The times., 1898-10-02
623 / Sth St. NJ. w.

quarrel, when the dead man was in the
wrong. There is never any dissent
from the authority of the headmen.
There is no criminal class, nor any or
ganized system of crime, nor are there
any police. There are certain we'll
known precepts in morals-unwritten
laws. These are taught the children by
their parents, and are upheld by the
headmen and council. There is no pub
lie opinion, for whatever the headmen
decide as correct is obeyed implicitly.
Children are never ill-treatd or pun
ishcd. Hospitality is extended toward
all men. 1t is wicked to refuse il and
mean TO stint il. II is wrong TO deceive
or steal, except in regard to enemies.
Reverence TO the aged is an absolute
virtue. The land does not belong to the
chiefs, but TO the tribe as a community.
Females and infants cannot hold land
under any circumstances. The eldest
son has no special privileges, all sons
having equal shares. Daughters have
no rights whateYe. from birth to death.
Regular courts of justice are held for
the trial of offenders. Proved perjury
is punishable with death. The chief
is not usually appointed, but takes the
position by seniority. His power is
very great, in fact absolute. He may
declare war or make peace. and decides
all important questions by his own
vote. He may separate husband and
wife, but in such an event he must
find the wife a new husband before the
decree of divorce can be made absolute.
After briefly describing the methods
of hunting and fishing, NJ de Rouge
mont explained the modes and Incl
dents of making and carrying on war
All adult males take part in it from
the time when they are seventeen
that is. after initiation. When they in
wade an enemy's territory they make
il known TO such enemies by remark
able smoke signals. Offensive and de-
fensive alliances are formed with other
tribes, but in war, tactics and strategy
are unlike unknown, as also are night
attacks. No battle is ever fought with
out an open challenge beforehand. Each
tribe is nomadic, and for trading pur
poses or going to fairs it may pass
through the territories of other tribes
and kill what is required for food.
The natives are generally divided into
tribes, and these again subdivided into
families. An average family may con-
sist of seven persons-one man, two
wives and four children. In an aver
age tribe there will perhaps be twenty
or thirty families. These cannibal
blacks have very primitive idea of as
tronomy, and believe that the earth is
placed at the edges. The Great Spirit
they say lives in the milky way and
never dies. Every moon is supposed to
be a fresh one and different from the
last. Arithmetic is practically un-
known, there being spoken words for
numbers only ~ 20 four. Marriage is
not regarded as a religious ceremony.
a young man avoids his mother-in-law
like the plague He believes that If he
col to Il,- L,
gray. In certain rare tribes communal
or group marriage prevails. Each man
is the husband of all the women, and
each woman is the wife of all the men,
All the wives are of equal rank Nat
urally, quarrels occur among the Wom-
en-. usually on account Of favoritism
shown by the husband on the introduc-
ton of a young and relatively beauti-
full woman. In the event of a quarrel
the two wC11en would retire from the
camp armed with 10 stick or sticks,
and they would simply exchange blow
for blow on the head without any at
tempt at parrying-which would be ia
tai TO the woman's life. so great is the
contempt the natives have for physical
cowardice. 1t was simply a question of
endurance, and when at length one
woman is unable TO rise from the earth
the fight is at an end. and the two COM
DaldHlS uEtSS one dloInerS : wounds IN
the most amicable manner The lectur-
er then discussed the children's games
and amusementS, tribal marks and
then death and burial.
Speaking generally, death from nat
raj causes is unknown, except in the
case of very young children 1t is
brought about by the witchcraft of an
enemy, mostly through magic perform
ed by sorcerer; otherwise they believe
they would live forever. The dead BODY
is kept in camp and walked" for one
night the women moaning and wall
ing most plaintive lamentation.
Fresh leaves of the mans own ito
tenn tree are placed in the grave. and
every detail of burial is in accordance
with his totem" or clan mark. The
name of the deceased is never men
toned after his burial for fear that his
spirit should be disturbed A separate
fire is made for the dead man. and
maintained for weeks and even months.
NJ. de Rougemont, in concluding his adj
dress. said the state is landlord. and
the people know not rent, rates or tax
es. Every man has a wife-he himself
was promptly provided with one
every woman husband, each child
has many fathers and mothers, as he
is the child of TIE tribe. The institu-
tion of the workhouse is unknown. as
the strong provide for the weak There