The Descent of Man

tant. But they are practised almost exclusively
in relation to the men of the same tribe; and
their opposites are not regarded as crimes in
relation to the men of other tribes. No tribe
could hold together if murder, robbery, treachery,
etc., were common; consequently such
crimes within the limits of the same tribe "are
branded with everlasting infamy" (31. See an
able article in the 'North British Review,' 1867,
p. 395. See also Mr. W. Bagehot's articles on the
Importance of Obedience and Coherence to
Primitive Man, in the 'Fortnightly Review,'
1867, p. 529, and 1868, p. 457, etc.); but excite no
such sentiment beyond these limits. A North-
American Indian is well pleased with himself,
and is honoured by others, when he scalps a
man of another tribe; and a Dyak cuts off the
head of an unoffending person, and dries it as a
trophy. The murder of infants has prevailed on
the largest scale throughout the world (32. The
fullest account which I have met with is by Dr.
Gerland, in his 'Ueber den Aussterben der Na-