The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-02-16

was tho cradle Of Semitic civilization, but
Il puts their birthplace or earliest as
coverablo home In North Africa. II 10
based on the assumption OF the general
unity of tho Hamito- Semitic stock, an
assumption not now seriously questioned
Starting with this assumption the theory
involves the following postulates. TO W.T.
hat the southern shore Of the Msditer-
ranoan was the birthplace, or earliest dis
ooverable home of the Hamito-Semitio
race; secondly. that, at some time since
the last glacial epoch (Which. according
to Croll, began about 24o 900 and ended
about 1900 years ago., but after the germ
Of languages still spoken had begun to de-
velop, the Semitcs we're separated from
their Hamitic brethren, and In their migra-
lions eastward, ultimately reached Arabia,
while the more numerous Hamites. LETT
behind on the southern shore OF the Medi-
%terranean, spread themselves gradually
over the northern part OF Africa. How
long ago these movement began cannot
be ascertained, but II, as Croll says, the
last glacial epoch ended 5000 years age,
much Of the period which has since elapsed
may have been occupied by the various
movements which have transformed the
Hamito- Semitic family into the nations
known to history. 1t may be noted that
this theory Is not Inconsistent with HON.
mel's argument In favor Of the Baby
lonlan origin Of tho Egyptian civilization.
II It could be proved that the Oldest monu-
ments of Egyptian culture were inspired by
influences from Mesopotamia. II would only
follow that there was q retroactive Vest
ern movement from the Tigris-E uphrates
Valley many thousands Of years later than
the original migration Of the Semites from
North Africa. That there have been many
movements Of Semites In various directions
In what may be termed historical times Is
we'll known.
What, IL may be asked, can have induced
the primitive Semites In their original
eastward migration to enter and plant
themselves In a country so sterile az Is
Arabia? MrS Barton suggests that their
migration probably occurred 50 long ago
that the Nile Valley had not then begun TO
be cultivated, 40 that they were not tempted
by the visible fertility Of the country to
stop there. Such an inference may be
drawn, he thinks. from the fact that the
language OF the earliest monuments OF
Egypt Is 30 different from the Semitic.
In our authors opinion, the Hamitic
Egyptians must nave come into the Nile
Valley and developed there their civiliza-
ton long after the Semites had passed on
into Arabia: We repeat that this conclusion
ia not inconsistent with the hypothesis OF a
later backward wave of Semitic migration
from Arabia into Egypt after the last
named country had been occupied by
Hamites. Returning to the question, what
induced the primitive Semitic emigrants
TO settle in Arabia. we should bear In mind
that, according 10 Wallace, the large tree
less tracts Of desert in Western Asia were
once covered with aboriginal forests which
were destroyed by the ~multitudinous camels
and goats, and hat the loss became per-
manent on account Of the absence OF irriga-
ton. Our author thinks. however. that
the extirpatlon Of Arabian forests, II they
ever existed. must have occurred at a very
remote period. and he deems II unlikely
that the Semitic migration can be placed
far enough back TO render the existence OF
such forests an allurement. He prefers to
believe that the Semitic emigrants from
North Africa. stopped In Arabia simply
because they found there physical con-
ditions which reminded them strongly Of
their original home. namely, Gases peopled
with the date-palm, a tree which In pre-
historic times was indigenous from the
Canaries to the Punjab. and has az all
times played an economic part OF vast I'M
portance In Semitic life.
How long ago tho Senites entered Arabia
can be only guessed. On the one hand,
indeed, Il can be shown on pathological
grounds that their migration from their
original North African home must have
taken place after the main skeleton Of
Hamito-Semitic verbal formation was
-- - .--..l - l.. .,,.xat. III
been developed. On the other hand, il
must have been a considerable time after
the change in the contour Of the continent
had interrupted the land-passage by way
of Gibraltar and by wav of Tunis and Sicily,
and had thus separated the members Of
the Mediterranean race resident in Europe
from those resident in Africa. This in
ference Is justified because. while the Bor-
bers are connected with the other Hamitic
races in language, there is no lin guistic
connection between them and any member
Of the Mediterranean race resident in Europe
either in ancient or modern times, except
those Arabs and Berbers who migrated
into Spain in the early days Of Islam. Now,
there is n general agreement among geo.
logists that the separation Of Europe from
Africa had been completed by the be-
ku4tlulk vi u l"SN kAhNhh 'l''h' i'Nh
as we have said, Is 1xed by Croll at 20, 600
years ago. Since that date there has been
ample time for the two great families Of
Hamito-Semitio speech TO become differ
entiated as much as they were when the
Semites branched on, and also for the
Semitic branch to have become indelibly
impressed with its characteristic social
organization and religion.
However long ago the migration may
have occurred, the peculiar conditions OF life
which the Arabian deserts and their Gases
nave presented for miller NUNS are accepted
in the book before US as the matriI In which
Semitic cha n cter. as II is known to US,
was fashioned. The conditions are thus
summed up by Mr.. Barton: 1T IArabial
IL a land of barren and volcanic mountains,
Of broad stretches Of dry. waste, unpru-
ductive soil and wide areas Of shifting
sand. interrupted by an occasional oasis;
a land where. for the most part. water is
difficult 70 obtain, where famine is always
imminent, where hun ger, thirst, heat and
exposure arc the constant experience {
The Inhabitants. The Rciawi are ALWAYS