Civilisation : Its Cause and Cure 



life of the wilder races — however rudimentary 

 and undeveloped it may be — the almost universal 

 testimony of students and travelers is that within 

 its limits it is more harmonious and compact than 

 that of the civilised nations. The members of 

 the tribe are not organically at warfare with each 

 other ; society is not divided into classes which 

 prey upon each other ; nor is it consumed by para- 

 sites. There is more true social unity, less of 

 disease. Though the customs of each tribe are 

 rigid, absurd, and often frightfully cruel, ^ and 

 though all outsiders are liable to be regarded as 

 enemies, yet within those limits the members live 

 peacefully together — their pursuits, their work, 

 are undertaken in common, thieving and violence 

 are rare, social feeling and community of interest 

 are strong. ** In their own bands Indians are 

 perfectly honest. In all my intercourse with them 

 1 have heard of not over half-a-dozen cases of such 

 theft. But this wonderfully exceptional honesty 

 extends no further than to the members of his 

 immediate band. To all outside of it, the Indian 

 is not only one of the most arrant thieves in the 

 world, but this quality or faculty is held in the 

 highest estimation." (Dodge, p. 64.) If a man 

 set out on a journey (this among the Kaffirs) 

 " he need not trouble himself about provisions, 

 for he is sure to fall in with some hut, or per- 

 haps a village, and is equally sure of obtain- 

 ing both food and shelter." 2 "I have lived," 



1 See Col, Dodge's Our Wild Indians. 



2 Wood's Natural History of Man. 



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