162 
for themselves and their families. Many gained influence and wealth 
through medicine-power;^ sometimes, indeed, the shaman had more 
authority than the chief. On the plains, men accumulated property 
for years in order to purchase a medicine-bundle, just as they hoarded 
skins and food on the Pacific coast to outdo their rivals in a potlatch. 
Women as well as men had their avenues of advancement. Many 
enjoyed high rank on the Pacific coast through the accident of 
descent; among the Iro(|uoians a few became matrons of maternal 
families. The great “ sun-dance festival ” of the plains’ Indians 
brought together all the members of a tribe, from far and near; yet 
the Blackfoot and the Sarcec could not hold a sun-dance except in 
fulfilment of a woman’s vo\v, and the woman whose purity and 
self-sacrifice permitted its celebration enjoyed fame and honour 
throughout her days. Both sexes alike could qualify as shamans, 
although in this sphere women rarely obtained the same prestige as 
men. Indian society was, therefore, far from stagnant. If tlie fields 
for ambition were narrow this was no more than inevitable among 
peoples of lowly culture whose horizons were limited to their own 
immediate vicinity. 
The principal check on ambition, a salutary check in the main, 
was the socialistic character of Indian life. Rank and wealth gave 
no title to arrogance. Except at ceremonies chiefs dressed in the 
same way and ate the same food as the common people under them. 
Even the nobles on the Pacific coast lived little better than the 
slaves whom they could put to death for a mere whim. 'Sot one of 
them would have darerl to emulate many a petty chieftain in Africa 
and force his people to crawl before his feet or to starve while he 
had food in abundance. The fruits of the earth, the game on the 
land, and the fish in the water Avere for all men’s use, and while 
every individual was entitled to the products of his labour no one 
might claim an unfair share to the detriment of his fellowmen. So 
we read of the Hurons: “No hospitals are needed among them, 
because there are neither mendicants nor paupei’s as long as there 
are any rich people among them. Their kindness, humanity, and 
courtesy not only make them liberal with what they have, but 
cause them to possess hardly anything except in common, A whole 
village must be without corn before any individual can be obliged 
1 C7- Cie rise of Tehaka anioiig ibe Assiniltoiiie. De Snu't ; 0!>. cit,, vol, iii, pp, 1108 et seq. 
