12 Social Environment 



and the ease with which the booty in the shape 

 of the stolen cattle could be removed — con- 

 ditions that had hitherto been lacking. Out of 

 such activities grew from the first a degree of 

 organization, for in preying upon each other 

 leadership centered in the most daring and suc- 

 cessful robber chief who, as he increased in 

 wisdom and cattle, advanced from patriarch 

 of his polygamous family to ruler of a consid- 

 erable kingdom. To him as the "fittest" in 

 nature's sense belonged the choicest of the 

 stolen property and the fairest of the female 

 captives, and his breed multiplied and replaced 

 less efficient breeds. The mastery thus ac- 

 quired by the warrior had a disastrous result 

 on the social status of woman. From a posi- 

 tion of relative equality or even of superiority 

 that she had held under the sway of instinctive 

 family customs, she was thrown into the status 

 of inferiority or virtual slavery that she has 

 occupied during most of the historic period. 



The enterprising raids of the cattle thieves 

 soon brought the rude valley farms into their 

 spheres of influence. Here inviting spoils were 

 to be found, for the agriculturalists had 

 adopted a somewhat premature peace policy; 

 not, it is to be feared, from any surplus of 



