412 GENERAL FACTS. 
lost at various times her mother, a cousin, and a brother, all cut off in cold- 
blooded murder by her own tribe, and that before they became acquainted 
with the Americans, and while they were living in ‘“ primitive innocence”. 
It is not pleasant to think of these things, and they dispel whole volumes 
of the romantic nonsense written about aboriginal Arcadias. Still, we must 
not judge savages by our standard, but bear always in mind that revenge 
is taught to them as a virtue from the baby-basket to the grave, and that 
anything which will secure the getting of that revenge is justifiable. 
Notwithstanding all that has been said to the contrary by false friends 
and weak, maundering philanthropists, the California Indians are a grossly 
licentious race. None more so, perhaps. There is no word in all their lan- 
guages that I have examined which has the meaning of “mercenary pros- 
titute”, because such a creature is unknown to them; but among the un- 
married of both sexes there is very little or no restraint; and this freedom 
is so much a matter of course that there is no reproach attaching to it, so 
that their young women are notable for their modest and innocent de- 
meanor. This very modesty of outward deportment has deceived the hasty 
glance of many travelers. But what their conduct really is, is shown by 
the Argus-eyed surveillance to which women are subjected. If a married 
woman is seen even walking in the forest with another man than her hus- 
band she is chastised by him. <A repetition of the offense is generally 
punished with speedy death. Brothers and sisters scrupulously avoid living 
alone together. A mother-in-law is never allowed to live with her son-in- 
law. To the Indian’s mind the opportunity of evil implies the commission 
of evil. He cannot comprehend the case of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife, or 
else he is totally incredulous. Ifa brother and a sister should chance to 
dwell together a short time after their parents’ death, and are reproached for it, 
the ready answer is, ‘‘ Well, what of it? You Americans do it”, mention- 
ing some citizen whose bachelor household is presided over by his sister, 
and against whose fair reputation not the faintest breath of suspicion was 
ever blown. They cannot understand such a ease, and refuse to believe in 
the blamelessness of the parties. 
But while they thus carefully avoid the appearance of evil, the daily 
conversation of most of them, even in the presence of their wives and 
