n8 



THE LIVING RACES OF MANKIND 



husband can divorce his wife for her indiscretions; but if he does so, he loses the price he paid 

 for her to her brother or her parents, from whom he purchased her. Consequently the affair 

 is usually overlooked as regards the woman; but if he can find the seducer, he will make him 

 pay compensation, or perhaps challenge him to fight. In this, however, he seldom succeeds, 

 because popular opinion is averse to the shedding of blood over the virtue of women. At feasts, 

 when men and women are expected to get drunk and forget themselves, adultery is considered 

 no offence at all, and they treat it as a mistake which any one is liable to make. However, 

 this sin is not so common as one would expect from the low moral tone that prevails. 



The belief in witchcraft and in omens is general. Surgeon-Major Newland narrates that 

 a Chin man came to him complaining that a rat had entered his stomach. He was given 

 an emetic, and in the morning reported that he had vomited tip the rat in the night; then 

 went home cured and happy. 



When two tribes take an oath of friendship, they meet and produce a mithun, which is 

 a cross between a cow and a buffalo. The wise men of each village pour liquors over it, and 

 mutter to their respective spirits to note the agreement which is now to be made over the 

 blood. The chiefs of either side each take a spear, and, standing on opposite sides of the 

 animal, drive the weapons into its heart. If guns, and not spears, are used, the two chiefs 

 simultaneously fire into the animal's brain or heart. As the animal falls its throat is cut and 

 the blood collected in bowls; the tail of the animal is then cut off and dipped in the blood, 

 and with it the chiefs and elders of the two parties daub each other's faces, whilst the wise 

 men mutter, " May the party who breaks this agreement die even as this animal has died, 

 and may he be buried outside the village and his spirit never rest; may his family also 

 die, and may every bad fortune attend his village!" When a tribe or a clan make formal 



submission to the British Government, the 

 ceremony is somewhat modified. The Govern- 

 ment representative and the chief simulta- 

 neously shoot the animal; the tail is cut 

 off, and, holding it in his hand, the chief 

 swears to be true to his oath, to recognise 

 the Government, never to cut the telegraph- 

 wire or shoot on the troops, and always to 

 pay tribute regularly; and he calls on the 

 spirit to kill the Government representative 

 if he without cause attacks the Chins, and 

 also to inflict every misfortune on himself 

 and his village if they break the oath. 

 S;id to say, however, in spite of this elabo- 

 rate form, the oath is of no value. The 

 Chin chief will only keep it so long as he 

 is afraid to do otherwise; and if it should 

 suit his purpose, he will break his vow. No 

 Government servant should count on a Chin 

 keeping his word because he has sworn over 

 blood to do so, and it should always be borne 

 in mind that a Chin does not lose caste in 

 this world or happiness in the next for lying 

 and deceiving. Chins have no records, so a 

 big stone is set up to remind the contracting 

 parties of their agreement. To make an oath 

 very binding they must eat some earth. 



The Karens of the Tenasserim highlands 

 dwell in great seclusion, having formerly been 



Photo by .!/ 



<. H'nll.- ,1 >7 

 KACHIN3 BOY AXI) GIHL. 



Hangoon. 



