726 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



quired at the same time, and as the result of the struggle, a firmer 

 organization. The expedients adopted to carry on the contest grew, 

 as in other important cases, to national institutions." And modern 

 instances of the relation between successful militancy and the strength- 

 ening of political control are furnished by the career of Napoleon and 

 the recent history of the German Empire. 



Political headship, then, commonly beginning with the influence 

 gained by the strongest, most courageous, and most astute warrior, 

 becomes established where activity in war gives opportunity for his 

 superiority to show itself and to generate subordination ; and there- 

 after the growth of political power continues primarily related to the 

 exercise of militant functions. 



Very erroneous, however, would be the idea formed if no further 

 origin for political headship were named. There is a kind of influence, 

 in some cases operating alone and in other cases cooperating with that 

 above specified, which is all-important. I mean the influence possessed 

 by the medicine-man. 



That this arises as early as the other can scarcely be said ; since, 

 until the ghost-theory takes shape, there is no origin for it. But, when 

 belief in the spirits of the dead becomes current, the medicine-man, 

 l^rofessing ability to control them and inspiring faith in his pretensions, 

 is regarded with a fear which promj^ts obedience. When we read of 

 the Thlinkeets that " the supreme feat of a conjurer's power is to throw 

 one of his liege spirits into the body of one Avho refuses to believe in 

 his power, upon which the possessed is taken with swooning and fits," 

 we may imagine the dread he excites and the sway he consequently 

 gains. From some of the lowest races upward we find illustrations. 

 Fitzroy says of the " doctor-wizard among the Fuegians " that he 

 is the most cunning and most deceitful of his tribe, and that he has 

 great influence over his companions. " Though the Tasmanians were 

 free from the despotism of rulers, they were swayed by the counsels, 

 governed by the arts, or terrified by the fears of certain wise men or 

 doctors. These could not only mitigate suffering but inflict it." A 

 chief of the Haidahs " seems to be the principal sorcerer, and indeed 

 to possess little authority save from his connection with the preterhu- 

 man powers." The Dakota medicine-men "are the greatest rascals in 

 the tribe, and possess immense influence over the minds of the young, 

 who are brought up in the belief of their supernatural powers. . . . 

 The war-chief who leads the party to war is always one of these medi- 

 cine-men, and is believed to have the power to guide the j^arty to 

 success, or save it from defeat." Among more advanced peoples in 

 Africa, supposed powers of working supernatural effects similarly give 

 influence, strengthening authority otherwise gained. It is so with the 

 Amazulu : a chief " practices magic on another chief before fighting 

 with him " ; and his followers have great confidence in him if he has 



