: MARRIAGE—WANT OF CHASTITY. 157 
than the upper tribes. The chieftainship is hereditary to a certain extent, 
and dual, which is to say, there are two chiefs, who might be compared, as to 
their functions, to the Japanése Tycoon and Mikado, in that one administers 
more particularly the secular affairs, and the other the spiritual. But the 
Indians designate them as the war-chief (arrow-man) and peace-chief (shell- 
man), the war-chief becoming the peace-chief when he grows too decrepit 
to conduct them to battle. The peace-chief is a kind of censor morum, 
adjusts disputes, delivers moral homilies on certain anniversary occasions, 
performs the marriage ceremonies, so far as they extend, and watches over 
the conduct of his people, and especially over that of the wanton young 
squaws. Even the war-chief is obedient to him at home, and in fact that 
functionary is of secondary importance, since the Pomo are eminently a 
peaceable people. 
There is rather more formality in the marriage ceremony than prevails 
among most California Indians. The bridegroom can hardly be said to 
purchase his bride, yet he is expected to make generous presents to her 
father, and unless these were forthcoming probably the marriage would 
not be pernnitted. The peace-chief causes the parties to enter into a simple 
covenant in presence of their parents and friends, after which there is danc- 
ing and merry-making for a considerable space of time, together with eating 
and drinking, but not in such measure or quality as to constitute feasting. 
As is true of California Indians generally, there is scarcely such an 
attribute known as virtue or chastity in either sex before marriage. Up 
to the time when they enter matrimony most of the young women are a 
kind of femmes incomprises, the common property of the tribe; and after 
they have once taken on themselves the marriage covenant, simple as it is, 
they are guarded with a Turkish jealousy, for even the married women are 
not such models as Mrs. Ford. Indeed the wantonness of their women is 
the one great eyesore of the Pomo Indians, and it seems to be almost the 
sole object of government to preserve them in proper subjection and obedi- 
ence. The one great burden of the harangues delivered by the venerable 
peace-chief on solemn occasions is the necessity and the excellence of female 
virtue; all the terrors of superstitious sanction and the direst threats of 
the great prophet are leveled at unchastity, and all the most dreadful calam- 
