IN THE FIELD 229 



of nomadic peoples, probably because game was so abundant 

 that they were not hard enough pressed by hunger to domes- 

 ticate wild animals and thus procure a constant supply of 

 meat. It is, however, likely that there were still other 

 causes which tended to keep them in the savage state ; still 

 we must not omit to state here that some of the tribes cul- 

 tivated small patches of corn. 



When the first settlements of whites were made on the 

 coast of the United States, there were probably not more 

 than five hundred thousand Indians living in a country 

 which now supports sixty-five million souls, and which 

 could easily support twice as many. This shows that by 

 agriculture a much larger population can be supported on 

 the same area than can be supported by the chase. 



Hunting tribes and nomadic tribes could never form large 

 states as long as they remained hunters and nomads. His- 

 tory teaches us that all large states have been, and are to- 

 day, based on an agricultural population. With agricultural 

 peoples, the incessant wars waged by savages as well as by 

 nomadic tribes ceased, and the needs of the different seasons 

 taught men orderly and regular habits of work and to look 

 into the future and provide for it. All savages, like our 

 Indians, are very much averse to regular and long-con- 

 tinued work; they gorge themselves when they have plenty 

 of food, but are half-starved when food is scarce. Among 

 an agricultural people industry and commerce spring up 

 naturally, because some apply themselves to making tools, 

 agricultural implements, clothing, etc., for the others, and 

 there we have the beginning of different trades and of 

 factories. As not every person produced everything he 

 needed, a number of persons exchanged their products, and 

 this was the beginning of commerce. 



Agriculture enabled large numbers of men to live close to- 

 gether and made progress toivards a higher civilization possible. 



