212 METHODS AND RESULTS OF ETHNOLOGY. 



the practical life of men; and relying upon the 

 inherent conservatism and small inventiveness of 

 untutored mankind, he may hope to discover in 

 manners and customs, or in weapons, dwellings, 

 and other handiwork, a clue to the origin of the 

 resemblances and differences of nations. Or, he 

 may resort to that kind of evidence which is 

 yielded by History proper, and consists of the be- 

 liefs of men concerning past events, embodied in 

 traditional, or in written testimony. Or, when that 

 thread breaks, Archaeology, which is the interpre- 

 tation of the unrecorded remains of man's works, 

 belonging to the epoch since the world has reached 

 its present condition, may still guide him. And, 

 when even the dim light of archaeology fades, there 

 yet remains Palaeontology, which, in these latter 

 years has brought to daylight once more the exuvia 

 of ancient populations, whose world was not our 

 world, who have been buried in river beds imme- 

 morially dry, or carried by the rush of waters into 

 caves, inaccessible to inundation since the dawn of 

 tradition. 



Along each, or all, of these paths the ethnolo- 

 gist may press towards his goal; but they are not 

 equally straight, or sure, or easy to tread. The 

 way of palaeontology has but just been laid open 

 to us. Archaeological and historical investigations 

 are of great value for all those peoples whose an- 

 cient state has differed widely from their present 

 condition, and who have the good or evil fortune to 



