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0462 The heart of a continent : vol.1
The heart of a continent : vol.1 / Page 462 (Color Image)

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doi: 10.20676/00000247
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396   THE HEART OF A CONTINENT.   [CHAP.

Europe over lower races with whom I have been brought in contact. In mere brain-power and intellectual capacity there seems no great difference between the civilized European and, say, the rough hill-tribesman of the Himalayas ; and, in regard to the Chinaman, I should even say that the advantage lay on his side. In the rude hill states of Hunza and Chitral, among men whose natural endowments I have had some means of judging, for I have been in contact with them for months, and engaged with them in the transaction of business where their intellectual capacity might well be observed, I have remarked that the average ability is certainly not inferior to the average of a European people. One meets there with shrewd, sharp, intelligent men who, with regard to any of their own concerns, or any subject with which they have some acquaintance, can grasp points quickly, and give their answers directly and comprehensively ; men with excellent memories, and with a power of speech, and, amongst themselves, a quickness of repartee, certainly not inferior to that of a European. Amongst the races of India, and with the Chinese, this is still more noticeable. The European may feel his moral superiority over them, but in sharpness of intellect there seems little to choose between the two. The brain capacities of these less-civilized races is no smaller, and their mental abilities are no less.

On the other hand, no European can mix with non-Christian races without feeling his moral superiority over them. He feels, from the first contact with them, that, whatever may be their relative positions from an intellectual point of view, he is stronger morally than they are. And facts show that this. feeling is a true one. It is not because we are any cleverer than the natives of India, because we have more brains or bigger heads than they have, that we rule India ; but because we are stronger morally than they are. Our superiority over them is not due to mere sharpness of intellect, but to that