TH ΒΟΟΚ Ι. I. The earth HE progrefs of men in discovering and BOOK peopling the various parts of the earth, has been extremely flow. Several ages elapfed fowly peo before they removed far from thofe mild and fer- pled. tile regions in which they were originally placed by their Creator. The occafion of their first general difperfion is known; but we are unacquainted with the course of their migrations, or the time when they took poffeffion of the different countries which they now inhabit. Neither history nor tradition furnish fuch information concerning those remote events, as enables us to trace, with any certainty, the operations of the human race in the infancy of fociety. We may conclude, however, that all the early migrations of mankind were made by VOL. I. B land. Firft migra land. tions by I. BOOK land. The ocean, which furrounds the habitable earth, as well as the various arms of the fea which feparate one region from another, though deftined to facilitate the communication between diftant countries, feem, at first view, to be formed to check the progress of man, and to mark the bounds of that portion of the globe to which nature had confined him. It was long, we may believe, before men attempted to pafs thefe formidable barriers, and became fo fkilful and adventrous as to commit themfelves to the mercy of the winds and waves, or to quit their native fhores in quest of remote and unknown regions. First at NAVIGATION and fhip-building are arts fo wards navi- nice and complicated, that they require the in tempts to gation. genuity, as well as experience, of many fucceffive ages to bring them to any degree of perfection. From the raft or canoe, which first ferved to carry a favage over the river that obftructed him in the chace, to the conftruction of a veffel capable of conveying a numerous crew with fafety to a diftant coaft, the progrefs in improvement is immenfe. Many efforts would be made, many experiments would be tried, and much labour as well as invention would be employed, before men could accomplish this arduous and important undertaking. |