18 Vegetarianism : [January, 
than as diet — they can scarcely be said to partake of any 
vegetable matter at all. Now if an animal diet produces 
the effects alleged by vegetarian advocates, we ought to find 
these people the most vicious — and especially the most 
bloodthirsty — human beings on the earth. We must further 
remember that, except in the few places where they have 
come in contact with European missionaries, no influences 
have been at work which might correct the supposed evil 
tendencies of an exclusively animal diet. Yet the facts are 
quite otherwise. The “ Skraeling ” is doubtless a low, 
dirty savage, but he is by no means remarkably ferocious or 
bloodthirsty, nor even very pugnacious. Europeans wrecked 
on the inhospitable shores inhabited by these tribes have 
very rarely met with ill-treatment. Where the Esquimaux 
come in collision with the Red-skins* of North America they 
rarely attempt to defend themselves against the aggressions 
and outrages of the latter, but quietly withdraw farther and 
farther to the north. 
Let us next look at the Red-skins themselves. They are 
by no means a mild race, and may even deserve to be called 
ferocious and sanguinary. That they are carnivorous we 
of course admit ; but they are far less exclusively carnivo- 
rous than the Esquimaux, since a part at least of their diet 
consists of the wild fruits of the country and of maize. 
Here, then, we see among two savage races the one which 
is purely flesh-eating far less pugnacious and bloodthirsty 
than the one which enjoys a mixed diet. 
Going further southwards we find the ancient Mexican 
empire infamous for its human sacrifices and other cruelties 
exercised under the name of religion. Now the Mexicans 
of old, if not vegetarians, were far from being exclusively 
flesh-eaters. Agriculture and horticulture flourished among 
them ; and we must remember that a settled people who 
have no domestic animals such as the ox, sheep, or pig, will 
always be compelled to subsist mainly upon vegetable 
produce. Here, then, we have another people less carnivo- 
rous than the native tribes on their northern frontier, but 
certainly not more gentle and merciful. In South America 
we have a very instructive instance. In the vast plains of 
La Plata we find the Guachos, one of the most purely car- 
nivorous peoples on the globe, and certainly reckless of 
human life and ready with the dagger ; but across the Andes 
* This term is inelegant, but we use it under compulsion. To call the 
aborigines of America “ Indians ” is a blunder which is confusing, and for 
which there is no excuse. 
