Such a wave
of impulse, when it comes, seems to affect all the individuals of every
division of a race. In the example to which I am alluding, the impulse
seemed spontaneously to move the inhabitants of islands far apart, and
apparently not in communication--certainly not in direct communication.
With the singleness of purpose and uniformity of action seen in an army
under command of a leader, the natives of a hundred antarctic islands
swarmed into ten thousand fragile boats, and directed their course
toward the south. Why toward the south? Did instinct tell them that by
such a course the various bands would converge to a union? They knew
not. The first few boats arrived at Hili-li. Nine of every ten of those
that began the journey were lost--but still, boats continued to arrive
at the islands of the Hili-li group. Then, and after five hundred years
of peace, the Hili-lites saw that they were to be overrun by barbarians,
as their history told them their ancestors had once, in distant lands,
been overrun. The Hili-lites did not have formidable weapons; but
fortunately those of the invaders were scarcely more efficient. The
conflict came to a hand to hand engagement. The invaders could not
return, even had they so desired; so they must fight and win, or die.
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