SECT. III.] NOMADIC LIFE. 337 



from the Atlantic to St. Peter's River/ and next to fish is 

 the chief nutriment of the Chippeways and other tribes. It is 

 not sown, whilst many other North American peoples, besides 

 being hunters, also sow some cereals, chiefly maize. Among 

 these agriculture is only a temporary expedient ; they carry it on 

 irregularly, reap what they have sown, and move further on, thus 

 remaining nomadic despite their agricultural pursuits, which, 

 moreover, only occupy them in summer, whilst the chase is 

 followed in winter. Under such circumstances, it is evidently, 

 as regards the civilization of a people, of little importance 

 whether they cultivate the soil, or merely gather the wild grow- 

 ing fruit, for they do not become attached to the soil ; and in 

 such cases agriculture contributes but little to change the cha- 

 racter of the people. 



Neither do we find in most Negro countries any progressive 

 civilization, though agriculture exists to a considerable extent, 

 the mode of life not being nomadic, and the social relations 

 being more developed than among the natives of America. But 

 the comparatively low degree of civilization among the Negroes 

 may be chiefly explained by the relaxing effects of the climate, 

 the geographical position of these regions, the few requirements 

 as regards dress, food, and habitation, all which nature yields in 

 abundance, and are obtainable by the simplest efforts. The 

 quantity and productiveness of vegetables, the possession of 

 domestic and gregarious animals, combined with the industry 

 of the women, who mostly cultivate the soil, are more than suf- 

 ficient to provide the Negro with all the comforts which check 

 the impulse to a higher civilization. 



We perceive hence that even the breeding of domestic ani- 

 mals and cattle by itself is not sufficient to lead to progressive 

 civilization. A nomadic pastoral life cannot be considered as 

 an advance compared with a fishing or hunting life. The 

 Hottentots were in possession of numerous flocks and herds 

 when the Europeans first visited their country ; and the Kaffirs 

 are a pastoral people to this day. Cattle breeding does not 

 necessarily lead to a settled life, though it is compatible with 



1 Keating, " Narrative of an Expedition to the source of St. Peter's River," 

 ii, pp. 107, 146, 1825. 





