AUSTRALIAN MORALITY 15 



them modesty of behavior and propriety of conduct . . . and pointing 

 out to them the heinousness of incest" (Howitt, p. 300). The rigid 

 duties of manhood centered especially in the ceremonies of the tribe. 

 The obligations which these involved were regarded as extremely sacred 

 and inviolate. " As he (the youth) grows older he takes an increasing 

 share in these (ceremonies), until finally this side of his life occupies 

 by far the greater part of his thoughts" (Spencer and Gillen). He 

 must continually show strength of character, ability to endure hard- 

 ship, to keep secrets, and, in general, to break away from the frivolity 

 of youth and all that savored of femininity. There were, among the 

 central tribes, certain sacred things which were only gradually revealed 

 by the older men, and if a young man showed little self-restraint and 

 was given to foolish chattering it might be many years before he learned 

 all that was in store for him. 



It is interesting to learn that under the traditional regime the 

 Australian natives lived a harmonious and certainly far from unhappy 

 life. Fraser says they were a merry race (p. 43). Howitt, who was 

 instrumental in gathering together the Kurnai tribe for the revival 

 of their initiation ceremonies some years ago, reports that the people 

 lived for a week in the manner of their old lives, and that the time 

 passed without a single quarrel or dispute (p. 777). In their wild 

 state the Dalebra tribe were noted to have lived most peaceably, e. g., 

 a camp of three hundred is known to have continued for three months 

 without a quarrel. Their method of settling disputes was usually by 

 means of a fight between the parties who were at odds. When blood 

 was drawn, the fighting ceased and all were henceforth good friends 

 (Dawson, p. 76). They were generous in fighting, taking no unfair 

 advantage. They loved ease and were not quarrelsome, but were never- 

 theless ready to fight (Smith, p. 30, Vol. I.). Mortal wounds in such 

 conflicts were rare (Lumholtz, p. 126). Spencer and Gillen likewise 

 say of the central tribes that whenever compensation in any form had 

 been made by an offending party the matter was ended and no ill-will 

 was cherished (p. 31). 



In some tribes theft was regarded as the greatest crime aside from 

 the murder of a fellow tribesman. As there was so little private prop- 

 erty, however, crimes arising from this source were rare. The stealing 

 of women is said to have been the most common cause of inter-tribal 

 trouble. 10 There were no fights for superiority, no suppression of one 

 tribe by another. "Within the tribe there was, in large measure, abso- 

 lute equality. There were no rich or poor, age being the only quality 

 that gave preeminence (Semon, p. 225). The inter-tribal fights were 

 certainly not so serious as some have represented. That they were con- 

 stantly attacking and trying to exterminate one another is not con- 



10 Lumholtz, p. 126; Spencer and Gillen, "Northern Tribes," p. 31. 



