Conjectures when, and bcnv, America wasjirft fettled. 2 J 9-
readers as may diflent from my opinion of the Indian American origin and defcent, ought to inform us how the natives came here, and by what means they formed the long chain of rites, cuftoms, &c. fo fimilar to the ufage of the Hebrew nation, and in general diffimilar to the modes, &c. of the Pagan world.
Ancient writers do not agree upon any certain place, where the Ophfr of Solomon lay ; it muft certainly be a great diftance from Joppa, for it was a three years voyage. After the death of Solomon, both the Ifraelites and Tyrians feem to have utterly difcontinued their trading voyages to that part of the world. Eufebius and Eupolemus fay, that David fent to Urphe, an ifland in the red fea, and brought much gold into Judea j and Ortelius reckons this to have been Ophir : though, agreeably to the opinion of the greater part of the modern literati, he alfo conjectures Cephala, or Sophala, to have been the Ophir of Solomon. Junins imagines it was in Aurea Cherfonefus ; Tremellius and Niger are of the fame opinion. But Vatablus reckons it was Hifpaniola, difcovered, and named fo by Colum bus : yet Poftellus, Phil. Mornay, Arias Montanus, and Goropius, are of opinion that Peru is the ancient Ophir; fo widely different are their conjec tures. Ancient hiftory is quite filent, concerning America ; which indicates that it has been time immemorial rent afunder from the African continent,, according to Plato's Timeus. The north-eaft: parts of Afia alfo were undifcovered, till of late. Many geographers have flretched Afia and Ame rica fo far, as to join them together : and others have' divided thofe two quarters of the globe, at a great diftance from each other. But the Ruffians, after feveral dangerous attempts, have clearly convinced the world, that they are now divided, and yet have a near communication together, by a nar row ftrait, in which feveral iflands are fituated ; through which there is an eafy pafiage from the north-eaft of Afia to the north-weft of America by the way of Kamfchatfkai which probably joined to the north- weft point of America. By this paflage, fuppofing the main continents were fepa- rated, it was very practicable for the inhabitants to go to this extcnfive- new world ; and afterwards, to have proceeded in queft of fuitable climates,. according to the law of nature, that directs every creature to fuch climes as are moft convenient and agreeable.
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