POLITICAL HEADS CHIEFS, KINGS, ETC. 723 



the like is true with the natives of Australia. By the Fuegians "the 

 word of an old man is accepted as law by the young people." Each 

 party of Rock Veddahs " has a head-man, the most energetic senior of 

 the tribe," who divides the honey, etc. Even with sundry peoples 

 more advanced the like holds. The Dyaks in north Borneo " have no 

 established chiefs, but follow the counsels of the old man to whom 

 they are related " ; and Edwards says of the ungoverned Caribs, that 

 "to their old men, indeed, they allowed some kind of authority." 



Naturally, in rude societies, the strong hand gives predominance. 

 Apart from the influence of age, " bodily strength alone procures dis- 

 tinction among " the Bushmen. The leaders of the Tasmanians were 

 tall and powerful men : " Instead of an elective or hereditary chief- 

 taincy, the place of command was yielded up to the bully of the tribe." 

 A remark of Sturt's implies a like origin of supremacy among the 

 Australians. Similarly in South America. Of people on the Tapajos, 

 Bates tells us that " the foot-marks of the chief could be distinguished 

 from the rest by their great size and the length of the stride." And 

 in Bedouin tribes " the fiercest, the strongest, and the craftiest obtains 

 complete mastery over his fellows." During higher stages physical 

 vigor long continues to be an all-important qualification ; as in Homer- 

 ic Greece, where even age did not compensate for decline of strength : 

 "an old chief, such as Peleus and Laertes, can not retain his position." 

 And throughout mediaeval Europe maintenance of headship largely 

 depended on bodily prowess. 



Mental superiority, alone or joined with other attributes, is a com- 

 mon cause of predominance. With the Snake Indians, the chief is no 

 more than " the most confidential person among the warriors." School- 

 craft says of the chief acknowledged by the Creeks, that " he is emi- 

 nent with the people only for his superior talents and political abili- 

 ties " ; and that over the Comanches " the position of a chief is not 

 hereditary, but the result of his own superior cunning, knowledge, or 

 success in w^ar." A chief of the Coroados is one " who, by his strength, 

 cunning, and courage, had obtained some command over them." And 

 the Ostiaks "pay respect, in the fullest sense of the word, to their 

 chief, if wise and valiant ; but this homage is voluntary, and not a 

 prerogative of his position." 



Yet another soui'ce of governmental power in primitive tribes is 

 largeness of possessions ; wealth being at once an indirect mark of 

 superiority and a direct cause of influence. With the Tacullies " any 

 person may become a miiity, or chief, who will occasionally provide a 

 village feast." " Among the Tolewas, in Del Norte County, money 

 makes the chief." And, of the chief -less Navajos we read that "every 

 rich man has many dependents, and these dependents are obedient to 

 his will, in peace and in war." 



But, naturally, in societies not yet politically developed, acknowL 

 edged superiority is ever liable to be competed with or replaced by 



