irds also were saved by flying to the high trees and woods. For as
for men, although they had buildings in many places, higher than the
depth of the water, yet that inundation, though it were shallow, had a
long continuance; whereby they of the vale that were not drowned,
perished for want of food and other things necessary.

"So as marvel you not at the thin population of America, nor at the
rudeness and ignorance of the people; for you must account your
inhabitants of America as a young people; younger a thousand years, at
the least, than the rest of the world: for that there was so much time
between the universal flood and their particular inundation. For the
poor remnant of human seed, which remained in their mountains, peopled
the country again slowly, by little and little; and being simple and
savage people, (not like Noah and his sons, which was the chief family
of the earth;) they were not able to leave letters, arts, and civility
to their posterity; and having likewise in their mountainous
habitations been used (in respect of the extreme cold of those regions)
to clothe themselves with the skins of tigers, bears, and great hairy
goats, that they have in those parts; when after they came down into
the valley, and found the intolerable heats which are there, and knew
no means of lighter apparel, they were forced to begin the custom of
going naked, which continueth at this day. Only they take great pride
and delight in the feathers of birds; and this also they took from
those their ancestors of the mountains, who were invited unto it by the
infinite flights of birds that came up to the high grounds, while the
waters stood below. So you see, by this main accident of time, we lost
our traffic with the Americans, with whom of, all others, in regard
they lay nearest to us, we had most commerce.

"As for the other parts of the world, it is most manifest that in the
ages following (whether it were in respect of wars, or by a natural
revolution of time,) navigation did every where greatly decay; and
specially far voyages (the rather by the use of galleys, and such
vessels as could hardly brook the ocean,) were altogether left and
omitted. So then, that part of intercourse which could be from other
nations to sail to us, you see how it hath long since ceased; except it
were by some rare accident, as this of yours. But now of the cessation
of that other part of intercourse, which might be by our sailing to
other nat