Great Britain, who commanded for several years at Matagrosso, a settlement of the Portuguese in the interior part of Brazil, where the Indians are numerous, and their original manners little altered by intercourse with Europeans, was pleased to send me very full answers to some queries concerning the character and institutions of the natives of America, which his polite reception of an application made to him in my name, encouraged me to propose. These satisfied me, that he had contemplated with a discerning attention the curious objects which his situation presented to his view, and I have often followed him as one of my best instructed guides. M. Suard, to whose elegant translation of the History of the Reign of Charles V. I owe the favourable reception of that work on the continent, procured me answers to the same queries from M. de Bougainville, who had opportunities of observing the Indians both of North and South America, and from M. Godin le Jeune, who resided fifteen years among the Indians in Quito, and twenty years in Cayenne. The latter are more valuable from having been examined by M. de la Condamine, who, a few weeks before his death, made some short additions to them, which may be considered as the last effort of that attention to science which occupied a long life. My inquiries were not confined to one region in America. Governor Hutchinson took the trouble of recommending the consideration of my queries to Mr. Hawley and Mr. Brainerd, two protestant missionaries employed among the Indians of the Five Nations, who favoured me with answers which discover a considerable knowledge of the people whose customs they describe. From William Smith, Esq. the ingenious historian of New York, I received some useful information. When I enter upon the History of our Colonies in North America, I shall have occasion to acknowledge how much I have been indebted to many other gentlemen of that country. From the valuable collection of voyages made by Alexander Dalrymple, Esq. with whose attention to the history of navigation and discovery the public is well acquainted, I have received some very rare books, particularly two large volumes of memorials, partly manuscript and partly in print, which were presented to the court of Spain during the reigns of Philip III. and Philip IV. From these I have learned many curious particulars with respect to the interior state of the Spanish Colonies, and the various schemes formed for their improvement. All those books and manuscripts I have consulted with that attention which the respect due from an author to the public required; and by minute references to them I have endeavoured to authenticate whatever I relate. The longer I reflect on the nature of historical composition, the more I am convinced that this scrupulous accuracy is necessary. The historian who records the events of his own time, is credited in proportion to the opinion which the public entertains with respect to his means of information and his veracity. He who delineates the transactions of a remote period, has no title to claim assent, unless he produces evidence in proof of his assertions. Without this he may write an amusing tale, but cannot be said to have composed an authentic history. In those sentiments I have been confirmed by the opinion of an author,* whom his industry, erudition, and discernment, have deservedly placed in a high rank among the most eminent historians of the age. Imboldened by a hint from him, I have published a catalogue of the Spanish books which I have consulted. This practice was frequent in the last century, and was considered as an evidence of laudable industry in an author; in the present, it may, perhaps, be deemed the effect of ostentation; but, as many of these books are unknown in Great Britain, I could not otherwise have referred to them * Mr. Gibbon. + It has not been thought necessary to retain this catalogue of Spanish books and manuscripts in the present edition. as authorities, without encumbering the page with an insertion of their full titles. My readers will observe, that in mentioning sums of money, I have uniformly followed the Spanish method of computing by pesos. In America, the peso fuerte, or duro, is the only one known; and that is always meant when any sum imported from America is mentioned. The peso fuerte, as well as other coins, has varied in its numerary value; but I have been advised, without attending to such minute variations, to consider it as equal to four shillings and sixpence of our money. It is to be remembered, however, that in the sixteenth century the effective value of a peso, i. e. the quantity of labour which it represented, or of goods which it would purchase, was five or six times as much as at present. CONTENTS. Progress of navigation among the ancients. View of their discoveries Birth and education of Columbus-acquires naval skill in the service of Portugal-conceives hopes of reaching the East Indies by holding a westerly course--his system founded on the ideas of the ancients, and knowledge of their navigation-and on the discoveries of the Portuguese. His negotiations with different courts. Obstacles which he had to surmount in Spain. Voyage of discovery-diffi- culties-success-return to Spain. Astonishment of mankind on this discovery of a New World. Papal grant of it. Second voyage. Colony settled. Farther discoveries. War with the Indians. First tax imposed on them. Third voyage. He discovers the continent. State of the Spanish colony. Errors in the first system of colo- nizing. Voyage of the Portuguese to the East Indies by the Cape of Good Hope. Effects of this. Discoveries made by private ad- venturers in the New World. Name of America given to it. Machi- nations against Columbus-disgraced and sent in chains to Europe. Fourth voyage of Columbus. His discoveries-disasters-death. 48 State of the colony in Hispaniola. New war with the Indians. Cru- elty of the Spaniards. Fatal regulations concerning the condition of the Indians. Diminution of that people. Discoveries and settle- ments. First colony planted on the continent. Conquest of Cuba. Discovery of Florida-of the South Sea. Great expectations raised by this. Causes of disappointment with respect to these for some time. Controversy concerning the treatment of the Indians. Con- trary decisions. Zeal of the ecclesiastics, particularly of Las Casas. Singular proceedings of Ximenes. Negroes imported into America. Las Casas's idea of a new colony-permitted to attempt it-unsuc- View of America when first discovered, and of the manners and policy most probable. Condition and character of the Americans. All, the Mexicans and Peruvians excepted, in the state of savages. Inquiry confined to the uncivilized tribes. Difficulty of obtaining information-various causes of this. Method observed in the inquiry. I. The bodily constitution of the Americans considered. II. The qualities of their minds. III. Their domestic state. IV. Their political state and institutions. V. Their system of war and public security. VI. The arts with which they were acquainted. VII. Their religious ideas and institutions. VIII. Such singular and detached customs as are not reducible to any of the former heads. IX. General review and estimate of their virtues and defects BOOK V. History of the conquest of New Spain by Cortes BOOK VI. 176 History of the conquest of Peru by Pizarro-and of the dissensions and civil wars of the Spaniards in that country. Origin, progress, and effects of these 385 BOOK VII. View of the institutions and manners of the Mexicans and Peruvians, Civilized states in comparison of other Americans. Recent origin of the Mexicans. Facts which prove their progress in civilization. View of their policy in its various branches-of their arts. Facts which indicate a small progress in civilization. What opinion should be formed on comparing those contradictory facts. Genius of their religion. Peruvian monarchy more ancient. Its policy founded on religion. Singular effects of this. Peculiar state of property among the Peruvians. Their public works and arts-roads-bridges-buildings. Their unwarlike spirit. Cursory view of other dominions of Spain in America. Cinaloa and Sonora. California. Yucatan and Honduras. Chili. Tucuman. Kingdom of Tierra Firme. kingdom of Granada BOOK VIII. New 464 View of the interior government, commerce, &c. of the Spanish colonies. Depopulation of America-first effect of their settlementsnot the consequence of any system of policy-nor to be imputed to religion. Number of Indians still remaining. Fundamental maxims on which the Spanish system of colonization is founded. Condition of different orders of men in their colonies-Chapetones-CreolesNegroes-Indians. Ecclesiastical state and policy. Character of secular and regular clergy. Small progress of Christianity among the natives. Mines chief object of their attention. Mode of working these their produce. Effects of encouraging this species of industry. Other commodities of Spanish America. First effects of this new commerce with America on Spain. Why the Spanish colonies have not been as beneficial to the parent state as those of other nations. Errors in the Spanish system of regulating this commerceconfined to one port--carried on by annual fleets. Contraband trade. Decline of Spain both in population and wealth. Remedies proposed. View of the wise regulations of the Bourbon princes. A new and more liberal system introduced-beneficial effects of this -probable consequences. Trade between New Spain and the Philippines. Revenue of Spain from America-whence it arises-to what it amounts 502 |