment; but in a 
 very bad method, in which it were to be 
 wifhed they had never been imitated. This 
 was by banifhing thither a number of criminals 
 of all kinds. This blended an evil difpofition 
 with the firft principles of the colony, and 
 made the fettlement infinitely difficult by the 
 diforders infeperable from fuch people, and the 
 offence which they gave the original inhabitants. 
 This fettlement met feme interruption too 
 from the court of Spain, who confidered the 
 country as within their dominions. However, 
 matters were accommodated by a treaty, in 
 which it was agreed, that the Portuguefe 
 fhould pofTefs all that tradt of land that lies be- 
 tween the river Maranon 3 or of the Amazons, 
 and the river Plate. 
 
 When their right was thus confirmed, the 
 Portuguefe purfued the fettlement with great 
 vigour. Large grants were made to thofe 
 who were inclined to become adventurers ; 
 and almoft all the nobility of Portugal proured 
 interefts in a country which promifed fuch 
 
 great 
 
Settlements in America. 291 
 
 great advantages. The natives were in mod 
 parts fubdued, and the improvement of the 
 colony advanced apace. The crown in a 
 little time became attentive to fo valuable an 
 acquisition ; the government was new mo- 
 delled, many of the exorbitant grants recalled, 
 and all things fettled upon fo advantageous a 
 footing, that the whole fea coaft, upwards 
 of two thoufand miles, was in fome meafure 
 fettled, to the honour of the induftry and 
 courage of the firft planters, and infinitely to 
 the benefit of the mother country. The 
 Portuguefe conquefts on the coaft of Africa 
 forwarded this eftablifhment, by the number 
 of negroes it afforded them for their works : 
 and this was the firft introduction of negroes 
 into America, of which at prefent they form a 
 large part of the inhabitants. 
 
 In the very meridian of their profperity, 
 when the Portuguefe were in poffeflion of fo 
 extenfive an empire, and fo flour ifliing a 
 trade in Africa, in Arabia, in India, in the 
 iflesofAfia, and in one of the moft valuable 
 parts of America, they were flruck down by 
 one of thofe incidents, that at one blow, in a 
 critical time, decides the fate of kingdoms. 
 Don Sebaftian, one of their greateft princes, in 
 an expedition he had undertaken againft the 
 Moors, loft his life • and by that accident the 
 Portuguefe loft their liberty, being abforbed 
 into the Spanifh dominions. 
 
 U 2 Soon 
 
292 An Account of the European 
 
 Soon after this misfortune, the fame yoke 
 that galled the Portuguefe, grew fo intolerable 
 to the inhabitants of the Netherlands, that 
 they threw it off with great fury and indigna- 
 tion. Not fatisfied with eredting themfelves 
 into an independent ftate, and fupporting their 
 independency by a fuccefsful defenfive war, 
 fiufhed with the juvenile ardor of a growing 
 commonwealth, they purfued the Spaniards 
 into the remoteft receffes of their extenfive 
 territories, and grew rich, powerful, and ter- 
 rible, by the fpoils of their former mafters. 
 Principally, they fell upon the porTeffions of 
 the Portuguefe; they took almoft all their 
 fortreffes in the Eaft-Indies, not funHciently 
 defended by the inert policy of the court of 
 Spain; and then turned their arms upon Brazil, 
 unprotected from Europe, and betrayed by the 
 cowardice of the governor of the then principal 
 city. And they would have overrun the whole, 
 if Don Michael de Texeira, the archbifhop, 
 defcended from one of the nobleft families in 
 Portugal, and of a fpirit fuperior to his birth, 
 had not believed, that in fuch an emergency, 
 the danger of his country fuperfeded the com- 
 mon obligations of his profeffion. He took 
 arms, and at the head of his monks, and a 
 few fcattered forces, put a flop to the torrent 
 of the Dutch conqueft. He made a gallant 
 ftand until fuccours arrived; and then refigned 
 the commiflionwith which thepublic neceffity 
 
 and 
 
Settlements in America. 293 
 
 and his own virtue had armed him, into the 
 hands of a perfon appointed by authority. By 
 this ftand he faved feven of the captainfhips, 
 or provinces, out of fourteen, into which 
 Brazil is divided ; the reft fell into the hands 
 of the Dutch, who conquered and kept them 
 with a bravery and conduct, which would de 
 ferve more applaufe $ if it had been governed 
 by humanity. 
 
 The famous captain, prince Maurice of 
 NafTau, was the perfon to whom the Dutch 
 owed this conqueft, the eftablifhment of their 
 colony there, and that advantageous peace which 
 fccured them in it. But as it is the genius of 
 all mercantile people to defire a fudden profit 
 in all their defignsj and as this colony was not 
 under the immediate infpection of the States, 
 but fubject to the company called the Weft- 
 India company, from principles narrowed up 
 by avarice and mean notions, they grudged 
 that the prefent profits of the colony fhould 
 be facrificed to it's future fecurity. They 
 found, that the prince kept up more troops, and 
 erected more fortrefles, than they thought 
 neceflary to their fafety ; and that he lived 
 in a grander manner than they thought be- 
 came one in their fervice. They imagined 
 that a little official ceconomy was the principal 
 quality neceffary to form a great conqueror 
 and politician ; and therefore they were highly 
 difpleafed with their governor prince Maurice, 
 U 3 whom 
 
294 ^ n Account of the European: 
 
 whom they treated in fuch a manner as 
 obliged him to refign. 
 
 Now their own fchcmes took place. A 
 redu&ion of the troops ; the expence of forti- 
 cations faved ; the charge of a court retrench- 
 ed ; the debts of the company (tridtly exacted ; 
 their gains increafed cent per cent, and every 
 thing flourifhing according to their beft ideas 
 of a flourifhing ftate. But then, all this fine 
 fyftem in a fhort time ended in the total lofs 
 of all their capital, and the entire ruin of 
 the Weft-India company. The hearts of 
 fubjects were loft by their penurious way of 
 dealing, and the feverity of their proceedings. 
 The enemy in their neighbourhood was en- 
 couraged by the defencelefs ftate of their 
 frontiers, and both operated in fuch a manner, 
 that Brazil was reconquered by the Portu- 
 guefe ; though after a ftruggle, in which the 
 States exerted themfelves vigoroufly; but with 
 that aggravated expence, and that ill fuccefs, 
 which always attends a late wifdom, and the 
 patching up a blundering fyftem of conduct, 
 A (landing leflbn to thofe people who have 
 the folly to imagine they confult the happinefs 
 of a nation, when by a pretended tendernefs 
 for fome of it's advantages, they neglect the 
 only things that can fupport it, the cultivating 
 the good opinion of the people, and the keep- 
 ing up a proper force. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
Settlements in America. 295 
 
 CHAP. II. 
 
 I V H E name of Brazil was given to this 
 country, becaufe it was obferved to abound 
 with a wood of that name. It extends all along 
 a tract of fine fea coaft upon the Atlantic ocean 
 upwards of two thoufand miles, between the 
 river of Amazons on the North, and that of 
 Plate on the South. To the Northward the 
 climate is uncertain, hot, boifterous, and un- 
 wholfome. The country, both there, and even 
 in more temperate parts, is annually over- 
 flowed. But to the Southward, beyond the 
 tropic of Capricorn, and indeed a good way 
 within it, there is no part of the world that 
 enjoys a more ferene and wholfome air ; 
 refrefhed with the foft breezes of the ocean on 
 one hand, and the cool breath of the moun- 
 tains on the other. Hither feveral aged people 
 from Portugal retire for their health, and 
 protradt their lives to a long and eafy age. 
 
 In general, the foil is extremely fruitful, and 
 was found very fufficient for the comfortable 
 fubfiflence of the inhabitants, until the mines 
 of gold and diamonds were difcovered. Thefe, 
 with the fugar plantations, occupy fo many 
 hands, that agriculture lies neglected : and in 
 confequence Brazil depends upon Europe for 
 it's daily bread. 
 
 U 4 The 
 
296 An Account of the European 
 
 The chief commodities which this country 
 yields for a foreign market are, fugar, tobacco, 
 hides, indigo, ipecacuanha, balfam of Copaibo, 
 and brazil wood. The laft article, as it in a 
 more particular manner belongs to this coun- 
 try, to which it gives it's name, and which 
 produces it in the greateft perfection, it is 
 not amifs to allow a very little room to the 
 defcription of it N This tree generally flourishes 
 in rocky and barren grounds, in which it 
 grows to a great height, and confiderable 
 thicknefs. But a man who judges of the 
 quantity of the timber, by the thicknefs of 
 the tree, will be much deceived - y for upon 
 ftripping off the bark, which makes a very 
 large part of the plant, he will find from a 
 tree as thick as his body, a log no more in 
 compafs than his leg. This tree is generally 
 crooked, and knotty like the hawthorn, with 
 long branches, and a fmooth green leaf, 
 hard, dry, and brittle. Thrice a year bunches 
 of fmall flowers fhoot out at the extremities of 
 the branches, and between the leaves. Thefe 
 flowers are of a bright red, and of a ftrong 
 aromatic and refrefhing fmell. The wood of 
 this tree is of a red colour, hard and dry. Jt is 
 ufed chiefly in dying red, but not a red of the 
 beft kind ; and it has fome place in medicine 
 as a flomachic and reftringent. 
 
 CHAP- 
 
Settlements in America.' 
 
 CHAP III. 
 
 I w I s H E trade of Brazil is very great, and 
 JL it increafes every year. Nor is this a 
 wonder; fince they have opportunities of fup- 
 r plying themfelves with flaves for their feveral 
 I works, at a much eafier and cheaper rate than 
 i any other European power, which has fettle- 
 I ments in America. For they are the only 
 I European nation which has taken the pains to 
 eftablifh colonies in Africa. Thofe of the 
 Portuguefe are very confiderable, both for 
 their extent and the numbers of their inhabi- 
 tants; and of courfe they have advantages in that 
 trade which no other nation can have. For 
 befides their large eftablifhment on the Weft- 
 ern more of Africa, they claim the whole coaft 
 of Zanguebaron the Eaftern fide, which in part 
 they poffefs ; befides feveral other large terri- 
 tories, both on the coaft and in the country; 
 where feveral numerous nations acknowledge 
 themfelves their dependants or fubjects. This 
 is not only of great advantage to them, as 
 it increafes their /hipping and feamen, and 
 ftrengthens their commercial reputation, but 
 as it leaves them a large field for their Have 
 trade ; without which, they could hardly ever 
 fupply, upon any tolerable terms, their fettle- 
 ments in Brazil, which carry offfuch numbers 
 by the feverity of the works, and the un- 
 
 wholfomenefs 
 
298 An Account of the European 
 
 wholfomenefs of fome part of the climate ; 
 nor could they otherwife extend their planta- 
 tions, and open fo many new mines as they 
 do, to a degree which is aftonifhing. 
 
 I own I have often been furprized, that our 
 African traders fhould chufe fo contracted an 
 object for their flave trade, which extends to 
 little more than fome part of the Gold ccaft, 
 to Sierra Leone, and Gambia, and fome 
 other inconfiderable ports ; by which they 
 have depreciated their own commodities, and 
 raifed the price of flaves within thefe few 
 years above thirty per cent. Nor is it to be 
 wondered ; as in the tract, in which they 
 trade, they have many rivals ; the people 
 are grown too expert by the conftant habit of 
 European commerce; and the flaves in that 
 part are in a good meafure exhaufted; whereas, 
 if fome of our veffels palfed the Cape of 
 Good Hope, and tried what might be done 
 in Madagafcar,or on thofecoafts which indeed 
 the Portuguefe claim, but do not, nor cannot 
 hold, there is no doubt but that they would 
 find the greater expence and length of time in 
 paffing the Cape, or the charge of licences 
 which might be procured from the Eaft- 
 India company, amply compenfated. Our 
 African trade might then be confiderably en- 
 larged, our own manufactures extended, and 
 our colonies fupplied at an eafier rate than 
 they are at prefent, or are likely to be for the 
 
 future, 
 
Settlements in America. 299 
 
 future, whilft we confine ourfelves to two or 
 three places, which we exhauft, and where 
 we fhall find the market dearer every day. 
 The Portuguefe from thefe fettlements, and 
 this extenfive range, draw every year into 
 Brazil between forty and fifty thoufand (laves. 
 On this trade all their other depends, and 
 therefore they take great care to have it w r eli 
 fupplied, for which purpofe the fituation of 
 Brazil, nearer the coaft of Africa than any 
 other part of America, is very convenient; and 
 it co-operates with the great advantages they 
 derive from having colonies in both places. 
 
 Hence it is principally, that Brazil is the 
 richeft, mod flourifhing, and moft growing 
 eftablifhment in all America. Their export 
 of fugar within forty years is grown much 
 greater than k was, though anciently it made 
 almoft the whole of their exportable produce, 
 and they were without rivals in the trade. It 
 is finer in kind than what any of ours, the 
 French, or Spanifh fugar plantations fend us. 
 Their tobacco too is remarkably good, though 
 not railed in fo large a quantity as in our colo- 
 nies. The Northern and Southern part of 
 Brazil abounds in horned cattle; thefe are 
 hunted for their hides, of which no lefs than 
 twenty thoufand are fent annually into Eu- 
 rope. 
 
 The Portuguefe were a confiderable time 
 poffeffed of their American empire, before 
 
 they 
 
300 An Account of the European 
 
 they difcovered the treafures of gold and dia- 
 monds, which have fince made it fo confider- 
 able. After the expulfion of the Dutch, 
 the colony remained without much attention 
 from the court of Portugal j until in 1685, a 
 minifter of great fagacity advifed the then 
 monarch to turn his thoughts to fo valuable 
 and confiderable a part of his territories. He 
 reprefented to him, that the climate in the 
 bay of All Saints, where the capital ftood, 
 was of fuch a nature as to deaden the activity 
 ttnd induftry of the people ; but that the 
 Northern and Southern extremities of Brazil 
 in a more temperate climate, invited them 
 to the cultivation of the country. The ad- 
 vice was taken. But becaufe it was found 
 that the infolence and tyranny of the na- 
 tive Portuguefe always excited the hatred of 
 the native Brazilians, and confequently ob- 
 ftructed the fettlements, they were refolved 
 to people the countries, which were now 
 the object of their care, with thofe who 
 are called Meftizes ; that is, a race fprung 1 
 from a mixture of Europeans and Indians, Ij 
 who they judged would behave better • and 1 
 who, on account of their connection in blood, 1 
 would be more acceptable to the Brazilians cn j 
 the borders, who were not yet reduced. To 1 
 compleat this defign, they vefted the govern- < 
 ment in the hands of priefts, who acted each j 1 
 as governor in his own parifh or diftrict. And j 
 
 they 
 
Settlements in America. 301 
 
 they had the prudence to chufe with great 
 care fuch men as were proper for the work. 
 The confequence of thefe wife regulations 
 was foon apparent - 9 for without noife or force, 
 in fifteen years they not only fettled the fea 
 coaft, but drawing in vaft numbers of the 
 natives, they fpread themfelves above an 
 hundred miles more to the Weftward than 
 the Portuguefe lettlements had ever before 
 extended. They opened feveral mines, which 
 improved the revenues ; the planters were 
 eafy, and feveral of the priefts made no incon- 
 fiderable fortunes. 
 
 The fame of thefe new mines drew toge- 
 ther a number of defperadoes and adventurers 
 of all nations and colours, who not agreeing 
 with the moderate and fimple manners of the 
 inhabitants of the new fettlements, nor readily 
 fubmkting to any order or reftraint elfewhere, 
 retired into a mountainous part of the country, 
 but fertile enough, and rich in gold ; where, 
 by the acceffion of others in their own cir- 
 cumftances, they foon became a formidable and 
 independent body, and for a long time defend- 
 ed the privileges they had affumed with great 
 courage and policy. They were called Pau lifts, 
 from the town and diftrid: called St. Paul, 
 which was their head quarters. But as this 
 odd commonwealth grew up in fo uncount- 
 able a manner, fo it pefkhed in a manner alto- 
 gether unknown in this part of the world. It 
 
 is 
 
jo2 An Account of the European 
 
 is now heard of no longer. The king of Portu- 
 gal is in full poffeffion of the whole country ; 
 and the mines are worked by his fubje&s and 
 their flaves, paying him a fifth. Thefe mines 
 have poured almoft as much gold into Europe 
 as the Spanifh America had of filver. 
 
 Not many years after the difcovery of the 
 gold mines, Brazil, which for a century had 
 been given up as a place incapable of yielding the 
 metals for which America was chiefly valued, 
 was now found to produce diamonds tco j but 
 at firft of fo unp omifing a nature, that the 
 working of the mines was forbidden by the 
 court of Portugal, left without making any 
 compenfation by rheir number, they might 
 depreciate the trade which was carried on in 
 thefe ftones from Goa. But in Ipite of this 
 prohibition, a number were from time to 
 time fmuggled from Brazil ; and fome too 
 of fuch great weight, and high luftre, and 
 tranfparency, that they yielded very little to 
 the fineft brought from India. The court 
 now perceived the importance of the trade, 
 and accordingly refolved to permit it, but 
 under fuch reftri&ions as might be fufficiently 
 beneficial to the crown and fubjeft ; and at 
 the fame time preferve the jewels in that 
 fcarcity which makes the principal part o 
 their value. In 1740 the diamond mines were 
 farmed at one hundred and thirty-eight thou 
 fand crufadoes, or about twenty-fix thoufand 
 
 pound 
 
Settlements in America. 303 
 
 pounds fterling annually, with a prohibition 
 againft employing more than fix hundred 
 flaveiat a time in the works. It is pro- 
 bable that this regulation is not very ftridtly 
 complied with, the quantity of diamonds is 
 much increafed, and their value of courfe 
 funk fince that time. It is true, that diamonds 
 of the very firft rank are nearly as dear as 
 ever. None of the diamonds of Brazil 
 have fo high a luftre as the firft rate of 
 Golcnda ; and they have generally fome- 
 thing of a duflcy yellowifh caft 3 but they 
 have been found of a prodigious fize. 
 Some years ago we had an account in 
 the news papers of one fent to the king 
 of Portugal, of a fize and weight almoft 
 beyond the bounds of credibility; for it 
 was faid to weigh fixteen hundred carats, 
 or fix thoufand feven hundred and twenty 
 grains ; and confequently muft be worth 
 feveral millions. 
 
 CHAP. 
 
304 An Account of the European 
 
 CHAP. IV. 
 
 r T~ 1 H E trade of Portugal is carried on 
 upon the fame exclufive plan, on 
 which' the feveral nations of Europe trade 
 with their colonies of America ; and it more 
 particularly refembles the Spanifh method, by 
 fending out not fingle fhips, as the convenien- 
 cy of the feveral places, and the ideas of the 
 European merchants may diredl but by an- 
 nual fleets which fail at ftated times from 
 Portugal, and compofe three floras bound to 
 as many ports in Brazil ; to Fernambucca, in 
 the Northern part ; Rio Janeiro, at the 
 Southern extremity; and the bay of All 
 Saints in the middle. In this laft is the 
 capital, which is called St. Salvador, where 
 all the fleets rendezvous on their return to 
 Portugal. This city commands a noble, fpa- 
 cious, and commodious harbour. It is built 
 upon an high and fteep rock, having the fea 
 upon one fide, and a lake forming a crefcent, 
 inverting it almoft wholly, fo as nearly to 
 join the fea on the other. This ftuation 
 makes it in a manner impregnable by nature • 
 but they have befides added to it very ftrong 
 fortifications. All thefe make it the ftrongeft 
 place in America. It is divided into an up- 
 per and lower town. The lower confifts only 
 of a ftreet or two, immediately upon the har- 
 3 bour, 
 
Settlements in America. 305 
 
 bour, for the convenience of lading and un- 
 lading goods, which are drawn up to the 
 higher town 'by machines. The flreets in 
 the upper town are laid out as regularly as 
 the ground will admit, and are handiomely 
 built. They had forty years ago in this city 
 above two thoufand houfes, and inhabitants 
 proportionable ; a fumptuous cathedral ; feve^- 
 ral magnificent churches ; and many convents, 
 well built and endowed. The Portuguefe 
 fleet fets out )from Lrfbon in it's voyage hither 
 in the month of February. 
 
 I can get no accounts, precife enough to be 
 depended upon, of the towns of Fernambucca, 
 or Paray ba, and the capital of the Rio de Janeiro, 
 to enable me to be particular about them. Let 
 it fuffice that the fleet for the former of thefe 
 fets outs in March; and for the latter in the 
 month of January; but they all rendezvous in 
 the bay of All Saints, to the number of an 
 hundred fail of large mips, about the 
 month of May or June, and carry to Europe 
 a cargo little inferior in value to the treafures 
 of the flota and galleons. The sold alone 
 amounts to near four millions fterling. This is 
 not all extracted from the mines of Brazil 5 but 
 as they carry on a large direct trade with Africa, 
 they bring, efpecially from their fettlement at 
 Mozambique, on t he Eaftern fide of that con- 
 tinent befides their flaves, vaft quantitiesofgold, 
 ebony, and ivory, which goes into the amount 
 
 X of 
 
306 An Accohnt of the European 
 
 of the cargo of the Brazil fleets for Europe. 
 Thofe parts of Brazil which yield gold, are 
 the middle and Northern parts on the Rio 
 Janeiro and Bay of All Saints. They coin a 
 great deal of the gold in America - y that 
 which is coined at Rio Janeiro bears an R, 
 that which is ftruck at the Bay is marked 
 with a B. 
 
 To judge the better of the riches of this 
 Brazil fleet, the diamonds it contains muft 
 not be forgot. For if the mines rented to 
 the crown in the year 1740, at twenty-fix 
 thoufand pounds a year, it will be a very fmall 
 allowance to fay, that at leaft five times 
 more is made out of them ; and that there 
 is returned to Europe in diamonds to at leaft 
 the value of one hundred and thirty thoufand 
 pounds t This, with the fugar, which is 
 principally the cargo of the Fernambucca 
 fleet, the tobacco, the hides, the valuable 
 drugs for medicine and manufa&ures, may 
 give fome idea of the importance of this 
 trade, not only to Portugal, but to all the 
 trading powers of Europe. The returns are 
 not the fiftieth part of the produce of Portugal. 
 They confift of the woollen goods of all 
 kinds of England, France, and Holland, the 
 linens and laces of Holland, France, and 
 Germany - y the filks of France and Italy ; 
 lead, tin, iron, copper, and all forts of uten- 
 fils wrought in thefe metals from England ; as 
 
 3 well 
 
Settlements in America, 307 
 
 well as falt-fifh, beef, flour, and cheefe. Oil 
 they have from Spain. Wine, with fome 
 fruits, is nearly all with which they are fup- 
 plied from Portugal. 
 
 Though the profits in this trade are great, 
 very few Portuguefe merchants trade upon 
 their own flocks ; they are generally credited 
 by the foreign merchants, whofe commodi- 
 ties they vend, especially the Englifh. In 
 fhort, though in Portugal, as in Spain, all 
 trade with their plantations is ftrictly inter- 
 dicted to ftrangers yet, like all regulations 
 that contradict the very nature of the object 
 they regard, they are here as little attended to 
 as in Spain. The Portuguefe is only the 
 truftee and factor ; but his fidelity is equal to 
 that of the Spanifh merchant • and that has 
 fcarce ever been fhaken by any public or 
 private caufe whatfoever. A thing iurprifing 
 in the Portuguefe - } and a miking inftance 
 amongft a people fo far from remarkable 
 for their integrity, of what a cuftom ori- 
 ginally built upon a few examples, and 
 a confequent reputation built upon that, will 
 be able to effect in fucceffion of men of 
 very different natural characters and morals. 
 And fo different is the fpirit of commercial 
 honefty from that of jufiice, as it is an in- 
 dependent virtue, and influences the heart. 
 
 The Englifh at prefent are the mod inte- 
 rred, both in the trade of Portugal for home 
 X 2 con- 
 
308 An Account of the European 
 
 confumption, and of what they want for the 
 ufe of the Brazils. And they deferve to be 
 moft favoured, as well from the fervices they 
 have always done that crown, and from the 
 ftipulations of treaties, as from the confedera- 
 tion that no other people confumes fo much 
 of the products of Portugal. However, partly 
 from our own fupinenefs, partly from the 
 policy and activity of France, and partly 
 from the fault of the Portuguefe themfelves, 
 the French have become very dangerous ri- 
 vals to us in this, as in moft other branches of 
 our trade. It is true, that though the French 
 have advanced fo prodigioufly, and that there 
 is a fpirit of induftry and commerce raifed in 
 moft countries in Europe, our exports of 
 manufactures, or natural products, have by no 
 means lefTened within thefe laft forty years • 
 which can only be explained by the extending 
 our own, and the Spanifh and Portuguefe co- 
 lonies, which increafes the general demand. 
 But though it be true, that we have rather ad- 
 vanced than declined in our commerce upon 
 the whole, yet we ought to take great care not 
 to be deceived by this appearance. For if we 
 have not likewife advanced in as great a pro- 
 portion to what we were before that period, 
 and to our means fmce then, as our neighbours 
 have done in proportion to theirs, as I appre- 
 hend we have not, then, I fay, we have 
 comparatively declined - y and fhall never be 
 
Settlements in America^ 309 
 
 able to preferve that great fuperiority in com- 
 merce, and that diftinguifhed rank of the 
 firft commercial and maritime power in Eu- 
 rope, time mull be effential to preferve 
 us in any degree, either of commerce or 
 power. For if any other power of a more 
 extenfive and populous territory than ours, 
 fhould come to rival us in trade and wealth, 
 he muft come of neceflity to give law to us in 
 whatever relates either to trade or policy. Not- 
 withstanding that, the want of capacity in the 
 minifTers of fuch a power, or the indolence of 
 the fovereign, may protract the evil for a 
 time, it will certainly be felt in the end, 
 and will fhew us demonstratively, though too 
 late, that we muft have a great fuperiority 
 in trade, not only to ourfelves formerly, but to 
 our neighbours at prefent, to have any at all 
 which is likely to continue with us for a long 
 time. 
 
 CHAP. V. 
 
 TH E pourtrait which the moft judi- 
 cious travellers give us of the manners 
 and cuftoms of the Portuguefe in America, is 
 very far from being favourable to that people. 
 They are reprefented as a people at once funk 
 into the moft effeminate luxury, and practising 
 the moft defperate crimes. Of a diffembling 
 hypocritical temper ; of little honefty in deal- 
 ing, cr sincerity in converfation ; lazy, proud, 
 
 and 
 
310 An Account of the European 
 
 and cruel. They are poor and penurious in 
 their diet, not more through neceffity than 
 inclination. For, like the inhabitants of moft 
 Southern climates, they are much more fond 
 of fhew, ftate, and attendance, than of the 
 joys of free fociety, and the fatisfaitions of a 
 good table, Yet their feafts, feldom made, 
 are fumptuous to extravagance. 
 
 The luxury, indolence, pride, and cruelty 
 of the mafters, has, amongft other caufes, 
 been very juftly attributed to their being 
 bred up amongft Haves, having every bufinefs 
 entirely done by fuch; and to their being 
 permitted to keep a prodigious number of 
 negroes, not for their field work, nor for do- 
 me it ic employments, but merely to wait upon 
 them, and to form their train. Thefe be- 
 come more corrupted than their mafters, who 
 make them the inftruments of their crimes; 
 and giving them an unbounded and fcanda- 
 lous licence, employ them whenever they 
 want to terrify or revenge, as bullies and 
 affaffins. And indeed nothing can be con- 
 ceived more fit to create the worft diforders, 
 than the unnatural junftion of flavery to idle- 
 nefs, and a licentious way of living. They 
 are all fuffered to go armed, and there are 
 vaft numbers who have merited or bought 
 their freedom ; and this is fuffered in a coun- 
 try where the negroes are ten to one. 
 
Settlements in America. 311 
 
 But thispi&ure, perhaps too highly coloured 
 for thofe whom it is intended to reprefent, is 
 by no means applicable to all the Portuguefe 
 of Brazil. Thofe by the Rio Janeiro, and in 
 the Northern captainfhips, are not near fo 
 effeminate and corrupted as thofe of the Bay 
 of All Saints, which being in a climate fa- 
 vourable to indolence and debauchery, the 
 capital city, and one of the oldeft fettlements, 
 is in all refpedts worfe than any of the others. 
 
 The government of Brazil is in the viceroy, 
 who refides at St. Salvador. He has two 
 councils, one for criminal, the other for civil 
 affairs ; in both which he prefides. But, to 
 the infinite prejudice of the fettlement, all the 
 delay, chicanery, and multiplied expences 
 incident to the worft part of the law, and 
 pradlifed by the mofl corrupted lawyers, 
 flourish here ; at the fame time that juftice is 
 fo lax, that the greateft crimes often pafs 
 with impunity. Formerly the judges could 
 not legally punifh any Portuguefe with death. 
 And it is not difficult to imagine, how much 
 fuch a licence in fuch a country, mull: have 
 contributed to a corruption, that it may be the 
 bufinefs of fucceffions of good magiftrates, and 
 ages of good difcipline, to reftore to foundnefs. 
 Upon the river of Amazons, the people, who 
 are moftly Indians, and reduced by the priefls 
 fent thither, are ftill under the government of 
 
 thefe 
 
312 An Account of the European, &c. 
 
 thefe paftors. The feveral divifions of this 
 country are called miffions. 
 
 As the Portuguefe have been once difpof- 
 feffed of this country by the Dutch, and once 
 endangered by the French, their misfortunes 
 and dangers have made them wife enough to 
 take very effe&ual meafures for their future fe- 
 curity.St. Salvador is a very ftrong fortification; 
 theyjhave others that are not contemptible; be- 
 fides a good number of European regular troops, 
 of which there are two regiments in St. Salva- 
 dor. The militia too is regimented, amongft 
 whom they reckon fome bodies of Indians, 
 and free negroes ; and indeed at prefent Brazil 
 feems to be in as little danger as the fettlements 
 of any power of America, not only from their 
 own internal ftrength, their remotenefs, and 
 the intolerable heat and unhealthinefs of a 
 great part of the climate, but from the inte- 
 reft that moft of the ftates in Europe who 
 are concerned in that trade, have to keep it in 
 the hands of the Portuguefe. 
 
 End of the First Volume* 
 
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