Among these Moors, as I was stating, there was, in the time of Philip, a
small society, inhabiting a valley to which there existed no access but
through caverns. This valley is situated between Pitos and Portugos. The
inhabitants of this secluded abode were almost unknown to the Moors
themselves. They spoke a language that was neither Spanish nor Arabic,
and which was thought to be derived from that of the ancient
Carthaginians.
This society had but little increased in numbers: the reason alleged for
which was that the Arabs, their neighbors, and before their time the
Africans, were in the practice of coming and taking from them the young
women.
These poor and humble, but nevertheless happy, people, had never heard
any mention of the Christian or Jewish religions; and knew very little
about that of Mahomet, not holding it in any estimation. They offered
up, from time immemorial, milk and fruits to a statue of Hercules. This
was the amount of their religion. As to other matters, they spent their
days in indolence and innocence. They were at length discovered by a
familiar of the Inquisition. The grand inquisitor had the whole of them
burned. This is the sole event of their history.
The hallowed motives of their condemnation were, that they had never
paid taxes, although, in fact, none had ever been demanded of them, and
they were totally unacquainted with money; that they were not possessed
of any Bible, although they did not understand Latin; and that no person
had been at the pains of baptizing them. They were all invested with the
san benito, and broiled to death with becoming ceremony.
It is evident that this is a specimen of the true system of government;
nothing can so completely contribute to the content, harmony, and
happiness of society.
GOURD OR CALABASH.
This fruit grows in America on the branches of a tree as high as the
tallest oaks.
Thus, Matthew Garo, who is thought so wrong in Europe for finding fault
with gourds creeping on the ground, would have been right in Mexico. He
would have been still more in the right in India, where cocoas are very
elevated. This proves that we should never hasten to conclusions. What
God has made, He has made well, no doubt; and has placed his gourds on
the ground in our climates, lest, in falling from on high, they should
break Matthew Garo's nose.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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