Morris.] ^^^ [Dec. 4, 



doubt then, that the negroes had learned to make them from their Arab 

 captors and masters in Central Africa and had brought the art with 

 them to the West Indies. But may it not be that their ancestors had 

 brought the art with them from the plains of Babylonia, having migrated 

 thence ages ago, as I have surmised above ? If so we ought to be able 

 to trace among the industries, languages and traditions of Central Africa 

 some remnants of this early civilization in the plain of Babylon. 

 I translate from the Septuagint version of Gen. xi. 1-9 as follows : 



And all the earth was (of) one lip, 



And one utterance to all. 

 And it happened, as they moved from the east. 



They found a plain in the land of Shinar. 



And they dwelt there ; 



And a man said to his neighbor, 

 Come, let us make bricks. 



And let us burn them with fire. 



And the bricks were to them for stone, 

 And the asphalt was to them for mortar. 



And they said. Come let us build ourselves a city. 



And a tower whose top shall be to heaven ; 

 And let us make ourselves a name, 



Before we be scattered on the face of all the earth 



And Jehovah descended to see the city 



And the tower which the sons of men builded. 

 And Jehovah said. Behold the race is one. 



And there is one lip to all ; 

 And this have they begun to do, 



And now, nothing will fail them 

 Whatever they may plan to do. 



Come, and descending, let us confuse their tongue 



That they hear not each one the utterance of his neighbor. 



And Jehovah scattered them thence over the face of all the earth, 



And they ceased building tlie city and the tower. 

 Therefore its name was called Confusion, 



Because there Jehovah confused the lips of all the earth. 

 And thence Jehovah scattered them 



On the face of all the earth. ^ 



