After what has been said, it will seem very strange that the same Author, who has given one of the best Accounts of the Indies, in the same Book, Chap. 219. says, that the Indians of America were made and declared Slaves to the Spaniards, for these Reasons that they eat Piojos, and Gusanos (our very Cossi before mentioned from the corrupted word Cusi) Crudos, that they intoxicated themselves with their kinds of Wines, that is of Maiz, &c. and smoak of Tobacco, and that they were without Beards, and if they had any grew, they pluck'd them out. These Reasons, though appearing small, yet were the only Pretences, according to their own Historians, of driving them to Slavery in Mines, where the greatest part of them perished. And if any compassionate Person oppos'd these inhuman Proceedings, such was the Power of Interest, as to bring him speedily to the like end, as appears by the sad Story of Bartholomeo de las Casas.
The most common Drink here is Water. 'Tis reckoned the most wholesome Drink by many, amongst whom I am one. 'Tis a common Custom to drink a large Draught of Water in the Morning here, which is thought to prevent the Belly-ach; it may very well be, in that not only it may cool the inflam'd Blood, creating a Rhumatism, (very often taken for, and almost always join'd with the true Belly-ach,) but that also it may clear the Guts of some sower, or sharp parts that may lie in them, the Relicks of Lime-juice, or other Heterogeneous or Morbifick Matter lodg'd in any of their Cells, and 'tis the more proper for this, in that 'tis a Menstruum very fit to dissolve, as well as dilute all saline and acid Substances, and that it may by its fluidity run into every corner of these Passages through which it must go. And therefore in large quantities drank, it may be affirm'd to be the best Counter Poison.
The Spittle, and Excretions of the Glandulæ of the Ventricle and Guts, are known to be the chief dissolvents of our Victuals, to which Water, by its Analysis, seems to be next a kin. It dissolves all sorts of Food, making them soft, and into a Gelly (which parts Nature seems to want) whereas Wine is for those Gelatinas a very improper, if not impossible Menstruum. 'Tis every where ready at hand to all Mankind, and all Sanguineous Animals coming near the Structure of Mankind, make use of no other with their good wills. Water when put into the Stomach, dissolves what ever is nourishable in our Victuals, carries it through the Venæ Lactæ into the Blood, increases the Lympha, to dilute the Chyle, and then goes off without leaving any Heterogeneous parts in the Blood or Stomach, whereas Wine or vinous Liquors do not that. Negros, Indians, Mahumetans, and a great part of Mankind know not the use of this Wine or vinous Liquors, and yet look fresher, and are much healthier than we. TheNorthern
