THE RELIGION OF SAVAGES. 223 



pects of life/ filled with malignant purposes, and demanding con- 

 stant worship to propitiate them. Thus the Indians of Caracas, 

 in Venezuela, north of Brazil, while believing in good spirits, 

 render all their worship and offer all their sacrifices to a great 

 evil spirit, and do so because they feel that the good spirits are 

 naturally friendly and do not require to be lured on to perform 

 beneficent actions. 



Sir John Lubbock's quotation from Ross as to the Eskimo is 

 equally lacking in thoroughness. Here is his quotation in full : 

 "Speaking of the Eskimo, Ross says: ' Ervick, being the senior 

 of the first party that came on board, was judged to be the most 

 proper person to question on the subject of religion. I directed 

 Sacheuse to ask him if he had any knowledge of a Supreme 

 Being ; but, after trying every word used in his language to ex- 

 press it, he could not make him understand what he meant. It 

 was distinctly ascertained that he did not worship the sun, moon, 

 stars, or any image or living creature. When asked what the 

 sun or moon was for, he said, to give light. He had no knowl- 

 edge or idea how he came into being, or of a future state ; but 

 said that when he died he would be put into the ground. Having 

 fully ascertained that he had no idea of a beneficent Supreme 

 Being, I proceeded, through Sacheuse, to inquire if he believed in 

 an evil syurit ; but he could not be made to understand what it 

 meant." . . . " He was positive that in this incantation he did not 

 receive assistance from anything ; nor could he be made to under- 

 stand what a good or evil spirit meant/ ' J 



This quotation, standing as it does alone, is unintentionally 

 unfair to Ross, for Sir John Lubbock either did not notice, or has 

 forgotten to quote, words used by Ross elsewhere with reference 

 to the Eskimo, although such words are very important. He 

 says: "Although there is no proof whatever that this people have 

 any idea of a Supreme Being, or of a spirit, good or bad, the cir- 

 cumstance of their having conjurers, and of their going to the 

 moon after death, are of a nature to prevent any conclusion from 

 being drawn to that effect ; especially as it must be evident that 

 our knowledge of their language was too imperfect to obtain the 

 whole of their ideas on the subject."* 



It scarcely required these honest words of Ross, written, no 

 doubt, to prevent mistakes being made, because in the quotation 

 as given by Sir John Lubbock nothing can be clearer than the 

 fact that Ervick did not understand the questions put to him. 

 "I directed Sacheuse to ask him if had any knowledge of a Su- 

 preme Being, but after trying every word used in his own lan- 

 guage to express it, he could not make him understand what he 



* Ross, Voyage of Discovery. 



