Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-08-23
Tho RirthpIace of MankInd.

1t is supposed by biologists that under
the waves Of the Indian Ocean there
sleeps q buried continent, and that NADIA
gascar, Ceylon, and other islands lying
to the northwest, are its higher lands,
that, in the su~bmergence of the main
body, still kept their faces above the sea,
The name of "Lemuria" has been given
by Prof. Sciater to this vanished land,
and the theory had been projected, and
found many supporters, that this was the
birthplace Of the human race. 1t has
always been a favorite conjecture that
the cradle of the primitive man was To-
Gated in some region within the tropics,
where the climate was sufficiently warm
to admit Of his living in comfort with lit
tie or no clothing and shelter, and where
fruits, herbs aud roots suitable to his
subsistence, grew in spontaneous album
dance throughout the year, making the
struggle for existence an easy one for the
human animal to sustain.
Such a region must have been the lost
continent of Lemuria, and here it admi-
rably fits the theories of scientists to
place. the first home OF mankind. The
multitude Of rude implements fashioned
by the hand OF man hat have been found
in Europe in the floors of caves and in
the strata Of r%iver-valleys give a clew to
his existence and condition many thous-
and of years ago, but he had then ad-
vanced beyond the first stage OF savag-
ism, having already invented some arts
by which to capture animals and defend
himself against his enemies. No remains
have yet been discovered that testify to
his life while he was still in the infancy
CT his career, a creature more british,
and imbecile, aud helpless than the ma
tive Of New Holland and the Bushman
o Africa. But how easy to account Tor
the lack of light on this period of his e
istence by the hypothesis that he was
born and passed his early years on a
continent that has since sunk beneath
the sea, carrying with it all traces Of his
first rude savage state.
AS Lemuria became overcrowded with
the multiplying family of mankind;som
of the more enterprising would wander
away to other regions in search of the
food that had grown scarce in their ma
tive home. And so, 10 process OF time,
it would COM to pass that the various
parts Of the world would be peopled, and
out Of the differences in the experience
OF the separate groups of nomadic men
would be developed the different races
that have played a part in the history of
the world.
In the discussion Of this subject, Prof.
Huxley declares that the geographical
distribution Of the negro race cannot be
explained except upon the superstition
that great changes, involving the sub
mersion of IN immense tract of land or
a closely-linked chain of islands lying on
the east Of Africa, have occurred since
the appearance Of that race.
ln a review of DR.. Peschel's "Ethnolo-
gy," DIR. Taylor says Of the theory that
Lemurla was the cradle of mankind:
Such a continent, DR.. Peschel thinks,
is an anthropoloeical necessity for Aus
tralians, Coolies, Papuans, aud negroes.
TO reach their present homes almost dry
shod. AS to climate, moreover. this
birthplace Of man would be situated in
the very zone Of anthropoid apes. 1t is
remarked that such a choice Of the re-
gion Of mans first appearance would be
more orthodox than seems at first sight,
tor here we are in the neighborhood of
the four mysterious rivers OF Eden, viz,
the Nile, Euphrates, Irgus and Indus;
and in the gradual submergence Of lie.
muria We see pitilessly accomplished the
expulsion from Paradise, situated, as the
old geographers knew, in southeast Asia.
This;Dr. Peschel is careful to add, is
only an hypothesis, but it is an hypothe-
Sis which may lead to geological %investi-
cations OF Madagascar, Ceylon and Rod
rlguez, and soundings in the Indian
Ocean, in guest Of the relics Of the van
ished land"