GENERAL CUSTOM 299 



in which he holds her. But I think this trait is the out- 

 come of custom rather than of natural ferocity of heart. 

 A black would be despised by his fellows if he failed 

 promptly to punish carelessness or laxity on the part of 

 his wife. Of her morals he has no care. She must not go 

 aside of her own will ; but at her husband's command she 

 is compelled to perform the offices of a wife to any man he 

 chooses to indicate. It is a common practice among the 

 natives to lend their wives to each other. It is only rarely 

 that a native has more than one wife ; but the assertion 

 that none but the chiefs may have more than two at the 

 same time, is not correct among any tribes that I have 

 been amongst. The tribes differ much in their habits and 

 customs, and among some monogamy may be enforced, 

 but I strongly doubt if it is so. 



The chiefs do not seem to have so much power as is 

 usual among uncivilised peoples. All important acts and 

 proceedings are settled at meetings of the men of the tribe 

 — that is, of all who are acknowledged to have entered 

 fully on the manhood state. The initiation into the 

 privileges and rights of manhood is performed in secret, 

 and takes a considerable time. I do not know exactly to 

 what rites the youth is subjected, but he has to undergo 

 a considerable amount of torture without complaint or 

 breakdown. The white man is not allowed to witness the 

 ceremonies or the trials of the initiation, and the black 

 will not converse about them, but puts off the inquisitive 

 inquirer with concocted tales. 



The chief has a few privileges, and he regulates and 

 commands the migrations of the tribe to the various 

 districts of their hunting grounds. He also commands in 

 war, but cannot make war or peace without the con- 

 currence of the tribe ; neither has he control over any man's 

 right of free action, or over his life or property, nor could 

 I ever perceive that he is treated with any extraordinary 

 amount of respect 



The dead are disposed of in quite different ways in 

 various parts of the country. In the north-west and 

 some other parts of the north, and also in some portions 



