150 MASKS AND LABRETS. 



But, it may be said, these things are mere accidental coincidences; 

 sporadic occurrences, from which no sound hypothesis can be drawn. 

 This is the very question at issue, and I deny that such treatment of the 

 subject is scientiGc. The suggestions here put forward may be all and 

 singular erroneous; even some of the data may be assailed ; but after 

 getting the present interrogation points out of the way the question 

 they merely indicate is as far from solution (if nothing else is done) as 

 ever. 



The mathematical probability of such an interwoven chain of custom 

 and belief being sporadic and fortuitous is so nearly infinitesimal as to 

 lay the burden of proof upon the upholders of the latter proposition. 



Even were it acknowledged to be fortuitous it would still be tbe result 

 of natural laws, and it would be interesting to inquire in such a case 

 why these laws should work more effectively in a north and south than 

 in any other direction, and what the circumstances are that produce a 

 crop of labrets equally in Central Africa or in the Polar regions. 



It has tome the appearauceof an impulse communicated by the gradual 

 incursion of a vigorous, masterful people upon a region already partly 

 peopled by weaker and receptive races, whose branches, away from the 

 scene of progressive disturbance, remained unaffected by the character- 

 istics resulting from the impact of the invader upon their relatives. 



It by no means follows on this view that these practices were imposed 

 by conquerors on subjected tribes. On the contrary, people actually 

 conquered, as in the case of Tlinkit slaves, would probably be denied 

 such privileges as those symbols which were characteristic of their 

 masters. 



But people cognizant of the presence of a more vigorous or remarkably 

 courageous race, from whom they could with difficulty defend them- 

 selves, and which was marked by certain particularly notable customs, 

 unfamiliar and astonishing to those who first became acquainted with 

 them, such as labretifery, might adopt customs with an idea that the 

 desired courage or vigor might follow the symbol if adopted among 

 themselves. The invaders would retain their original custom and con- 

 quer a place for themselves; the conquered would gradually disappear; 

 the unconquered would exist in an intermittent sort of armed truce ad- 

 jacent to the region of the conquerors ; the custom would be propagated 

 by mere contact with and high estimation of the qualities of the in- 

 vaders by residents who remained unconquered. 



Such a change was to a certain extent in actual progress within a 

 recent period in the Yukon regiou. The Mahlemut Innuit, the most 

 bold and vigorous of the Orarian tribes of the region, would boldly carry 

 their skin cauoes over mountains, launch them on the other side and 

 fearlessly invade the territory of the Tinneh Indiansonthe Lower Yukon, 

 carrying on a trade in which Ihe buyer dictated the prices. The mis- 

 erable, though well-fed, Tinneh of this part of the river, constantly in 

 fear of the more energetic coast tribes, have adopted (whether for this 



