ON ETHNIC MIGRATIONS. 



Aryan, speaking a dialect of Persian. Sonth Africa fumislies 

 examples of this kind of migrations. The Caffres are a great 

 conquering people, and are constantly making incursions on their 

 neighbours. Dr. Kirk gives an instance of a large tribe using 

 the Caifre mode of fighting, and in many of their customs 

 resembling them, yet evidently not of Caffre race. The 

 explanation is this. A certain tribe of Caffres went forth some 

 years ago on a conquering expedition, and completely destroyed 

 all the adults of the tribes they attacked, preserving all the 

 children ; these they carefully trained in their own customs, 

 language, and manner of fighting, which they have still retained 

 long after their Cafire conquerors have died out, and left no trace. 

 The incursions of the Germanic tribes at the downfall of the 

 Eoman Empire is another instance of military migration. It is 

 probable that they were not nearly so numerous as is generally 

 supposed. Germany at the time was not nearly so thickly 

 peopled as at present ; much land was unoccupied, being either 

 waste or forest. It is most likely small bodies of these men 

 invaded the Eoman provinces. Even the Eranks, who overran 

 Gaul, and gave to the country their name, were probably very 

 few in number, and most likely could be counted by tens of 

 thousands. These, though aff'ecting the country politically, have 

 left little trace in the blood of the people, unless in the north- 

 east. The Frenchman of to-day is but little difi'erent in 

 character from the Gaul described by Cato and Cfesar, having but 

 little of the German element either in his character or language : 

 lively, restless, given to war, and fond of talking. The occupation 

 of Italy by the l^ormans was a military migration, though of a 

 somewhat different character from those already mentioned. The 

 N'ormans went thither a few at a time, by twos and threes, and 

 uniting when there, conquered the country. These have left no 

 trace, as far as I am aware, in the blood, language, or manners of 

 the people. 



Of the second class, or religious migrations, though formerly 

 numerous and important, we have at the present time only one 



