按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
； wrought in figures； on its head； and its fur powdered over with white down。 A tray of provisions was then set before it； and it was invited by words and gestures to eat。 After that the animal was skinned； boiled； and eaten。
A like respect is testified for other dangerous creatures by the hunters who regularly trap and kill them。 When Caffre hunters are in the act of showering spears on an elephant； they call out； Don't kill us； great captain； don't strike or tread upon us； mighty chief。 When he is dead they make their excuses to him； pretending that his death was a pure accident。 As a mark of respect they bury his trunk with much solemn ceremony； for they say that the elephant is a great lord； his trunk is his hand。 Before the Amaxosa Caffres attack an elephant they shout to the animal and beg him to pardon them for the slaughter they are about to perpetrate； professing great submission to his person and explaining clearly the need they have of his tusks to enable them to procure beads and supply their wants。 When they have killed him they bury in the ground； along with the end of his trunk； a few of the articles they have obtained for the ivory； thus hoping to avert some mishap that would otherwise befall them。 Amongst some tribes of Eastern Africa； when a lion is killed； the carcase is brought before the king； who does homage to it by prostrating himself on the ground and rubbing his face on the muzzle of the beast。 In some parts of Western Africa if a negro kills a leopard he is bound fast and brought before the chiefs for having killed one of their peers。 The man defends himself on the plea that the leopard is chief of the forest and therefore a stranger。 He is then set at liberty and rewarded。 But the dead leopard； adorned with a chief's bonnet； is set up in the village； where nightly dances are held in its honour。 The Baganda greatly fear the ghosts of buffaloes which they have killed； and they always appease these dangerous spirits。 On no account will they bring the head of a slain buffalo into a village or into a garden of plantains： they always eat the flesh of the head in the open country。 Afterwards they place the skull in a small hut built for the purpose； where they pour out beer as an offering and pray to the ghost to stay where he is and not to harm them。
Another formidable beast whose life the savage hunter takes with joy； yet with fear and trembling； is the whale。 After the slaughter of a whale the maritime Koryak of North…eastern Siberia hold a communal festival； the essential part of which is based on the conception that the whale killed has come on a visit to the village； that it is staying for some time； during which it is treated with great respect； that it then returns to the sea to repeat its visit the following year； that it will induce its relatives to come along； telling them of the hospitable reception that has been accorded to it。 According to the Koryak ideas； the whales； like all other animals； constitute one tribe； or rather family； of related individuals； who live in villages like the Koryak。 They avenge the murder of one of their number； and are grateful for kindnesses that they may have received。 When the inhabitants of the Isle of St。 Mary； to the north of Madagascar； go a…whaling； they single out the young whales for attack and humbly beg the mother's pardon； stating the necessity that drives them to kill her progeny； and requesting that she will be pleased to go below while the deed is doing； that her maternal feelings may not be outraged by witnessing what must cause her so much uneasiness。 An Ajumba hunter having killed a female hippopotamus on Lake Azyingo in West Africa； the animal was decapitated and its quarters and bowels removed。 Then the hunter； naked； stepped into the hollow of the ribs； and kneeling down in the bloody pool washed his whole body with the blood and excretions of the animal； while he prayed to the soul of the hippopotamus not to bear him a grudge for having killed her and so blighted her hopes of future maternity； and he further entreated the ghost not to stir up other hippopotamuses to avenge her death by butting at and capsizing his canoe。
The ounce； a leopard…like creature； is dreaded for its depredations by the Indians of Brazil。 When they have caught one of these animals in a snare； they kill it and carry the body home to the village。 There the women deck the carcase with feathers of many colours； put bracelets on its legs； and weep over it； saying； I pray thee not to take vengeance on our little ones for having been caught and killed through thine own ignorance。 For it was not we who deceived thee； it was thyself。 Our husbands only set the trap to catch animals that are good to eat； they never thought to take thee in it。 Therefore； let not thy soul counsel thy fellows to avenge thy death on our little ones！ When a Blackfoot Indian has caught eagles in a trap and killed them； he takes them home to a special lodge； called the eagles' lodge； which has been prepared for their reception outside of the camp。 Here he sets the birds in a row on the ground； and propping up their heads on a stick； puts a piece of dried meat in each of their mouths in order that the spirits of the dead eagles may go and tell the other eagles how well they are being treated by the Indians。 So when Indian hunters of the Orinoco region have killed an animal； they open its mouth and pour into it a few drops of the liquor they generally carry with them； in order that the soul of the dead beast may inform its fellows of the welcome it has met with； and that they too； cheered by the prospect of the same kind reception； may come with alacrity to be killed。 When a Teton Indian is on a journey； and he meets a grey spider or a spider with yellow legs； he kills it； because some evil would befall him if he did not。 But he is very careful not to let the spider know that he kills it； for if the spider knew； his soul would go and tell the other spiders； and one of them would be sure to avenge the death of his relation。 So in crushing the insect； the Indian says； O Grandfather Spider； the Thunder…beings kill you。 And the spider is crushed at once and believes what is told him。 His soul probably runs and tells the other spiders that the Thunder…beings have killed him； but no harm comes of that。 For what can grey or yellow…legged spiders do to the Thunder…beings？
But it is not merely dangerous creatures with whom the savage desires to keep on good terms。 It is true that the respect which he pays to wild beasts is in some measure proportioned to their strength and ferocity。 Thus the savage Stiens of Cambodia； believing that all animals have souls which roam about after their death； beg an animal's pardon when they kill it； lest its soul should come and torment them。 Also they offer it sacrifices； but these sacrifices are proportioned to the size and strength of the animal。 The ceremonies which they observe at the death of an elephant are conducted with much pomp and last seven days。 Similar distinctions are drawn by North American Indians。 The bear； the buffalo； and the beaver are manidos ＇divinities＇ which furnish food。 The bear is formidable； and good to eat。 They render ceremonies to him； begging him to allow himself to be eaten； although they know he has no fancy for it。 We kill you； but you are not annihilated。 His head and paws are objects of homage 。 Other animals are treated similarly from similar reasons 。 Many of the animal manidos； not being dangerous； are often treated with contemptthe terrapin； the weasel； polecat； etc。 The distinction is instructive。 Animals which are feared； or are good to eat； or both； are treated with ceremonious respect； those which are neither formidable nor good to eat are despised。 We have had examples of reverence paid to animals which are both feared and eaten。 It remains to prove that similar respect is shown to animals which； without being feared； are either eaten or valued for their skins。
When Siberian sable…hunters have caught a sable； no one is allowed to see it； and they think that if good or evil be spoken of the captured sable no more sables will be caught。 A hunter has been known to express his belief that the sables could hear what was said of them as far off as Moscow。 He said that the chief reason why the sable hunt was now so unproductive was that some live sables had been sent to Moscow。 There they had been viewed with astonishment as strange animals； and the sables cannot abide that。 Another； though minor； cause of the diminished take of sables was； he alleged； that the world is now much worse than it used to be； so that nowadays a hunter will sometimes hide the sable which he has got instead of putting it into the common stock。 This also； said he； the sables cannot abide。 Alaskan hunters preserve the bones of sables and beavers out of reach of the dogs for a year and then bury them carefully； lest the spirits who look after the beavers and sables should consider that they are regarded with contempt； and hence no more should be killed or trapped。 The Canadian Indians were equally particular not to let their dogs gnaw the bones； or at least certain of the bones； of beavers。 They took the greatest pains to collect and preserve these bones； and； whe