It is natural," for I feared
to have him know that I was inattentive even for that short space, and
waited for elucidations.
"It seems," he went on, "that the tribe was dying out. Helm, who first
told me something of it at Buenaventura, was one of those scientists who
have to invent a new theory for every new thing they were told of. He
said it was either because of eating too much meat, or not enough. I
forget which. There had been a falling off in the birth rate. The
Tocalinian who had lived with them, and who joined us at the headwaters
of the Codajaz, maintained that there had been too much inbreeding. So
there was some arrangement by means of which they invited immigrants, as
it were. Men from other neighboring tribes were encouraged to join the
Tlingas. And they did. The Tlingas had a fat land and welcomed the
immigrants. The immigrants on their part expected to have an easy time."
"That would make for racial improvement," I hazarded.
"Why?" he asked.
"The best from other lands would tend to improve their race. That was my
idea when I spoke," I said.
He laughed quietly. "Something of the same idea that you foster here,"
he said. "I've laughed at that many's the time. America is this, that
and the other; its people are inventive, intelligent, original, free,
independent and all the rest of it because it is a result of the best
blood of other lands.
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