308 COMANCHE CHIEFS. 
- The Comanches are divided into numerous 
petty bands, each under the control of its own 
particular chief. When a chief becomes old 
and care-worn, he exercises but the ‘ civil au- 
thority’ of his clan; while his son, if deemed 
worthy, otherwise some distinguished brave, 
assumes, by ‘common consent, the functions 
of war-chief. As is the case with all barba- 
rous tribes, their chiefs assume every judicial 
and executive authority. Complaints are 
made to them and sentence summarily pro- 
nounced, and often as summarily executed. 
For most offences, the chief, if he considers 
his authority sufficiently well established, 
freely uses the rod upon his subjects. He 
rarely attempts this, however, upon noted 
warriors or ‘braves,’ whose influence and re- 
sentment he may have reason to fear. The 
punishment of murder among these, as among 
most of the savage nations, devolves upon 
the bereaved relatives, who are free to pursue 
and punish the perpetrators according to their 
own liking, which is seldom short of death. 
But the offended party, if disposed to com- 
promise, has also the privilege of accepting a 
commutation and releasing the murderer. 
The husband seems to have complete 
power over the destinies of his wife and 
children. For adultery, his punishment is 
most usually to cut off the nose or ears,* or 
* This custom was perhaps once quite extensive. It prevails 
among the Creeks to the present day, an en 
other southern nations ; and “ Among the Miamis,” says Father 
Charlevoix, « the Husband has a Hehe cul oa ee wale 
