either suspicion or treachery. Except a few traces of natural cunning, and some traces of dissimulation, equally artless and inoffensive, they posess the most perfect simplicity of character. Otaheite alone, it is supposed, can send out 1720 war canoes, and 68,000 able men. The chief of each district superintends the equipping of the fleet in that district; but they must pass in review before the king, so that he may know the state of the whole before they assemble to go on service. They are remarkable for their cleanliness; for both men, women and children constantly wash their whole bodies in running water, three times every day. Their language is soft and melodious and abounds with vowels.
The inhabitants of Otaheite believe in one Supreme Deity, but at the same time acknowledge a variety of subordinate deities; they offer up their prayers without the use of idols, and believe the existence of the soul in a separate state, where there are two situations, of different degrees of happiness. The inhabitants of all these islands are blacks, generally above the middle size, with fine open countenances and good shape. The climate is similar to that of the West Indies.
Africa once contained several kingdoms and states, eminent for the liberal arts, for wealth and power, and the most extensive commerce. The kingdoms of Egypt and Ethiopia, in particular were much celebrated; and the rich and powerful state of Carthage, that once formidable rival to Rome itself, extended her commerce to every part of the then known world.
Greece, Europe and North and South America, were Settled by the Descendants of Egypt. We learn from the ancient history of Europe that the first people known to have lived there were the Grecians, who occupied a small space of country on the Mediterranean. It is supposed to have been near 2500 years from the creation of the world, and about 3396 years to this period, that Greece was first settled by a colony from Egypt, led out by the celebrated Anthony, or Cecrops Egyptians, who conducted thither an Egyptian colony from the Nile, 1556 years B.C.
