REACHING THE GOAL 123 



We came upon no choom. The fog grew denser and 

 denser, and at last there was nothing for it but to make 

 a cast round. This showed us nothing, and it really 

 seemed as though we had missed it altogether. 



And now I am going to relate a fact which I cannot 

 explain excepting by a parallel taken from the physics. 

 Just as by the first law of motion a body will continue 

 in motion in a straight line unless acted upon by an 

 intercepting force, so it seems it must be with the brain. 

 I cannot help believing that to this must be greatly due 

 the notorious faculty which savages have for finding 

 their way from point to point. I do not mean that such 

 agencies as sun and wind have not a determining in- 

 fluence, for of course they have ; but that, apart from 

 this active and observant intelligence, there is a con- 

 sciousness of direction which is obeyed subjectively. It 

 is instinctive, as we say. I remember once asking a 

 Cree with whom I was hunting how he found his way 

 home so wonderfully well, and was much struck by the 

 man's answer. Putting his hand to his side he said, 

 1 Indian's heart.' I thought it was such a capital answer. 

 By it I suppose he meant that the Indian's affection 

 would naturally be a sufficient guide to the home to 

 which it pointed. 



The heart with him was the seat of the ' homing 

 instinct.' 



And so it doubtless is. And this function of the mind 

 [whether ' the heart ' (i.e. the affection) or any other 



