ong a Time,
whilst covered with a great Thickness of dry Earth, and kept from Air;
to which when they are exposed they soon decay.

The best true Account that we have of the Primitive wild Inhabitants of
the Earth, not civilized by Government, nor assisted by Learning, Arts
and Communication with Strangers, is of the _Canaanites_; whose State of
Nature the _Indians_ still retain, resembling them in most Respects, who
may be their Cousins descended from _Joktan_, and may be some cursed
Generations, for Reasons hidden from us. For which Causes they might be
separated from the rest of Mankind, and be debarred the Light of
_Grace_, and kept in their barbarous Ignorance, for their obstinate
Rebellion against _God_; till of his gracious Goodness and Mercy he be
pleased in his appointed Time to compleat their Conversion, and be more
favourable to them.

I have a much truer and clearer Notion of the _Canaanites_, _Hebrews_,
&c. since I have seen the _Indians_, than I could have before, who
afford living Examples of the primitive _Savages_, and _Idolaters_.

To confirm this, observe; that as the Inhabitants of the Land of
_Canaan_, who were vanquished by the _Israelites_, and were principally
descended from _Canaan_ the fourth Son of accursed _Ham_, being a
Mixture of several remarkable Nations that were great and idolatrous,
and in an especial Manner hateful to God, with frequent Wars and
Barbarities among themselves; in like Manner are the _American Indians_,
as savage, idolatrous, unbelieving, numerous, monstrous, idle and
delighting in War and Cruelty as their antient Relations the Inhabitants
of the Land of _Canaan_; and have as many different Nations, Languages,
and strange Names and Customs as the _Canaanites_, the _Jebusites_, the
_Hittites_, the _Hivites_, the _Perizites_, and the _Gergisites_. The
_Indians_ being subdivided into as many Branches and Sovereignties as
they, intermixt with as hideous Neighbours, as the Gigantick
_Philistines_ of the Race of _Misraim_; with the _Moabites_ and
_Amorites_, Descendants of _Lot_ by his own Daughters; with the
_Midianites_ and _Edomites_, the Posterity of _Midian_ and _Esau_.

The _Senecaa Indians_ in their War Dress may appear as terrible as any
of the Sons of _Anak_. The _Usherees_, _Shuterees_, and _Cherackees_ are
full as formidable as the _Hittites_, _Jebusites_, and _Amalakites_; and
a _Tuskaroodau_ is as savage and strange as any _Canaanite_, that dwelt
by the Sea; a