At first thought we might, then, state it as a general
law that those races which are lowest in the scale of civilization, have
the feeblest number sense also; or in other words, the least possible power
of grasping the abstract idea of number.
But to this law there are many and important exceptions. The concurrent
testimony of explorers seems to be that savage races possess, in the great
majority of cases, the ability to count at least as high as 10. This limit
is often extended to 20, and not infrequently to 100. Again, we find 1000
as the limit; or perhaps 10,000; and sometimes the savage carries his
number system on into the hundreds of thousands or millions. Indeed, the
high limit to which some savage races carry their numeration is far more
worthy of remark than the entire absence of the number sense exhibited by
others of apparently equal intelligence. If the life of any tribe is such
as to induce trade and barter with their neighbours, a considerable
quickness in reckoning will be developed among them. Otherwise this power
will remain dormant because there is but little in the ordinary life of
primitive man to call for its exercise.
In giving 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, or any other small number as a system limit, it
must not be overlooked that this limit mentioned is in all cases the limit
of the spoken numerals at the savage's command. The actual ability to count
is almost always, and one is tempted to say always, somewhat greater than
their vocabularies would indicate.
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