6 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



to charm the female; though, there is no evidence forthcoming 

 that this is the case. When we remember that in the forms near- 

 est to the human the chimpanzees and the gorilla there is noth- 

 ing which approaches even thus far toward musical utterance, we 

 see that the hypothesis has next to none of that support which 

 ought to be forthcoming. Indeed in his Descent of Man, vol. ii, 

 p. 332, Mr. Darwin himself says : " It is a surprising fact that we 

 have not as yet any good evidence that these organs are used by 

 male mammals to charm the female : " an admission which amounts 

 to something like a surrender. 



Even more marked is the absence of proof when we come to 

 the human race itself or rather, not absence of proof but pres- 

 ence of disproof. Here, from the Descriptive Sociology, where the 

 authorities will be found under the respective heads, I quote a 

 number of testimonies of travelers concerning primitive music; 

 commencing with those referring to the lowest race. 



" The songs of the natives [of Australia] . . . are chiefly made 

 on the spur of the moment, and refer to something that has struck 

 the attention at the time." " The Watchandies seeing me much 

 interested in the genus Eucalyptus soon composed a song on this 

 subject." The Fuegians are fond of music and generally sing in 

 their boats, doubtless keeping time, as many primitive peoples do. 

 " The principal subject of the songs of the Araucanians is the 

 exploits of their heroes : " when at work their " song was simple, 

 referring mostly to their labor," and was the same " for every 

 occasion, whether the burden of the song be joy or sorrow." The 

 Greenlanders sing of " their exploits in the chase " and " chant 

 the deeds of their ancestors." The Indians of the Upper Missis- 

 sippi vocalize an incident, as * They have brought us a fat dog ' : " 

 then the chorus goes on for a minute. Of other North- American 

 Indians we read " the air which the women sang was pleasing . . . 

 the men first gave out the words, which formed a consummate 

 glorification of themselves." Among the Carriers (of North Amer- 

 ica) there are professed composers, who " turn their talent to good 

 account on the occasion of a feast, when new airs are in great re- 

 quest." Of the New Zealanders we read : " The singing of such 

 compositions [laments] resembles cathedral chanting." "Passing 

 events are described by extemporaneous songs, which are pre- 

 served when good." " "When men worked together appropriate 

 airs were sung." When presenting a meal to travelers, women 

 would chant " What shall be our food ? shell fish and fern-root, 

 that is the root of the earth." Among the Sandwich Islanders 

 " most of the traditions of remarkable events in their history are 

 preserved in songs." When taught reading they could not " recite 

 a lesson without chanting or singing it." Cook found the Tahi- 

 tians had itinerant musicians who gave narrative chants quite 



