268 POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY 



metal has been produced in that nation, in small quantities, from re- 

 mote antiquity. There are no evidences that India ever possessed any 

 silver mines of note, but in Burmah there have been found extensive 

 slag dumps rich in lead and zinc, and carrying a notable per cent, of 

 the white metal, whence it may be inferred that it was produced there 

 in some quantity at some time in the past. In the little known and 

 very rugged region between Hindustan, the Persian Gulf and the 

 Caspian Sea, embracing the crude nationalities known as Persia, Ar- 

 menia, Afghanistan and Baluchistan, there has been a small production 

 ever since early historic times, and the same may be said of Asia Minor. 

 The Grecian peninsula, however, possessed a silver-producing region of 

 great importance and high antiquity, from which, as early as 1000 B.C., 

 the metal came in notable quantity. There are no known ancient 

 silver-producing districts of any note in Africa, but the Italian penin- 

 sula and Spain yielded the metal in early historic times, the former 

 moderately and the latter very abundantly. In fact, Spain was really 

 the first great silver-mining country of the world. 



More than any other metal silver has been intimately associated 

 with the advance of civilization, or rather of that very important de- 

 partment of human activity that is called commerce, meaning thereby 

 international trade. Authentic history seems to begin with the fact 

 of two comparatively peaceful, industrious and frugal races, occupying 

 the rich valleys of the regions now called India and China; and a lot 

 of turbulent, migratory people in western Asia, eastern Europe and 

 northern Africa, who devoted much of their time and energy to fighting 

 and destroying each others' homes. Between the two was the highest 

 and most difficultly passable mountain chain in the world, known now 

 as the Hindoo Koosh and Himalaya Bange, which for centuries, and per- 

 haps millenniums kept them apart effectively enough to allow each to 

 develop its own peculiarities. The first, which we distinguish as the 

 Orientals, appear to have settled down at a very early period to agri- 

 cultural pursuits, and to such peaceful arts and occupations as were 

 naturally the outgrowth of ruralism. Population grew fast, a crude 

 and quiet, yet strong trading capacity developed, religious advance was 

 marked, but was not of the proselyting kind, was more contemplative 

 and introspective. The arts progressed only to a certain point, and 

 then became stationary. Wealth was attained by industry and accumu- 

 lation mainly, and did not often arise from exploration or conquest. 

 Such luxury and ease as resulted never passed much beyond the barbaric 

 stage. The sciences did not become exact or even organized, and have 

 retained, up to the present day, an air of mysticism. Literature was 

 of the contemplative kind, and produced only a most cumbersome 

 methods of recording itself. 



The second, which we may call the Occidentals, advanced along 



