IV 



ORIGIN OF MAN 



There is a fascination at the camp-fire. Men 

 that have remained silent through the day will be- 

 come entertaining under the genial influence of the 

 crackling logs as they blaze and send their myriads 

 of sparks skyward. So this evening as I examine 

 the notes in my Polar log-book, collected at many 

 of those fires, I find that man, no matter how hu- 

 miliating the admission may be, is forced to yield 

 the palm of antiquity to woman and— chewing 

 gum. Yet as we pause to consider the subject, 

 from the Polar man's point of view, it is but natural 

 that woman should be first, for without her aid 

 there certainly would be no men. 



My log-book says that at a very early time of the 

 world's history, long before day and night had been 

 created, or the first man had made his appearance, 

 there lived an old woman, indeed very old, for the 

 tradition of her having had a beginning, if there 

 ever was such a one, had been lost. We must bear 

 in mind that during the first stage of the world 

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