MUTILATIONS. 75 



ity, tattooing in other places is a trait of the superior. But 

 the occurrence of anomalies is not surprising. During the 

 perpetual overrunnings of race by race, it must sometimes 

 have happened that an untattooed race having been con 

 quered by one which practised tattooing, the presence of 

 these markings became associated with social supremacy. 



A further cause exists for this conflict of meanings. 

 There remains to be named a species of skin-mutilation 

 having another origin and different implication. 



365. Besides scars resulting from lacerations made in 

 propitiating dead relatives, dead chiefs, and deities, there 

 are scars resulting from wounds received in battle. All the 

 world over, these are held in honour and displayed with 

 pride. The sentiment associated with them among our 

 selves in past times, is indicated in Shakespeare by sundry 

 references to &quot; such as boasting shew their scars.&quot; Lafeu 

 says &quot; a scar nobly got, or a noble scar, is a good livery of 

 honour; &quot; and Henry V. foretells of an old soldier that 

 then will he strip his sleeve and shew his scars.&quot; 



Animated as are savages in still higher degrees than 

 civilized by the feelings thus indicated, what may be 

 expected to result? Will not anxiety to get honour some 

 times lead to the making of scars artificially? We have 

 evidence that it does. A Bechuana priest makes a long cut 

 in the skin from the thigh to the knee of each warrior who 

 has slain a man in battle. The Bachapin Kaffirs have a 

 kindred usage. Among the Damaras, &quot; for every wild 

 animal that a young man destroys, his father makes four 

 small incisions on the front of the son s body as marks of 

 honour and distinction.&quot; And then Tuckey, speaking of 

 certain Congo people who make scars, says that this is 

 &quot; principally done with the idea of rendering themselves 

 agreeable to the women: &quot; a motive which is intelligible if 

 such scars originally passed for scars got in war, and imply 

 ing bravery. Again, we read that &quot; the Itzaex Indians [in 



