It Is Wonderful,
What Has Occasion'd So Many Different Speeches As The Savages Have.
{Tartarian Hurds.} The Three Nations I Now Mention'd,
Do Not Live Above Ten Leagues Distant, And Two Of Them,
Viz.
The Tuskeruro's and the Woccon, are not two Leagues asunder;
yet their Speech differs in every Word thereof, except one,
which is Tsaure, Cockles, which is in both Tongues the same,
and nothing else.
Now this Difference of Speech causes
Jealousies and Fears amongst them, which bring Wars, wherein they destroy
one another; otherwise the Christians had not (in all Probability)
settled America so easily, as they have done, had these Tribes of Savages
united themselves into one People or general Interest, or were they so
but every hundred Miles. In short, they are an odd sort of People
under the Circumstances they are at present, and have some such uncouth Ways
in their Management and Course of Living, that it seems a Miracle to us,
how they bring about their Designs, as they do, when their Ways
are commonly quite contrary to ours. I believe, they are (as to this Life)
a very happy People; and were it not for the Feuds amongst themselves,
they would enjoy the happiest State (in this World) of all Mankind.
They met with Enemies when we came amongst them; for they are
no nearer Christianity now, than they were at the first Discovery,
to all Appearance. {Indians learn of the Europeans.}
They have learnt several Vices of the Europeans, but not one Vertue,
as I know of.
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