true enjoyment of their benevolence confidered, that minds elevated like increased by the blessing being confer his, capable of exertions beyond be red unfeen? Would not the omnipo- lief, need relaxation from severity of tence of Britain be demonftrated to ftudy, perhaps more than the hind, the wonder of nations, by stretching whofe mouth never receives but what its mighty arm across the deep, and the fweat of his brow procures, does faving by its fiat diftant millions from from his labour. The difficulties he deftruction? And would the bleffings may have encountered in pecuniary of the people thus faved diffipate in matters are more chargeable to the empty air? No! If I may dare to ufe goodness of his heart than the extra the figure, we fhall conftitute Heaven vagance of his conduct: an amiable itfelf our proxy, to receive for us the weakness, that harbours no fufpicion, bleflings of their pious gratitude, and and makes him too prone to believe the prayers of their thanksgiving. In his private character, Mr Sheridan is humane and generous in the extreme; focial in his temper, and friendly in his habits; and, when in his power, more ready to confer than folicit a favour. He has been charged with indolence; but perhaps those who have attributed this to him have little men what he wishes them. On the whole, it appears his public charac ter is irreproachable, his abilities fu per-eminent, uniting in one the first dramatic writer with the most accom plished orator of his time; and to his private, we may justly fay with Goldsmith, His very failings lean to Virtue's fide. Ulloa's Account of the Indigenous Inhabitants of America.-Continued. HE huts of the American In- cepting the dimenfions, which vary what lower than the height of a man. The walls are raifed perpendicularly, and covered with a contexture of branches in the form of a pyramid: around the interior circle of the hut they range a kind of fcaffolding, over which they throw the fkins of animals taken in chace. This ferves for their fleeping place. In the middle is the fire. The only opening is the door, which has no more height or width than is abfolutely neceffary for an entrance. The fmoke therefore has no other iffue than partly thro' this, and partly thro' the interftices of the branches that form the roof. The materials of their huts are either mud and stones, or when stones are not at hand, timber, with the interstices filled up with mud. A few niches conftructed in the inner part of the wall ferve as the only repofitories of the few articles of furniture which they poffefs. ExVOL. VII. No 39. in the family, the construction of every but is the fame. Each tribe has alfo a common hut, furnished with the fame fcaffolding in the inner part of the walls. This is neceffarily of much larger dimenfions than the others, and differs also in its shape, which is either fquare or rectangular. Here the whole tribe af fembles to deliberate about their common interefts, and to appoint the time of fetting out on their expeditions of hunting or fifhing. Here they arrange the feparate parties in fuch expeditions, appoint the quarters they are to occupy, and fix the time of their return. Here too they settle their plans of hoftile incurfion, either upon their neighbouring tribes, or upon the colonies of Europeans: in a word, every thing which relates to the general in tereft of the community. It is alfo in this common hut that they affemble for for their public diverfions, that is, to drink and dance. The upper part of the building ferves as a granary, where they depofit the maize, and the calabathes of the former harvest. The ordinary huts are placed at random, without any regard to the formation of streets, or regular rows, and the favourite fituation is commonly along the banks of a river. The civilized Indians of Peru conftruct their lodgings in the fame manner, and have also a common place of meeting in order to fettle the plans of the community. When thefe meetings are conducted under proper regulations, fo as to prevent the abufes into which they are apt to degenerate, they are found to be of advantage to the civil government. They furnith a means of keeping them in obedience, the more effectual that it coincides with their national habits. Proper objects are fuggefted for their confideration; laudable, or at leaft innocent modes of occupation are propofed to them, which may divert their natural propenfity to mifchief and diforder. With this view, both the civil and ecclefiaftical minifters of government keep a watchful eye over thefe affemblies, and are careful that no improper fubject of confultation be moved in them. Certain trusty Indians are employed as fpies to report all that paffes at their meetings: and whenever it is fufpected that they are likely to devife any mischief, the judges or curates repair thither, diffolve the affembly, and inflict fome gentle punishment on the authors of fuch improper fuggeftions. This degree of attention generally fuffices to defeat their machinations. Stricter precautions are ufed, and more fevere penalties inflicted, when information is procured of any deep-laid plot against the government. It is impoffible to prevail on thefe people to renounce their ancient habits; the attempt would be attended with the utmost danger. Were an interdict to be iffued against thefe open affemblies, they would hold them by night, and in remote places, where it would be impoffible to learn their deliberations. The labour of the mines is not at all hurtful to the Indians of Peru. The averfion of those who are made to work in them proceeds entirely from their indolence, and would be the fame with refpect to any other kind of employment. Repeated obfervation has fhewn, that, were they left to their own choice, they would occupy themfelves in nothing beyond the little agriculture which they prac tife, as is the cafe with all the independent tribes. Neither are the fervices required of them in the employments of pafturage and agriculture at all oppreffive, fo far as they are regulated by the prescriptions of government. Even the manufactures in which their labours are exacted would involve no great hardfhips, if individual matters would moderate the talk which they lay on them, and encourage them by a more adequate recompence. But many of thefe confider nothing but their own intereft, and overlook the obligations of humanity with respect to their workmen. From this, and not from any feverity in the regulations of government, has arifen the diminution of the fpecies. The only remedy for this evil, would be to liberate thefe Indians from all obligation to labour, and to employ free people taken from among the Metifs, and other caftes. who are entirely without employment. An edict ought to be iffued, threatening, on the part of the government, all vagrant and idle perfons with perpetual imprifonment, and withdrawing from individual employers the liberty of punifhing their workmen at pleasure. In a word, the fame measures ought to be adopted that are established with refpect to the manufacturers of Europe. It is well known that penal fanctions are neceffary for keeping them in order: But this does not prevent thefe penalties penalties from being moderate, and in the power of the magiftrate only to inflict. Such chaftifements would be far more effectual for correcting their propenfities to idlenefs and diforder, than the capricious and arbitrary ones inflicted by idividual employers. Punifhments, in this cafe, would never be carried to an excefs of cruelty, the forms of law would tend to open the eyes of the offenders to their faults, and the refentment they now feel at the cruelty of individuals, would change into a falutary apprehenfion of the fe verities of law. It appears then, in oppofition to the general belief, that it is not expedient for individual mafters to poffefs a defpotical power over their workmen. It is however true, that a kind of perpetual compulfion must be ufed with thefe people, not only for the fake of their master's interest, but even for their own, in what concerns the common fowing of their lands, and other occupations that relate to their clothing. Reafonable motives have no influence with them, every fpecies of labour is contrary to their inclinations, and force must be used to procure the proportion of work exacted of the different bands into which they are arranged. The work which an Indian performs in a day is hardly equal to what an ordinary European labourer would perform in half the time. Yet it is not that they want ftrength, but that their extreme indolence feems, as it were, to benumb all their powers. Those who remain in their primitive condition, occupy themselves in nothing but the neceffary talks of hunting and fifhing to procure their food. As long as the provifion procured by thefe means lafts, they furrender themfeves to abfolute inaction. The conquered Indians fow their Jands in common. All that belong to one parish, raen, women, and children, convene, and form what they call a Chaco. Six or eight Europeans could in one day do more, without any exceffive exertion, than all this numerous company. They carry with them to the field their flutes and drums, with a plentiful provision of liquor. They work, they eat, and they drink to the found of these inftruments; they repofe themfelves by turns, and the whole parade of their united labours amounts only to a day or two of amufement. The cafe is the fame in the Harveft, fo that the greater part of the crop is frequently confumed in the time of reaping. No confideration whatever could bring them toge ther, without the attractions of drinking and dancing. Thofe who do not know from experience the character, genius, and difpofitions of the American Indians, might imagine that there was a degree of tyranny in making them work fo hard, especially in the mines. But this is a mistake. There is, with re-, fpect to every nation on earth, a certain form of government, and mode of legiflation correfponding to their peculiar character, which are abfolutely neceffary to the maintenance of their public happinefs and good order. But the characters and inclinations of the Indians are fo different from those of every other people, that no ordinary ftandard of legiflation is applicable to them. The immoderate ufe of fpirituous liquors deftroys more of them in one year, than the labour of the mines does in fifty, even including thofe who fuffer by extraordinary accidents, fuch as the falling in of the earth. In fact, the ordinary manufactures are much more deftructive than the labour of the mines: for in fpite of all the precautions of government in appointing infpectors to vifit thefe manufactures from time to time, the workmen employed in them too often experience unjuftifiable cruelties from their mafters. Notwithstanding all that they fuffer from Europeans, the Indians ftill confider themfelves as a race of men far Y a fupere 170 Account of the Discovery of the Mines of Potofi, in South America. fuperior to their conquerors. This proud belief, arifing from their perverted ideas of excellence, is univerfal over the whole known continent of America. They do not think it poffible that any people can be fo intelligent as themselves. When they are detected in any of their plots, it is their common obfervation, that the Spaniards, or Viracochas, want to be as knowing as they are. Thofe of Louifiana and the countries adjacent, are equally vain of their fuperior underftanding, confounding that quality with the cunning which they themselves conftantly practife. The whole object of their tranfactions is to over-reach thofe with whom they deal. Yet though faithless themselves, they never forgive the breach of promise on the part of others. While the Europeans feek their amity by presents, they give themselves no concern to fecure a reeiprocal friendship. Hence, probably, arifes their idea, that they must be a fuperior race of men, in ability and intelligence, to those who are at fuch pains to court their alliance, and avert their enmity. The free tribes of Savages who enter into conventions with the Europeans, are accustomed to make long, pompous, and, according to their own notions, fublime harangues, but without any method or connection. The whole is a collection of disjointed metaphors and comparifons. The light, heat, and courfe of the fun, form the principal topic of their difcourfe; and thefe unintelligible reafonings are always accompanied with violent and ridiculous gestures. Numberless repetitions prolong the oration, which, if not interrupted, would last whole days: At the fame time, they meditate very accurately before hand, in order to avoid mentioning any thing but what they are defirous to obtain. This pompous faculty of making fpeeches is alfo one of the grounds on which they conceive themselves to be fuperior to the nations of Europe: They imagine that it is their cloquence that procures them the favours they afk. The fubjected Indians con verfe precifely in the fame ftile. Prolix and tedious, they never know when to ftop; fo that, excepting by the difference in language, it would be im poffible, in this refpect, to diftinguish a civilized Peruvian from an inhabi tant of the most favage districts to the northward, Account of the Discovery of the Mines of Potoli, in South America *. HE famous Mountain of Potofi, in the province of Charcas and kingdom of Peru, is fituated in twenty-one degrees forty minutes South latitude, confequently within what is called the Torrid Zone. Notwithftanding this fituation, the climate there is colder than in Flanders or in Old Caftile. This degree of cold is Owing to the great height of the land, and to the piercing winds which blow from all quarters, efpecially that called Tomahavi, which reigns during the months of May, June, July, and Auguft. The country around is parched, barren, and naturally uninhabitable but the attraction of filver, and the violent defires of mankind for that preci ous metal, have contributed to render it the most populous diftrict of the whole kingdom. All the neceffaries and conveniencies of life abound there in confequence of the ready market which it fupplies. The mountain is of an obfcure reddifh colour. Its general afpect is agreeable. The fhape is co nical, Tranflated from Obfervations and Additions aux Difcours de Don Ulloa; par 1. G. Schneider, ical, and the fummit far above that of all the neighbouring mountains. The road, though very fteep, is practicable on horfeback to the very top, which terminates in an obtufe vertex; having, at the bafe of this highest point, a circumference of fixteen hundred Varas, or a quarter of a Spanish league. On the fide of the mountain is to be feen an eminence, where there were formerly feveral excavations which yielded a species of foft mineral, found in unconnected parcels, and not in any regular vein. Thefe minerals were very rich, but in fmall quantities. The eminence that produced them was called, in the language of the Indians, Huayna Potofi, or Potofi the Younger. Near to this eminence begin the dwellings of the Spaniards and Indians, who have settled there in order to fhare in the profit or lofs of the mines contain ed in the mountain. The whole range of dwellings is about two leagues in circuit. This is the centre of all the commerce of Peru. The Incas did not caufe thefe mines to be wrought, but only thofe of Por co, which are about the distance of fix leagues from Potofi. It is probable they did not know them; for the other reafons that are alledged are no better than fables. What follows is the account of the discovery of those mines about twelve years after the arrival of the Spaniards in South America. An Indian, named Hualpa, a native of Chumbibilca in the province of Cufco, was purfuing fome wild goats, who directed their flight streight upon the mountain of Potofi, then almost entirely covered with trees of the fpecies called Quinua, and other fhrubs of different kinds. The Indian continuing his pursuit, arrived at a steep and difficult path which led to the heights of the mountain. Taking hold of a branch to affift him in climbing, his weight tore up the tree, the roots of which brought up with them portions of a very rich ore. It happened that the Indian was acquainted with the labour of the mines. He therefore examined the ground furrounding the vein thus accidentally difcovered, and having gathered fome pieces of de ached mi neral which the action of the fun and of the waters had rendered almost undiftinguishable, he carried them to Porco, in order to make the affay of their quality by fire. The experiment ha ving afcertained their excellent quali→ ty, he continued his researches, dig ging fecretly in the mountain, without communicating the difcovery to any other perfon. This continued until another Indian, called Huanca, of the valley of Xauria, obferved that the ore which Hualpa melted was different from that of the mines of Porco; that, befides, Hualpa formed larger lingots from his ore, and that he appeared much easier than formerly in his circumstances. On thefe grounds, he importuned him with fuch earnest and repeated inquiries, that at length Hualpa, after ha ving enjoyed his difcovery for two months without a rival or partner, confented to take the other with him, and communicate the treasure that had enriched him. Having led him to the fpot, he fhewed him, both the first vein, fince diftinguished by the appellation of the Rich, and another which he had discovered afterwards, and which he gave up to the poffeffion of his companion. This laft vein lies at no great distance from the former, and is that called Diego Centeno. It is equally rich with the other, having only the difadvantage of being more hard in the operation of reducing to the pure metal. Having agreed upon thefe terms, they returned to their ha bitations. Huanca, however, foon became fenfible of the difficulties attending the procefs of the vein that had fallen to his poffeffion. The other was obstinate in refufing to impart any fhare of his. A quarrel arofe, and Huanca difcovered |
