151 
right of inheritance in mother’s brother, or other laws 
ignoring succession through the father. 
d. Administratio?i of Justice. —18. Are courts held for the 
trial of offenders ? 19. Are there any officers appointed for 
the purpose of administering justice ? 20. Is there any re¬ 
cognized principle of procedure? 21. Must the accused be 
present? 22. Is he subjected to torture? 23. Must a con¬ 
fession be obtained before conviction ? 24. Is there any 
ceremony analogous to the taking an oath by witnesses ; 
25. How is perjury dealt with ? 25 a. Is the evidence 
of all classes held to be of equal value ? 25 b. Do secret 
societies exist whose office it is to punish crime? and are 
they independent of the more regular tribunals ? 
e. Punishments. —26. By what authority inflicted ? 27. By 
what means executed ? 28. Death : for what crimes ? how 
suffered ? 29. Is taliation (“an eye for an eye, and a tooth 
for a tooth ”) acted upon ? 30. Mutilation : for what crimes ? 
and how inflicted ? 31. Flogging. 32. Mulcts or penalties : 
for what offences? how recovered ? to whose benefit applied? 
33. Imprisonment : how enforced ? for what periods ? with 
what consequences ? 34. Other punishments, if any ? 35. Is 
private revenge permitted ? 36. Generally, is justice admin¬ 
istered with severity or with clemency, with caprice or with 
regularity ? are the laws respected ? are they undergoing 
improvement ? and what is their influence on the character 
of the people ? 
37. Can the prisoner appeal to another court for mitigation 
of sentence ? {eg., from the sentence of a chief to a priest). 
E. W. B. 
No. XXXV.—CUSTOMS. 
The distinction between a law and an authoritative custom 
may be best drawn with reference to the manner in which 
society compels obedience to it. If a judge or tribunal declares 
