Such was the remarkable construction of the government of these Amerind people of New York. In its conception, in its details, and in its execution it was one of the most extraordinary primitive governments ever recorded. From a comparatively weak people it placed the Iroquois, though they were far inferior in numbers to surrounding tribes, in a commanding position, and enabled them to extend their sway over a vast territory. They made no attempt to hold the region that was subject to their devastation, but probably, had not the European appeared on the scene, they would have gradually expanded until their villages covered many times the area which they specifically claimed when our people first came. An increase of population which would have overtaxed the game-supply would have pushed the development of their agriculture and forced the confederacy to move along higher and broader lines. One great drawback to Amerindian progress, internecine wars, was entirely obliterated by the masterly organisation of the Iroquois league, while at the same time they gained by their union a strength for offence and defence that, together with their fertile and well-watered domain, rendered their organisation impregnable. This and the Mexican confederacy prove that the Amerind was capable of great things in governmental organisation. It only remained for him to discover the secrets of smelting and forging, and he was apparently on the brink of these discoveries, to step into a foremost place of development and progress. In some respects it is a pity the Europeans did not remain in ignorance of this continent for another five hundred years. [Illustration: WOODEN “SEAL” DISH, HAIDA] CHAPTER XVI ORIGIN, MIGRATIONS, AND HISTORY[386] The manner in which America was originally peopled has been the cause of considerable speculation. For a long time it was generally believed, and there are some who still hold that belief, that this peopling occurred within comparatively recent times by way of Bering Strait, and that before that the continent was not inhabited. But peoples do not willingly migrate into frozen regions, and the Bering Strait and Alaska down to Dixon Entrance were not many centuries ago buried under a mantle of ice. I doubt if there were even Eskimo in Alaska five hundred years back. It is my belief that all the tribes of the North-west migrated there from the South and South-east, and not within recent geologic time from the Asiatic direction.