OBEISANCES. 117 



tives resistance. Another attitude equally helpless, more 

 elaborately displays subjugation. &quot; At Tonga Tabu . . . 

 the common people show their great chief . . . the greatest 

 respect imaginable by prostrating themselves before him, 

 and by putting his foot on their necks. 7 The like occurs in 

 Africa. Laird says the messengers from the king of Fundah 

 &quot; each bent down and put my foot on their heads.&quot; And 

 among historic peoples this position, originated by defeat, 

 became a position assumed in acknowledging submission. 



From such primary obeisances representing completely 

 the attitudes of the conquered beneath the conqueror, there 

 come obeisances which express in various ways the subjec 

 tion of the slave to the master. Of old in the East this 

 subjection was expressed when &quot; Ben-hadad s servants 

 girded sackcloth on their loins, and put ropes on their heads, 

 and came to the king of Israel.&quot; In Peru^ where the 

 militant type of organization was pushed so far, a sign of 

 humility was to have the hands tied and a rope round the 

 neck. In both cases there was an assumption of those 

 bonds which originally marked captives brought from the 

 battle-field. Along with this mode of simulating slavery 

 to the Ynca, another mode was employed. Servitude had to 

 be indicated by carrying a burden; and &quot; this taking up a 

 load to enter the presence of Atahuallpa, is a ceremony 

 which was performed by all the lords who have reigned in 

 that land.&quot; 



These extreme instances I give at the outset by way of 

 showing the natural genesis of the obeisance as a means of 

 obtaining mercy; first from a victor and then from a ruler. 

 A full conception of the obeisance, however, includes an 

 other element. In the introductory chapter it was pointed 

 out that sundry signs of pleasure, having a physio-psycho 

 logical origin, which occur in presence of those for whom 

 there is affection, pass into complimentary observances ; be 

 cause men are pleased by supposing themselves liked, and 

 are therefore pleased by demonstrations of liking. So that 

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