THE HUMAN SPECIES. 233 



and Indus, another of Caucasian blood, passing to the plains 

 of India in overpowering numbers ; and by the Ganges and 

 Jumna ; likewise along the western flank's of the range from 

 Cashmere, and indeed from China itself, where, in the earliest 

 ages, the bearded race had numerous colonies. But there is 

 no evidence of the woolly-haired stock possessing, at any time, 

 the valleys above the secondary ranges, since none are now 

 found shut up in the colder mountains ; and the bearded races, 

 tenants of the region, are fair, and not unfrequently marked by 

 gray eyes, and light or red curled hair, showing how remote 

 was the starting-point from whence they first proceeded. 

 Both the earliest known invasions of the Indian peninsula, 

 coming in successive waves, demonstrate how variously crossed 

 and intermixed have been the populations already, before the 

 recorded historical repetitions of the same movement took 

 place. Similar events were equally in active operation to the 

 south-west, through Persia and Syria. While a proportion of 

 the black races may have coasted towards Africa, others no 

 doubt passed through the isthmus of Suez, and by the Arabian 

 shore into their present central region, leaving marks of their 

 progress in the Mekran, and other fish-eating Suakim on the 

 African shore. 



The Papuan stock, notwithstanding mental and physical 

 deficiencies, has advanced to the pastoral and even agricultural 

 conditions, when not molested by invaders, and favored proba- 

 bly by some foreign innervation ; for, in a pure, unmixed state, 

 no eastern Negro tribe has passed beyond the profession of 

 hunter, or is observable on islands at more than a moderate 

 distance from its Australasian centre. The inapprehensive 

 character of their constitutions, or an impulse which leads 

 them to the sea, induces both African and Papua stems readily 

 to accept a marine mode of life. They are generally excellent 

 swimmers ; they dive fearlessly, and will fight the shark in his 

 own element. Yet they have never invented the construction 

 of large canoes, such as the Malay and American make with 

 20* 



