darwin and modern science-第59章
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r from their bodies； after which they adopted them into the tribe。 But the rest of their kindred； the crawfish； are crawfish under ground to this day。 （Geo。 Catlin； 〃North American Indians〃4 （London； 1844）； II。 page 128。） The Osage Indians universally believed that they were descended from a male snail and a female beaver。 A flood swept the snail down to the Missouri and left him high and dry on the bank； where the sun ripened him into a man。 He met and married a beaver maid； and from the pair the tribe of the Osages is descended。 For a long time these Indians retained a pious reverence for their animal ancestors and refrained from hunting beavers； because in killing a beaver they killed a brother of the Osages。 But when white men came among them and offered high prices for beaver skins； the Osages yielded to the temptation and took the lives of their furry brethren。 （Lewis and Clarke； 〃Travels to the Source of the Missouri River〃 （London； 1815）； I。 12 （Vol。 I。 pages 44 sq。 of the London reprint； 1905）。） The Carp clan of the Ootawak Indians are descended from the eggs of a carp which had been deposited by the fish on the banks of a stream and warmed by the sun。 （〃Lettres Edifiantes et Curieuses〃； Nouvelle Edition； VI。 （Paris； 1781）； page 171。） The Crane clan of the Ojibways are sprung originally from a pair of cranes； which after long wanderings settled on the rapids at the outlet of Lake Superior； where they were changed by the Great Spirit into a man and woman。 （L。H。 Morgan； 〃Ancient Society〃 （London； 1877）； page 180。） The members of two Omaha clans were originally buffaloes and lived； oddly enough； under water； which they splashed about； making it muddy。 And at death all the members of these clans went back to their ancestors the buffaloes。 So when one of them lay adying； his friends used to wrap him up in a buffalo skin with the hair outside and say to him； 〃You came hither from the animals and you are going back thither。 Do not face this way again。 When you go； continue walking。 （J。 Owen Dorsey； 〃Omaha Sociology〃； 〃Third Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology〃 （Washington； 1884）； pages 229； 233。） The Haida Indians of Queen Charlotte Islands believe that long ago the raven； who is the chief figure in the mythology of North…West America； took a cockle from the beach and married it； the cockle gave birth to a female child； whom the raven took to wife； and from their union the Indians were produced。 （G。M。 Dawson； 〃Report on the Queen Charlotte Islands〃 （Montreal； 1880）； pages 149B sq。 （〃Geological Survey of Canada〃）； F。 Poole； 〃Queen Charlotte Islands〃； page 136。） The Delaware Indians called the rattle…snake their grandfather and would on no account destroy one of these reptiles； believing that were they to do so the whole race of rattle…snakes would rise up and bite them。 Under the influence of the white man； however； their respect for their grandfather the rattle…snake gradually died away； till at last they killed him without compunction or ceremony whenever they met him。 The writer who records the old custom observes that he had often reflected on the curious connection which appears to subsist in the mind of an Indian between man and the brute creation； 〃all animated nature；〃 says he； 〃in whatever degree； is in their eyes a great whole； from which they have not yet ventured to separate themselves。〃 （Rev。 John Heckewelder； 〃An Account of the History； Manners； and Customs； of the Indian Nations； who once inhabited Pennsylvania and the Neighbouring States〃； 〃Transactions of the Historical and Literary Committee of the American Philosophical Society〃； I。 （Philadelphia； 1819）； pages 245； 247； 248。）
Some of the Indians of Peru boasted of being descended from the puma or American lion； hence they adored the lion as a god and appeared at festivals like Hercules dressed in the skins of lions with the heads of the beasts fixed over their own。 Others claimed to be sprung from condors and attired themselves in great black and white wings； like that enormous bird。 （Garcilasso de la Vega； 〃First Part of the Royal Commentaries of the Yncas〃； Vol。 I。 page 323； Vol。 II。 page 156 （Markham's translation）。） The Wanika of East Africa look upon the hyaena as one of their ancestors or as associated in some way with their origin and destiny。 The death of a hyaena is mourned by the whole people； and the greatest funeral ceremonies which they perform are performed for this brute。 The wake held over a chief is as nothing compared to the wake held over a hyaena； one tribe only mourns the death of its chief； but all the tribes unite to celebrate the obsequies of a hyaena。 （Charles New； 〃Life； Wanderings； and Labours in Eastern Africa〃 （London； 1873） page 122。） Some Malagasy families claim to be descended from the babacoote （Lichanotus brevicaudatus）； a large lemur of grave appearance and staid demeanour； which lives in the depth of the forest。 When they find one of these creatures dead； his human descendants bury it solemnly； digging a grave for it； wrapping it in a shroud； and weeping and lamenting over its carcase。 A doctor who had shot a babacoote was accused by the inhabitants of a Betsimisaraka village of having killed 〃one of their grandfathers in the forest；〃 and to appease their indignation he had to promise not to skin the animal in the village but in a solitary place where nobody could see him。 （Father Abinal； 〃Croyances fabuleuses des Malgaches〃； 〃Les Missions Catholiques〃； XII。 （1880）； page 526； G。H。 Smith； 〃Some Betsimisaraka superstitions〃； 〃The Antananarivo Annual and Madagascar Magazine〃； No。 10 （Antananarivo； 1886）； page 239； H。W。 Little； 〃Madagascar； its History and People〃 （London； 1884）； pages 321 sq； A。 van Gennep； 〃Tabou et Totemisme a Madagascar〃 （Paris； 1904）； pages 214 sqq。） Many of the Betsimisaraka believe that the curious nocturnal animal called the aye…aye （Cheiromys madagascariensis） 〃is the embodiment of their forefathers； and hence will not touch it； much less do it an injury。 It is said that when one is discovered dead in the forest； these people make a tomb for it and bury it with all the forms of a funeral。 They think that if they attempt to entrap it； they will surely die in consequence。〃 （G。A。 Shaw； 〃The Aye…aye〃； 〃Antananarivo Annual and Madagascar Magazine〃； Vol。 II。 （Antananarivo； 1896）； pages 201； 203 （Reprint of the Second four Numbers）。 Compare A。 van Gennep； 〃Tabou et Totemisme a Madagascar〃； pages 223 sq。） Some Malagasy tribes believe themselves descended from crocodiles and accordingly they deem the formidable reptiles their brothers。 If one of these scaly brothers so far forgets the ties of kinship as to devour a man； the chief of the tribe； or in his absence an old man familiar with the tribal customs； repairs at the head of the people to the edge of the water； and summons the family of the culprit to deliver him up to the arm of justice。 A hook is then baited and cast into the river or lake。 Next day the guilty brother or one of his family is dragged ashore； formally tried； sentenced to death； and executed。 The claims of justice being thus satisfied； the dead animal is lamented and buried like a kinsman； a mound is raised over his grave and a stone marks the place of his head。 （Father Abinal； 〃Croyances fabuleuses des Malgaches〃； 〃Les Missions Catholiques〃； XII。 （1880）； page 527； A。 van Gennep； 〃Tabou et Totemisme a Madagascar〃； pages 281 sq。）
Amongst the Tshi…speaking tribes of the Gold Coast in West Africa the Horse…mackerel family traces its descent from a real horse…mackerel whom an ancestor of theirs once took to wife。 She lived with him happily in human shape on shore till one day a second wife； whom the man had married； cruelly taunted her with being nothing but a fish。 That hurt her so much that bidding her husband farewell she returned to her old home in the sea； with her youngest child in her arms； and never came back again。 But ever since the Horse…mackerel people have refrained from eating horse…mackerels； because the lost wife and mother was a fish of that sort。 （A。B。 Ellis； 〃The Tshi…speaking Peoples of the Gold Coast of West Africa〃 （London； 1887）； pages 208…11。 A similar tale is told by another fish family who abstain from eating the fi
