songs, and legends. The process in dealing with a race whose language
one does not know at all is more difficult, but, even in initial
stages, the procedure of pointing to objects that are required will not
only generally give their native equivalents, but will also elicit the
orders or imperatives for these objects being brought, whilst the use
of these imperatives by the traveller will often elicit the indicative
or future in the assent or dissent of those to whom the imperatives are
addressed, or else an ejaculatory affirmative or negative. The early
training in, at least, two languages will also enable the inquirer to
discriminate between the substance of a fact or thought, if he might
use such a term, and the sound that represents it, for, if he has only
studied his own language early in life, he will never be able to
emancipate himself completely from the confusion which is naturally
engendered between the idea and his special manner of expressing it.
Adaptation, again, even more than translation, is what is required, and
in order that the adaptation, should be practised successfully,
geographical inquiry cannot be altogether dissociated from philology,
nor can philology be dissociated, as it so often is, from ethnography,
history, and anthropology, which throw either a full light or at least
a side-light or half-light on linguistic problems, as has been pointed
out by Dr. Abel. The gestures too of a race are of importance in
eliciting correct information, for it is obvious that where, on rugged
mountain sides, ascent or descent can only be practised by the aid of
the hands as well as of the feet, the terms for "up" and "down" may be
significant of surrounding topography, just as, to reverse the
argument, where many meet only to fight, the putting of the fingers of
both hands together will mean "collision," instead of its being the
more usual sign for "multitude," or the limit of computation which a
savage race may have reached. Finally, in this age of subdivision of
labour on a basis of general knowledge, the present practice of