160 THE DESCENT OF MAN 



general to a race different from that of their masters. As 

 barbarians do not regard the opinion of their women, wives 

 are commonly treated like slaves. Most savages are utterly 

 indifferent to the sufferings of strangers, or even delight 

 in witnessing them. It is well known that the women and 

 children of the North American Indians aided in torturing 

 their enemies. Some savages take a horrid pleasure in 

 cruelty to animals," and humanity is an unknown virtue. 

 Nevertheless, besides the family affections, kindness is com- 

 mon, especially during sickness, between the members of 

 the same tribe, and is sometimes extended beyond these 

 limits. Mungo Park's touching account of the kindness 

 of the negro women of the interior to him is well known. 

 Many instances could be given of the noble fidelity of sav- 

 ages toward each other, but not to strangers; common ex- 

 perience justifies the maxim of the Spaniard, "Never, never 

 trust an Indian." There cannot be fidelity without truth; 

 and this fundamental virtue is not rare between the mem- 

 bers of the same tribe: thus Mungo Park heard the negro 

 women teaching their young children to love the truth. 

 This, again, is one of the virtues which becomes so deeply 

 rooted in the mind that it is sometimes practiced by savages, 

 even at a high cost, toward strangers ; but to lie to your 

 enemy has rarely been thought a sin, as the history of mod- 

 ern diplomacy too plainly shows. As soon as a tribe has a 

 recognized leader, disobedience becomes a crime, and even 

 abject submission is looked at as a sacred virtue. 



As during rude times no man can be useful or faithful 

 to his tribe without courage, this quality has universally 

 been placed in the highest rank; and although in civilized 

 countries a good yet timid man may be far more useful to 

 the community than a brave one, we cannot help instinc- 

 tively honoring the latter above a coward, however benevo- 

 lent. Prudence, on the other hand, which does not concern 

 the welfare of others, though a very useful virtue, has never 



^ See, for instance, Mr. Hamilton's account of the Kaffirs, ' Anthropo- 

 Sogical Review," 1870, p. xv. 



