THE CALIFORNIAN PENINSULA 369 



already some small cliildrcn. I did not see many Californian mothers who 

 caressed their children much while they lived, or tore their hair when they 

 died, although a kind of dry weeping is not wanting on such occasions. The 

 father is still more insensible, and does not even look at his (or at least bis 

 wife's) child as long as it is small and helpless. 



Nothing causes the Californians less trouble and care than the education of 

 their children, which is merely confined to a short period, and ceases as soon 

 as the latter are capable of making a living for themselves — that is, to catch 

 mice and to kill snakes. If the young Californians have once acquired sufiS- 

 cient skill and strength to follow these pursuits, it is all the same to them 

 whether they have parents or not. Nothing is done by these in the way of 

 admonition or instruction, nor do they set an example v.'orthy to be imitated 

 by their offspring. The children do what they please, without fearing repri- 

 mand or punishment, however disorderly and wicked their conduct may be. 

 It would be well if the parents did not grow angry when their children are 

 now and then slightly chastised for gross misdemeanor by order of the mis- 

 sionary ; but, instead of bearing with patience such wholesome correction of 

 their little sons and daughters, they take great offence and become enraged, 

 especially the mothers, who will scream like furies, tear out the hair, beat tlieir 

 naked breasts with a stone, and lacerate their heads with a piece of wood or 

 bone till the blood flows, as I have frequently witnessed on such occasions.* 



The consequence is, that the children follow their own inclinations without 

 any restraint, and imitate all the bad habits and practices of their equals, or 

 still older persons, without the slightest apprehension of being blamed by their 

 fathers and mothers, even if these should happen to detect them in the act of 

 committing the most disgraceful deeds. The young Californians who live in 

 the missions commence roaming about as soon as mass is over, and those that 

 spend their time in the fields go Avherever, and with whomsoever, they please, not 

 seeing for many days the faces of tlieir parents, who, in their turn, do not mani- 

 fest the slightest concern about their children, nor make any inquiries after 

 them. These are disadvantages which the missionary has no power of amending, 

 and such being the case, it is easy to imagine how little he can do by instruction, 

 exhortation, and punishment, towards improving the moral condition of these 

 young natives. 



Heaven may enlighten the Californians, and preserve Europe, and especially 

 Germany, from such a system of education, which coincides, in part, with tke 

 plan proposed by that ungodly visionary, J. J. Rousseau, in his " Emile," and 

 which is also recommended by some other modern philosophers of the same 

 tribe. If their designs are carried out, education, so far as faith, religion, and 

 the fear of God are concerned, is not to bo commenced before the eighteenth or 

 twentieth year, which, if viewed in the proper light, simply means to adopt the 

 Californian method, and to bring up youth without any education at all. 



(to be continued in the next repout.) 



* This statement does not seem to agree well with the alleged indifference of the Californian 

 »romen towards their children, and the formalities which the Californians were obliged to 

 observe, when meeting with the mothers and other female relations of their wives, renders a 

 total absence of jealousy among them rather doubtful. Dr. Waitz has also pointed out the 

 latter discrepancy while citing a number of facts contained in our autlior's work, (Anthro- 

 pologie der Naturvoelker, vol. iv, p. 250.) My object being simply to give an English ycr- 

 Bion of Baegert's account, I abstain from all comments on such real or seeming incongruities. 



24 s 



