166 Journ. of the Asiat. Soc. of Bengal. (May & June, 1916. 
registered while yet there is time. It may be that a study of 
these beliefs and vestiges of long-forgotten creeds may discover 
unexpected and disconcerting affinities ; but an ethnographist 
as no bias and no partiality ; he records facts collected on 4 
systematic plan and generally leaves it to others to draw 
inferences. 
Reasoning is a much slower and more laborious process in 
the earlier stages of culture than those who are educated 
according to modern methods are apt to imagine. Imitation 
ples 
tribes, castes and similar ethnic or social groups. Ethnology 
has usually concerned itself. more with people in the earlier 
reasons 
or consider ourselves to be, quite familiar with what goes 0 
around us; and we take these things as a matter of course and 
do not consider it worth our while to waste time in recording 
them. Perhaps also in our familiarity, we miss the traits and 
peculiarities that are really vital and important. Moreovel 
the phases of the society of the earlier ages and stages have 
assed away or are likely soon to pass away; an are 
anxious that they should be investigated and recorded before 
they are irrevocably lost to us. Perhaps also with regard 
ourselves and our present, we lack the disinterested aloofnes 
and judicial impartiality that are necessary for a proper sciel 
tific investigation of such facts. We can afford to be (a8 ® 
recent writer puts it) candid about bees and ants, and may 
dissect and describe the manners and customs and characters 
tics of people who are far removed from us. But when it 
comes to a description and consideration of our own mani 
vn customs, we are troubled with many doubts and distra” 
ions 
d 
[may perhaps now proceed to gi i Jes 10 
z give certain examp 
show that there are important differences between Northet® : 
