58 TRANSACTIONS OF THE 



EIGHTEENTH REGULAR MEETING. 



February 17, 1880. 



Burial Customs of the North American Indians. 



By H. C. YARROW. 



This paper has been published in full, in the Introduction 

 to the study of the Mortuary Customs of the North American 

 Indians, by the same author, issued by the Bureau of Eth- 

 nology. 



The Development of Deliberative Government among 

 the North American Indians. 



By J. HOWARD GORE. 



War compelled the savages to remain in a family union. 

 This family was ruled by the parent from whom it had its 

 origin. A greater danger or a desire to govern other bands 

 caused families to coalesce. In order to secure harmony of 

 action and successful results, there must be no division of 

 governmental power, for acquiescence to authority among 

 warlike people is on account of fear or respect for an indi- 

 vidual. The man who ran the fastest, killed the greatest 

 number of enemies, and took the most booty, would be the 

 actual and eventually the accepted leader of the tribe. 

 When the necessity which caused this alliance of families 

 was removed, there would be a tendency to separate, so that 

 the leader in war in order to be a ruler in peace must rely 

 upon superstitious ceremony, from which all later ceremony 

 developed. The sons of this chief, inheriting their father's 

 strength and skill, would be the wealthiest successors to the 

 chieftaincy — the eldest only serving. As the tribe increased 

 in number, the chief called in men of wisdom or skill for 

 advisors. The utility of this step becoming apparent, the 

 power of the chief decreased, while that of the councillors 



