ABSTRACT
https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781315828060/49546f0e-ce84-4e70-9b40-7107f16ee305/content/ufig_r_B.tif" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>ESISTING the temptation to turn Westward and explore the beliefs of the more civilised races of the ancient world, let us continue East, across the Pacific, to the Continent of the two Americas, and see whether we cannot discover among the beliefs and legends of the Red Indians points which will help us in our investigation. By adopting this route in our imaginary journey around the world we shall have the advantage of being able to see, as it were, the historical order of the evolution of men’s thoughts on the subject of the world beyond the grave. We started with one of the most primitive races, the Australian Bushmen, whose culture has hardly reached that of Neolithic man in Europe, and the Pacific Islanders, though somewhat more advanced, had not learnt to use metals when they were discovered by the white races. In like manner the Red Skins used stone axes and arrow heads when first the Pale Faces came into contact with them, and therefore their beliefs represent those of a fairly primitive people, although, intellectually, as subsequent events proved, the Red Skin is much superior to the Australian Black Boy.
