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darwin and modern science-第65章

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tschaftliche Nachbarn〃 (Berlin; 1883); page 8; Major P。R。T。 Gurdon; 〃The Khasis〃 (London; 1907); page 106。)

The Ewe…speaking tribes of Togo…land; in West Africa; think that God still makes men out of clay。  When a little of the water with which he moistens the clay remains over; he pours it on the ground and out of that he makes the bad and disobedient people。  When he wishes to make a good man he makes him out of good clay; but when he wishes to make a bad man; he employs only bad clay for the purpose。  In the beginning God fashioned a man and set him on the earth; after that he fashioned a woman。  The two looked at each other and began to laugh; whereupon God sent them into the world。  (J。 Spieth; 〃Die Ewe…Stamme; Material zur Kunde des Ewe…Volkes in Deutsch…Togo〃 (Berlin; 1906); pages 828; 840。)  The Innuit or Esquimaux of Point Barrow; in Alaska; tell of a time when there was no man in the land; till a spirit named 〃a se lu〃; who resided at Point Barrow; made a clay man; set him up on the shore to dry; breathed into him and gave him life。  (〃Report of the International Expedition to Point Barrow〃 (Washington; 1885); page 47。)  Other Esquimaux of Alaska relate how the Raven made the first woman out of clay to be a companion to the first man; he fastened water…grass to the back of the head to be hair; flapped his wings over the clay figure; and it arose; a beautiful young woman。  (E。W。 Nelson; 〃The Eskimo about Bering Strait〃; 〃Eighteenth Annual Report of the Bureau of American Ethnology〃; Part I。 (Washington; 1899); page 454。)  The Acagchemem Indians of California said that a powerful being called Chinigchinich created man out of clay which he found on the banks of a lake; male and female created he them; and the Indians of the present day are their descendants。  (Friar Geronimo Boscana; 〃Chinigchinich〃; appended to (A。 Robinson's) 〃Life in California〃 (New York; 1846); page 247。)  A priest of the Natchez Indians in Louisiana told Du Pratz 〃that God had kneaded some clay; such as that which potters use and had made it into a little man; and that after examining it; and finding it well formed; he blew up his work; and forthwith that little man had life; grew; acted; walked; and found himself a man perfectly well shaped。〃  As to the mode in which the first woman was created; the priest had no information; but thought she was probably made in the same way as the first man; so Du Pratz corrected his imperfect notions by reference to Scripture。  (M。 Le Page Du Pratz; 〃The History of Louisiana〃 (London; 1774); page 330。)  The Michoacans of Mexico said that the great god Tucapacha first made man and woman out of clay; but that when the couple went to bathe in a river they absorbed so much water that the clay of which they were composed all fell to pieces。  Then the creator went to work again and moulded them afresh out of ashes; and after that he essayed a third time and made them of metal。  This last attempt succeeded。  The metal man and woman bathed in the river without falling to pieces; and by their union they became the progenitors of mankind。  (A。 de Herrera; 〃General History of the vast Continent and Islands of America〃; translated into English by Capt。 J。 Stevens (London; 1725; 1726); III。 254; Brasseur de Bourbourg; 〃Histoire des Nations Civilisees du Mexique et de l'Amerique… Centrale〃 (Paris; 18571859); III。 80 sq; compare id。 I。 54 sq。)

According to a legend of the Peruvian Indians; which was told to a Spanish priest in Cuzco about half a century after the conquest; it was in Tiahuanaco that man was first created; or at least was created afresh after the deluge。  〃There (in Tiahuanaco);〃 so runs the legend; 〃the Creator began to raise up the people and nations that are in that region; making one of each nation of clay; and painting the dresses that each one was to wear; those that were to wear their hair; with hair; and those that were to be shorn; with hair cut。  And to each nation was given the language; that was to be spoken; and the songs to be sung; and the seeds and food that they were to sow。  When the Creator had finished painting and making the said nations and figures of clay; he gave life and soul to each one; as well men as women; and ordered that they should pass under the earth。  Thence each nation came up in the places to which he ordered them to go。〃  (E。J。 Payne; 〃History of the New World called America〃; I。 (Oxford; 1892); page 462。)

These examples suffice to prove that the theory of the creation of man out of dust or clay has been current among savages in many parts of the world。 But it is by no means the only explanation which the savage philosopher has given of the beginnings of human life on earth。  Struck by the resemblances which may be traced between himself and the beasts; he has often supposed; like Darwin himself; that mankind has been developed out of lower forms of animal life。  For the simple savage has none of that high notion of the transcendant dignity of man which makes so many superior persons shrink with horror from the suggestion that they are distant cousins of the brutes。  He on the contrary is not too proud to own his humble relations; indeed his difficulty often is to perceive the distinction between him and them。  Questioned by a missionary; a Bushman of more than average intelligence 〃could not state any difference between a man and a brutehe did not know but a buffalo might shoot with bows and arrows as well as man; if it had them。〃  (Reverend John Campbell; 〃Travels in South Africa〃 (London; 1822; II。 page 34。)  When the Russians first landed on one of the Alaskan islands; the natives took them for cuttle…fish 〃on account of the buttons on their clothes。〃  (I。 Petroff; 〃Report on the Population; Industries; and Resources of Alaska〃; page 145。)  The Giliaks of the Amoor think that the outward form and size of an animal are only apparent; in substance every beast is a real man; just like a Giliak himself; only endowed with an intelligence and strength; which often surpass those of mere ordinary human beings。  (L。 Sternberg; 〃Die Religion der Giljaken〃; 〃Archiv fur Religionswissenschaft〃; VIII。 (1905); page 248。)  The Borororos; an Indian tribe of Brazil; will have it that they are parrots of a gorgeous red plumage which live in their native forests。  Accordingly they treat the birds as their fellow…tribesmen; keeping them in captivity; refusing to eat their flesh; and mourning for them when they die。  (K。 von den Steinen; 〃Unter den Naturvolkern Zentral…Brasiliens〃 (Berlin; 1894); pages 352 sq。; 512。)

This sense of the close relationship of man to the lower creation is the essence of totemism; that curious system of superstition which unites by a mystic bond a group of human kinsfolk to a species of animals or plants。  Where that system exists in full force; the members of a totem clan identify themselves with their totem animals in a way and to an extent which we find it hard even to imagine。  For example; men of the Cassowary clan in Mabuiag think that cassowaries are men or nearly so。  〃Cassowary; he all same as relation; he belong same family;〃 is the account they give of their relationship with the long…legged bird。  Conversely they hold that they themselves are 
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