390 EVOLUTION OF MENTAL CHAEACTEES 



Among the Andaman Islanders there is, according to Man, up 

 to the age of 12 or 14 ' as much intelHgence as [among] ordinary 

 middle class children of civilized races ' ; he goes on to quote 

 another observer who found these people ' not deficient in brain 

 power ; it rather lies dormant and unused in their savage state ', 

 and gives the example * of an aboriginal patient of 12 years of 

 age, who had been entered in the Eoss Orphanage School, and 

 who, in his tender years, could yet read English and Ordu fluently, 

 as well as speak and write in both these languages, retaining also 

 a knowledge of his native tongue. He had besides a fair knowledge 

 of arithmetic. I may add that this is not an exceptional case, 

 for I would instance others, and one lad in particular who was ^ 

 his superior.' ^ These opinions could be paralleled many times 

 over. The Jesuit missionary Baegert, for example, had a high 

 opinion of the intellectual abilities of the Californian Indians.- 

 ' Like other people, they are possessed of reason and understanding, 

 and their stupidity is not inborn with them, but the result of 

 habit ; and I am of opinion that, if their sons were sent to 

 European seminaries and colleges, and their girls to convents 

 where young females are instructed, they would prove equal in 

 all respects to Europeans in the acquirement of morals and of 

 useful sciences and arts.' ^ 



The opinions of observers of races which fall within the second 

 group are all very similar. Some typical opinions may be given. 

 Speaking of Bantu races south of the Zambezi Theal says that 

 ' in Mission Schools children of early age are found to keep pace 

 with those of white parents. In some respects, indeed, they 

 are the higher of the two ... but while the European youth is 

 still developing his powers the Bantu youth in many instances 

 is found unable to make further progress. His intellect has 

 become sluggish and frequently he exhibits a decided repugnance, 

 if not an incapacity, to learn anything more. The growth of 

 his mind, which at first promised so much, has ceased just at 

 that stage where the mind of the European begins to display 

 the greatest vigour.' ^ Later he says that ' the strong desire 

 of the greater number is to live as closely like their ancestors 

 as the altered circumstances of their country will permit, to make 

 use of a few of the white man's simplest conveniences and of his 



' Man, J. A. I., vol. xii, p. 95. - Baegert, loc. cit., p. 378. * Theal, 



Yellow- and Dark-Skinned People, p. 264. 



