eating the animal domesticates the man. As man im- 

 proves the animal, he improves himself. One reason 

 the American Indian did not progress was because he 

 had neither horses, camels, oxen, swine nor poultry. 

 He had his dog, and the dog is a wolf, and always re- 

 mains one, in that his intent is on prey. This fitted the 

 mood of the Indian and he continued to live his pre- 

 dacious career without a particle of evolution. To 

 stand still is to retreat, and there is evidence that long 

 before the year 1492, there was a North American In- 

 dian that was a better Indian than the Indians who 

 watched the approach of Columbus and exclaimed, 

 " Alas ! we are discovered." 



In crossing the Alps, Humboldt was impressed^with the 

 truth that man was a necessary factor in working out 

 "creation," just as much as the earthworm. When 

 men stir the soil so as to make it produce grain that 

 the family may be fed, and utilize animals in this work, 

 civilization is at hand. Nations with a controlling de- 

 sire to absorb, annex and exploit are still to that degree 

 savages. Creation still is going on, and this earth is be- 

 coming a better and more beautiful place as men work 

 in line with reason and allow science to become the 

 handmaid of instinct. 



Humboldt, above all men, prepared the way for Dar- 

 win, Spencer and Tyndall all of these built on him, 

 all quote him. His books form a mine in which they 

 constantly delved. 



Humboldt in boyhood formed the habit of close and 

 accurate observation, and he traveled that he might 



111 



LITTLE 

 JOURNEYS 



