太子爷小说网 > 英语电子书 > darwin and modern science >

第51节

darwin and modern science-第51节

小说: darwin and modern science 字数: 每页4000字

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页,按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页,按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部!
————未阅读完?加入书签已便下次继续阅读!



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 cassowaries for all practical purposes。  They pride themselves on having long thin legs like a cassowary。  This reflection affords them peculiar satisfaction when they go out to fight; or to run away; as the case may be; for at such times a Cassowary man will say to himself; 〃My leg is long and thin; I can run and not feel tired; my legs will go quickly and the grass will not entangle them。〃  Members of the Cassowary clan are reputed to be pugnacious; because the cassowary is a bird of very uncertain temper and can kick with extreme violence。  (A。C。 Haddon; 〃The Ethnography of the Western Tribe of Torres Straits〃; 〃Journal of the Anthropological Institute〃; XIX。 (1890); page 393; 〃Reports of the Cambridge Anthropological Expedition to Torres Straits〃; V。 (Cambridge; 1904); pages 166; 184。)  So among the Ojibways men of the Bear clan are reputed to be surly and pugnacious like bears; and men of the Crane clan to have clear ringing voices like cranes。  (W。W。 Warren; 〃History of the Ojibways〃; 〃Collections of the Minnesota Historical Society〃; V。 (Saint Paul; Minn。 1885); pages 47; 49。)  Hence the savage will often speak of his totem animal as his father or his brother; and will neither kill it himself nor allow others to do so; if he can help it。  For example; if somebody were to kill a bird in the presence of a native Australian who had the bird for his totem; the black might say; 〃What for you kill that fellow? that my father!〃 or 〃That brother belonging to me you have killed; why did you do it?〃  (E。 Palmer; 〃Notes on some Australian Tribes〃; 〃Journal of the Anthropological Institute〃; XIII。 (1884); page 300。)  Bechuanas of the Porcupine clan are greatly afflicted if anybody hurts or kills a porcupine in their presence。  They say; 〃They have killed our brother; our master; one of ourselves; him whom we sing of〃; and so saying they piously gather the quills of their murdered brother; spit on them; and rub their eyebrows with them。  They think they would die if they touched its flesh。  In like manner Bechuanas of the Crocodile clan call the crocodile one of themselves; their master; their brother; and they mark the ears of their cattle with a long slit like a crocodile's mouth by way of a family crest。  Similarly Bechuanas of the Lion clan would not; like the members of other clans; partake of lion's flesh; for how; say they; could they eat their grandfather?  If they are forced in self…defence to kill a lion; they do so with great regret and rub their eyes carefully with its skin; fearing to lose their sight if they neglected this precaution。  (T。 Arbousset et F。 Daumas; 〃Relation d'un Voyage d'Exploration au Nord…Est de la Colonie du Cap de Bonne…Esperance〃 (Paris; 1842); pages 349 sq。; 422…24。)  A Mandingo porter has been known to offer the whole of his month's pay to save the life of a python; because the python was his totem and he therefore regarded the reptile as his relation; he thought that if he allowed the creature to be killed; the whole of his own family would perish; probably through the vengeance to be taken by the reptile kinsfolk of the murdered serpent。  (M。 le Docteur Tautain; 〃Notes sur les Croyances et Pratiques Religieuses des Banmanas〃; 〃Revue d'Ethnographie〃; III。 (1885); pages 396 sq。; A。 Rancon; 〃Dans la Haute…Gambie; Voyage d'Exploration Scientifique〃 (Paris; 1894); page 445。)

Sometimes; indeed; the savage goes further and identifies the revered animal not merely with a kinsman but with himself; he imagines that one of his own more or less numerous souls; or at all events that a vital part of himself; is in the beast; so that if it is killed he must die。  Thus; the Balong tribe of the Cameroons; in West Africa; think that every man has several souls; of which one is lodged in an elephant; a wild boar; a leopard; or what not。  When any one comes home; feels ill; and says; 〃I shall soon die;〃 and is as good as his word; his friends are of opinion that one of his souls has been shot by a hunter in a wild boar or a leopard; for example; and that that is the real cause of his death。  (J。 Keller; 〃

返回目录 上一页 下一页 回到顶部 0 0

你可能喜欢的