Page:History of the Indian Archipelago Vol 3.djvu/288

 272 COMMERCE WITH dangers, and delays, into which his inexperience must necessarily commit him in a direct inter- course with the natives. It is sufficiently evident, in short, that, in this manner, a more agreeable, ex- tensive, and beneficial intercourse to all the parties concerned would be conducted, than in any other. More important and dignified objects, though per- haps more remote ones, would be gained by the pre- sence of such colonies in the midst of a native and docile population. By means of them the arts, in- stitutions, morals, and integrity of Europe, might in time be communicated to the natives of these distant regions, while they might contribute still earlier to give occupation to the population of those parts of the European world which are ac- knowledged to require new objects of employment. In the unappropriated lands of the Indian Islands, there is abundant room for the colonization of the European race ; and unlike the desert Promontory of Africa, or the superior, but isolated and distant Continent of Australasia, they would find abund- ant objects to engage their industry. The exam- ple of the vigorous race of genuine European blood, bred in the hot plains of South America, under the very line, would seem satisfactorily to prove, that the long entertained notion that the European race undergoes, from the mere eflPect of climate, a physical degetieracy when transported to the native countries of the black or copper-colour-