5ECT. II.] PROLIFICACY. 155 



rhe last circumstance is, however, not general : it is, for in- 

 tance, not observed in the Puris, 1 nor are there any observa- 

 ions that it influences the productiveness of these peoples. 

 )n the other hand, the great abuse of spirituous liquors, and 

 he misery of the natives, the frequent want of means of sub- 

 isti'iice, the heavy labour imposed upon them by the whites, 

 nay clearly be enumerated as the causes, the combination of 

 vhich has produced the apparent weakness of the race. How 

 leceitful this appearance is may be proved by the example, 

 hat also in South Arabia many marriages are unproductive, 

 ilthough polygamy is not prevalent among the mass of the 

 )0pulation. In America, also, there are not wanting instances 

 vhich contradict the above assertion. The women on the 

 lorth-west coast are very prolific. 2 Among the North Indians 

 t is considered exceptional if the number of children amounts 

 mly to five or six. 3 Among the Chippeways the average 

 lumber of children is four ; sterility is considered a disgrace, 

 )eing looked upon as the consequence of incontinency. 4 Among 

 :he Sioux sterility is rare : from three to eight children is the 

 isual number, and no one remains unmarried. 5 The Mandans 

 lave often as many as ten children, but, in consequence of the 

 ong period of suckling and the heavy labour of the women, 

 ess prolific marriages are frequent. 6 Say 7 found among the 

 Kansas instances of three children born at one birth, and 

 amilies of thirteen children. An instance of an Indian who 

 lad fourteen children by one wife, is also given. 8 Hecke- 

 svelder 9 knew among the natives a converted Indian family with 

 hirteen, others with six to nine, children ; the usual number 

 was from four to five. Among the Omahas, who have mostly 

 Tom four to six children, and sometimes from ten to twelve, 



1 Eschwege, i, p. 163. 



2 Portlock and Dixon, " E. um d. Welt," p. 213, Berl. 1791. 



3 Hearne, " E.," p. 262. 



4 Keating, ii, pp. 152, 165. 



5 Schoolcraft, iii, p. 238. 



6 Prince Max, " E. in N. Am., ii, p. 129 ; and " Brasilien nachtrage und 

 'iusatze," p. 99. 



7 James, " Ace. of an exped. from Pittsburg to the E. mountains," i, p. 124, 

 L823. 



8 Ausland, p. 997, 1857. 



9 "Nach. v. d. Gesch. der Ind. Volkersch." p. 389, 1821. 



