xxxviii Proceedings, tyc. 



over its fellows, the Caucasian taking the sway over the rest of the 

 other human races of our globe. 



The hidden stores of nature, concealing most valuable materials 

 for the improvement of aboriginal life, remained unknown to the in- 

 quisitive eye and mind all over the globe for a greater period of time 

 than we might imagine ; and it is interesting to consider how this 

 continued ignorance still exists in many parts of the world ! 



The discovery of a substance so unique and so influential as that 

 necessary to excite attention and give occupation to the mind, opened 

 therefore, a new stage in the material prosperity of man. Certain 

 metals, with their peculiar qualities, are next observed to have produced 

 most beneficial results, as furnishing quite new means for occupying 

 and gratifying the mind, and also for cultivating the inventive facul- 

 ties. In different parts of the globe the metals that first came 

 under notice were dissimilar. Where gold prevailed, it became 

 the first ; and where copper existed among the fluvial detritus, it 

 took precedence, both of these metals being found in a native or 

 metallic state. But these two metals, even where first found 

 and brought into use, though they served as influential means for 

 cultivating the intellect, their material benefit was still very limited. 

 A new metallic substance was required to produce a material of 

 more extended effect. The discovery of tin presents us with this 

 new and important agency, by which a most beneficial result was at- 

 tained ; large communities being elevated by it from a semi -improved 

 state of civilisation into great and wealthy nations. 



That a Providential protection and foresight existed, and exists, 

 we continually find when we become initiated into the means by 

 which the human family has been aided to work its way through the 

 thick wilderness into the cultivated field of society. 



We see how gold and copper, found in a metallic state, are often 

 superficially distributed in nature ; and being of easy access, they 

 were destined as the means for introducing an idea of metals in 

 general. The tin was not offered in a metallic state, but was 

 like the other two metals found among the fluvial deposits where 

 gold and copper had been obtained. The dark colour and the 

 great weight of the pebbles and small gravelly fragments, known as 

 " stream-tin," no doubt attracted attention. Such a pebble, when for 

 curiosity sake, broken, would in its fracture of metallic lustre lead 

 to the idea of its being examined, as gold and copper at this time 

 were known to be capable of being reduced into a liquid state by 

 heat. Tin having thus come under notice, induced the formation of 

 an alloy with it and gold, and also of copper, when it was found 

 that a small portion of tin melted with copper produced a very hard 

 compound ; and bronze was the result. The discoveiy of bronze, in 

 giving a substitute for the as yet undiscovered metal iron, where it 

 became known, produced most beneficial effects ; a high degree of 

 civilisation was achieved by those who became acquainted with the 



