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8
Royal
Commentaríes,
BooK
I.
CH
A
P. V.
Of
the Govemment, Diét
ánd Cioathing
o[
ihe Anclen!
Indians.
T
Hefe People were ~s batbarous
in
rheir nianrier
of
living in rheit Hou[es and
Hab'irations, as they were in the Worfhip of their Gods, and Sacrifices
~
fuch of r'1ení as obferved any rhing of a Polirical Governmenc, lived in a kind
of
Sociecy, having hou[es near tog,echer, placed wichout order of Screets or Paffages,
appearing rache~ like Pens or Sheepfolds, than humane Habitations : Others,
by
reafon of che Warsand Variances amongíl: themfelves, lived onRocksand Moun–
tains, and places inacceffible far their Enemies; ochers dwelc i little Cocrages,
fcattered over the fields and vallies; and every one feaced himfelf as well as he
thoughr convenient
for
comrhodiGufnefs of Viétuals and Water, whecher
it
were
in Cavesunder ground, or in .rife Hollow ofTrees, the neceffities, racher rhan
che
conveniences of living bei'ng provided
far;
and of_ chis
fon
of People rhere
are
fome yec remaining abouc the Cape of
Paf{au,
as rhe
Chirih1111nM
and ocher Nati–
ons, wfiotn' rhe
lncM
have ¿onquered, and who íl:ill continue rheir ancient barba–
ricy, and favage manners: ·ancf thefe are rhe móíl: ditficulr of any
to
be reduced
ro
the fubjeétion of che
Spaniards,
or che Chriíl:ianReligion;
for
having never
ha<{
Learning, or [caree Language füfficiem
to
underíl:and each other, chey live
llke
Beaíls, wirhout Commtinication, Friend/11ip or Commerce.
Thofe amongíl: rhem who had mofl: of Underíl:anding, or of a Spirit moft
daring , took che privilege toRule.
and
govern cbe ochers ,
whom_he cr~ated
as
his Slaves,
wich fuch
Tyranny and
Cruelty, chat he made
u(e
of thetr W1ves
and
Daughcers at his pleafüre-, al\ things being confounded with War and Ruine.
fo
fome Provinces, chey flead che Caprives taken in War, and wich cheir Skins co–
v:ered rheir Drums, thinking with the found of chem
to
aí·fr-ighc cheir Enemies ;
for their opinion was, th,at when theit Kindred heard che rumbling naife ofchofe
Drúms, they would be immediatdy feized wich fear, and puc
to
flighr. For
che
moíl
pare
chey li:ved by Robberies, and the Spoils each of ocher ; che íl-ronger
preyingúpon che weaker was the <Zaufe of feveral petcy Kings; fome ofwhich per.
haps being
bf
a
mote
gentle nature than ochers, and who created cheir Subjefü
wirh le(s tigotlr and cruelty, were far char reafon adored by chem for Gods, fra–
mlng
to'
rhem'felves fome reprefentation of Divinity in che good aétions of foch
men, who had fome allaysin their cruel an,d cyr~nnical Government.
In
other pares,
they lived with'oat Lords,
or
order of
a
Common-wealch ; bue like fo many Sheep
pa/Tud cogether in al! íimplicicy; noc thacVertue moderaced cheir malice, but
their íl:upidity and ignorance made them fen(eleís and uncapable of good
or
evil.
Their manner of Cloathing, or covering rheir Bodies, were in fomeCountriéS
as immodeíl: as they were riaiculous; cheir Diet alfo was fo foul and barbarous,
tbat we, whd know berter, may wonder ac rhe beaíl:ialicy. In rhe hot Coun–
tries, which were moíl: fruitfull, they fowed lictle or nochincr, but contented
-themfelves wich Herbs _and Roots, aod
v.
ild Fruits , and
wich
rhat which the
Earch produced of it íelr, for they, requiring no more chao natural fü!1enance,
li–
ved wich lictle, and
creat.edno accidtmal neceffities for fupporc of Life.
In
fome
Countries chey were fuch great lovers of .Man's Flefh, chac when cheywere
kil–
lingan
Jndi,m,
rheywould fuck his bloud ;'!c cheWound rheyhad given him ; and
when chey qnarcered his body, they would lick cheir fingers, rhacnocone drop
of bloud füould be waíl:ed : in their Sliambles chey cornrnonly fold Mens Bodies,
mí!king Saufages of cheir Guts, fiuffing chem wich fle/11, thac norhing might
be
10ft.
Peter
o[
Ciecd
in che 26th Chapcer of his Bock, declares
fo
much, and
af·
firms, chac
he
faw it wich his own Eyes; and chac fo far cheir gluccony
pro·
vok€d t\1€m in chis kind, chat chey did noc[pare chofe very Children, which they
begot