CHAP. VI.] MAN. 163 



it may be found in at least one place thousands of miles off, 

 though it very frequently happens that there are large por 

 tions of the earth s surface lying between, where it has not 

 been observed. Indeed there are few things in cookery, 

 clothing, arms, vessels, boots, ornaments, found in one place, 

 that cannot be matched more or less nearly somewhere else.&quot; 

 Kespecting the alleged ignorance of fire in some races, he 

 observes : * &quot;It is likely that the American explorers may 

 have misinterpreted the surprise of the natives at seeing 

 cigars smoked, and fire produced from flint and steel, as well 

 as the eating of raw fish, and the absence of signs of cooking 

 in the dwellings.&quot; Wilkes, in the Narrative of the United 

 States Exploring Expedition (1838-42), has given &quot;igno 

 rance of fire&quot; as an interpretation of such observed pheno 

 mena ; and yet, as Mr. Tylor remarks, :&amp;lt; curiously enough, 

 within the very work particulars are given which show that 

 fire was in reality a familiar tiling in the island !&quot; It is 

 probable that the same error has occurred in other instances. 



The last-named author even thinks f that the Fijians have 

 themselves invented an eating fork, and he reminds us | how 

 our practices of stopping teeth with gold and dressing fish en 

 papillotte have been anticipated by the ancient Egyptians on 

 one hand, and by the Australians (with bark for paper) on 

 the other. 



But it would be difficult to cite stronger testimony than 

 that given by Mr. Tylor to the community of nature in dif 

 ferent races under the most diverse physical conditions, 

 judging from unity of products, gesture, language, customs, 

 &c., although &quot; We might reasonably expect that men of 

 like minds, when placed under widely different circumstances 

 of country, climate, vegetable and animal life, and so forth, 

 should develop very various phenomena of civilisation.&quot; 



Although Mr. Tylor ventures &quot; to judge in a rough way 

 of an early condition of man, which from our&quot; [hi] &quot; point of 



* Op. cit. p. 231. f Op. cit. p. 175. 



J Op. cit. p. 173. Op. cit. p. 3G2. 



M 2 



