SECT. II.] CIVILIZATION STATIONARY. 325 



are opposed to it. The one group teaches us that the peoples 

 which occupy the lowest place in humanity, and approach the 

 primitive state, do not all belong to the same, but to different 

 races ; the other shows that within every race there are peoples 

 of different degrees of development, and that peoples of the 

 same stock may live near each other, the one progressing, the 

 other remaining in a stationary condition. 



The inhabitants of Tierra del Fuego, the Australians, the 

 Bushmen, and the Hottentots (included by some in the Mongol 

 race) and African peoples, occupy the lowest stage in mental 

 and moral development. To these may be added certain tribes 

 of the aborigines of the Deccan and some other partly straight 

 or frizzly-haired natives of the East Indian and South Sea islands, 

 who are not sufficiently known to us to allow of a decided 

 judgment. Some of the latter, on nearer acquaintance, have not 

 proved so crude and savage as they were described. Of all 

 these peoples it can be shown that external nature and their 

 social condition rendered progress next to impossible, living as 

 they did in a sterile stony country, which, on account of sur- 

 rounding enemies, they were unable to quit. 



It is true enough that none of the above peoples belonged to 

 the so-called Caucasian race, but, as will be shown, there exist 

 also among the latter remarkable contrasts. Leaving out of 

 view the peoples of the north-east of Africa, of whom it is yet 

 doubtful whether they belong to the white race, we might still 

 mention the Berbers, the Gruanches, and Abyssinians, among 

 whom a higher civilization has never taken root. Abyssinia is 

 a Christian country, but its Christianity consists merely of ex- 

 ternal ceremonies, in a blue string of silk, which as a mark of 

 faith, is worn round the neck in crosses and rosaries. The 

 Christians are there far beneath the Moslems in industry and 

 honesty. 1 Marriage is rarely solemnized in the church, as it is 

 then indissoluble. Polygamy, though not authorized, is tole- 

 rated (Riippell) ; there is but a small fine attached to adultery ; 

 nor is there any difference made between legitimate and natural 



1 Riippell, " Eeise in Abyss.," i, pp. 327, 366, 1840; V. Katte, "Eeise in 

 Abyss./' pp. 37, 97, 1838. 



