HINTS AND EXPLANATIONS. 41 
tribal council is also chief of the tribe. The organization of the tribal 
council should be carefully studied and recorded. 
Among the very small tribes the gentile organization seems to be of 
minor importance. In fact, the social organization and government of 
these tribes is but poorly understood. 
For military affairs there is an especial military council, composed of 
the warriors of the tribe. The war chief may be elected, but usually this 
chieftaincy is hereditary in some one of the gentes. Rarely the civil chief 
is war chief, but never by virtue of his civil rank. 
The principal crimes recognized among the Indians are murder, maim- 
ing of various kinds, assault, theft, adultery, witchcraft, and treason, both 
against gens and the tribe. The names of crimes, together with methods 
of procedure and proof in prosecution, should be discovered and recorded 
§ 20.—RELIGION. 
Some of the Indians have nature-gods, 7. e., a god of the east, a god of 
the west, a god of the north, and a god of the south; a god of rain, a god 
of thunder, the sun, moon, stars, &c. As stated elsewhere, the greater 
number of their gods are animals—the progenitors or prototypes of the 
present species. They also have daimon gods, 7. e., the gods or presiding 
spirits of rivers, lakes, springs, mountains, corn, beans, &c. Many hero 
gods are worshiped—wonderful people of the long ago. The names of ail 
such gods should be discovered and recorded when possible. 
On inquiring of the Indians about their gods, the term ‘‘god” should 
not be used, for by this they understand the God of the white man. Their 
generic or class-name for god is often a term signifying ‘‘the ancients” —those 
who lived long ago—or some equivalent expression. Inquire, then, for won- 
derful ancient people, wonderful ancient animals; the first people, the first 
animals. The student of Indian languages can do royal service to eth- 
nology by stopping now and then in his linguistic work to record the inter- 
esting stories which the more intelligent Indians may be induced to relate 
concerning the wonderful personages of their mythology. Nor should 
these stories be neglected because of their simplicity, inconsistency, or 
vulgarity. 
