tied several logs together, making a raft. When they had learned how to
make a canoe out of a log, by burning or hewing it out with rude axes,
they could then take long journeys on the water to new lands. Since
paddling was very tiresome, some one, brighter than the rest, probably
thought of making a sail of bark or skins and so letting the wind push
the canoe along.

We do not know how the metals were discovered. Perhaps fire melted some
of the copper in a vein of ore. Perhaps pure copper was found, for
Nature sometimes leaves it in this form. Copper could be easily hammered
into various useful articles, but it was too soft for many needs. After
tin was discovered, it was learned that by melting it and copper
together a new and very hard metal, known as _bronze_, was formed. Next,
we think, came the discovery of iron, which has become so important that
we could not get along without it. Think what this must have meant for
them! To get firewood, to make rude boats and simple houses, to fight
wild animals, now became easier. After iron they discovered gold and
silver, and began to take an interest in making beautiful as well as
useful things.

It is easy to see how, once these new ways of using the earth were
found, men could move into other regions than the belt where it was
always warm. They could store up food for the winter, they could build
warm shelters and get warm clothing, and they could sit by a fire.

Sometimes when the first people were out hunting, instead of killing the
young animals that they caught, they took them home and cared for them.
So the little creatures became quite tame and grew up about the camps.
The wild jungle fowls were the ancestors of the domestic hens which we
find so useful. The wild cow was tamed in like manner, and made to
supply milk in addition to food and clothing. The colts of wild horses
and donkeys were captured and used for carrying loads. Sheep and goats
were tamed in the same manner, and became the most valued possessions of
some of the ancient peoples as they are of some peoples today. When they
had learned to weave the wool of these animals into clothing and
blankets, they had taken another step upon the long road which leads
from ancient times down to us.

Did these early people live entirely upon meat? If they had done so, we
should never have had the wonderful variety of fruits and vegetables
that we now enjoy so much. We must not suppose that Nature grew these
thi