Chap. III. 
MOKAL SENSE. 
95 
during sickness, between the members of the same tribe, 
and are sometimes extended beyond the limits of the 
tribe. 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 
savages towards each other, but not to strangers; 
common experience 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 members 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 practised by savages even at a high 
cost, towards strangers ; but to lie to your enemy has 
rarely been thought a sin, as the history of modem 
diplomacy too plainly shews. As soon as a tribe has 
a recognised 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 
civilised countries, a good, yet timid, man may be far 
more useful to the community than a brave one, we 
cannot help instinctively honouring the latter above 
a coward, however benevolent. Prudence, on the other 
hand, which does not concern the welfare of others, 
though a very useful virtue, has never been highly 
esteemed. As no man can practise the virtues necessary 
for the welfare of his tribe without self-sacrifice, self- 
command, and the power of endurance, these qualities 
have been at all times highly and most justly valued. 
The American savage voluntarily submits without 
a groan to the most horrid tortures to prove and 
strengthen his fortitude and courage ; and we cannot 
