Indeed, It Can Hardly Be Otherwise;
An Easy Freedom Prevails Among All Ranks Of People; They Feel No Wants
Which They Do Not Enjoy The Means Of Gratifying; And They Live In A Clime
Where The Painful Extremes Of Heat And Cold Are Equally Unknown.
If nature
has been wanting in any thing, it is in the article of fresh water, which
as it is shut up in the bowels of the earth, they are obliged to dig for.
A
running stream was not seen, and but one well, at Amsterdam. At Middleburg,
we saw no water but what the natives had in vessels; but as it was sweet
and cool, I had no doubt of its being taken up upon the island; and
probably not far from the spot where I saw it.
So little do we know of their religion, that I hardly dare mention it. The
buildings called Afiatoucas, before mentioned, are undoubtedly set
apart for this purpose. Some of our gentlemen were of opinion, that they
were merely burying-places. I can only say, from my own knowledge, that
they are places to which particular persons directed set speeches, which I
understood to be prayers, as hath been already related. Joining my opinion
with that of others, I was inclined to think that they are set apart to be
both temples and burying-places, as at Otaheite, or even in Europe. But I
have no idea of the images being idols; not only from what I saw myself,
but from Mr Wales's informing me that they set one of them up, for him and
others to shoot at.
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