POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS PRELIMINARY, 5 



As having this trait may be named the Santals, of whom Hunter says, 

 " They were the most truthful set of men I ever met " ; and, again, the 

 Sowrahs, of whom Shortt says : " A pleasing feature in their character is 

 their complete truthfuhiess. They do not know how to tell a lie." Not- 

 withstanding their sexual relations of a primitive and low type, even 

 the Todas are described as considering " falsehood one of the worst of 

 vices." Though Metz says that they practice dissimulation toward 

 Europeans, yet he recognizes this as a trait consequent upon their in- 

 tercourse with Europeans ; and this judgment coincides with one given 

 to me by an Indian civil servant concerning other Hill tribes, originally 

 distinguished for their veracity, but who are rendered less veracious 

 by contact with the whites. So rare is lying among these aboriginal 

 races when unvitiated by the " civilized," that, of those in Bengal, 

 Hunter singles out the Tipperahs as " the only Hill tribe in which this 

 vice is met with." 



Similarly in respect of honesty, some of those peoples classed as 

 inferior read lessons to those classed as superior. Of the Todas just 

 named, ignorant and degraded as they are in some respects, Harkness 

 says, " I never saw a people, civilized or uncivilized, who seemed to 

 have a more religious respect for the rights of meum and tuum.^'' The 

 Marias (Gonds), " in common with many other wild races, bear a 

 singular character for truthfulness and honesty." Among the Khonds 

 "the denial of a debt is a breach of this principle, which is held to 

 be highly sinful. 'Let a man,' say they, 'give up all he has to his 

 creditors.' " The Santal, who " never thinks of making money by a 

 stranger," prefers to have " no dealings with his guests ; but when his 

 guests introduce the subject he deals with them as honestly as he 

 would with his own people ... he names the true price at first." The 

 Lepchas " are wonderfully honest, theft being scarcely known among 

 them." And the Bodo and Dhimals are "honest and truthful in deed 

 and word." Colonel Dixon dilates on the "fidelity, truth, and hon- 

 esty " of the Carnatic aborigines ; and they show " an extreme and 

 almost touching devotion when put upon their honor." And Hunter 

 asserts of the Chakmas, that "crime is rai-e among these primitive 

 people. . . . Theft is almost unknown." 



So it is, too, with the general virtues of these and sundry other 

 uncivilized tribes. The Santal "possesses a happy disposition," is 

 " sociable to a fault," " courteous," but " at the same time firm and 

 free from cringing" ; and, while the "sexes are greatly devoted to 

 each other's society," the women are "exceedingly chaste." The 

 Bodo and Dhimals are "full of amiable qualities, and almost entirely 

 free from such as are unamiable." The Lepcha, " cheerful, kind, and 

 patient," is described by Dr. Hooker as a most "attractive com- 

 panion " ; and Dr. Campbell gives " an instance of the effect of a very 

 strong sense of duty on this savage." In like manner, from accounts 

 of certain of the Malayo-Polynesian societies, and certain of the Pap- 



