554 



THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 



beyond a condition of semi-bar- 

 barism. In Central and South 

 America, on the other hand, a 

 very different state of things 

 occurs; some of the native tribes, 

 like the Aztecs and Incas, having 

 reached a comparatively high 

 grade of civilisation; while others 

 were plunged in the lowest depths 

 of savagery. Cannibalism, for in- 

 stance, was much more prevalent 

 in the south than in the northern 

 half of the New World; and seems, 

 moreover, to have come more 

 naturally to the people, being 

 practised when other diet was 

 available, whereas in the north 

 it was generally resorted to only 

 under the pressure of dire necessity. 

 Inequality of cultural development 

 may accordingly be considered as 

 very characteristic of the aborigines 

 of Central and South America. 

 And here it may be noticed that 

 it was the more cultured nations 

 that fell the easiest prey to the 

 Spanish conquerors; many of them 

 being in such an artificial condi- 

 tion of society that their organi- 

 sation seemed to crumble to pieces 

 of its own accord at 'the first 

 shock of invasion. On the other 

 hand, the less cultured races have 

 tended to persist, either in their 



original condition or by a more or less complete blending with their conquerors, in a manner 

 which forms a gratifying contrast to the fate of the majority of the tribes of North America. 

 A further cause of satisfaction is afforded by the spread of Christianity among the South 

 American natives. This is exemplified very strikingly in a table published about fifty years 

 ago, in which the total number of Christianised natives was estimated at more than 3,500,000, 

 while those remaining in original barbarism were set down at less than 100,000. 



The number of tribes in Central and South America being so great, little good won hi 

 be gained by attempting to enumerate them all; and attention will accordingly be concentrated 

 on some of the more important or interesting groups, which must serve as samples of the 

 whole assemblage. 



Plioto by Heir C. KrOf.hi.tr. 



A PERUVIAN INDIAN, WITH ORNAMENTS IN THE 

 OF THE EAIIS. 



CENTRAL AMERICA. 



TJjs'DEji this name may be included the states of Lower California and Mexico, altogether witli 

 Yucatan, British Honduras, Guatemala, Honduras, San Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and 

 Panama. The West Indies, too, may be affiliated to Central America; but as their aboriginal 

 population has been swept away, they need claim no special attention here. 



By far the most interesting of the Central American populations are those groups 



