Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

OF THE HUMAN UACE. 64-7 haost likely to have been followed by the earliest wanderers. Of overland routes I say nothing, because where land extends, in the vicinity of water, there is no obstacle sufficient to pre- vent the migration of animals, as well as men ; neither need I notice intervals of sea which can easily be crossed. Wandering eastward, from Asia Minor, roving tribes may have begun to people Eastern Asia and the Indian Archi- pelago, while other parties were exploring Africa ; and while the sons of Japhet were advancing northward, and towards the west. A slight acquaintance with ancient history informs us at how early a period extensive commerce was carried on by ships, — to Britain in the west, and to the Indian Archi- pelago in the east ; before which time it is obvious that those extreme regions must have been tolerably well peopled : but it is not possible that they could have been so without the employment of ships, boats, canoes, or rafts. The earliest explorers of unknown lands must have been naturally enter- prising, and habitually disposed to wander. Children brought up under such instructors as their migratory parents, always eager to seek for new countries, would increase their roving inclinations ; and as long as another region could be found, doubtless they would try to explore it, partly from a ruling passion and habit, partly for the sake of procuring food with greater ease, and partly in consequence of feuds among theinseives, which, in such a state of society, must end in the defeat and expulsion, if not subjugation or destruction of the weaker party. Add to these motives, those which I mentioned in a previous page, consequent upon intermarriage between various castes or colours, the desire of independence, or the love of wealth,* and more than enough reasons appear to account for the early dispersion of the human race, provided they possessed the means of migration. That in the early ages large trees were more abundant near the water side in many countries than they now are, appears indisputable; but even as we see them in many uncivilized though inhabited countries, how numerous are huge trunks, out * Real wealth — not money, its symbol and equivalent now.