THE INDIAN OF THE NORTHWEST 29
the Marchand expedition, thought the chiefs were chosen be- cause of ability in trade. No chief has power over the property of individuals. Ross 151 says that the chief's control is nom- inal; the Indian maxim is that Indians were born to be free, and that no man had a natural right to the obedience of an- other. There is no coercive power to back the will of the chief, yet he is seldom disobeyed. He seldom interferes in family affairs, the ordinary routine of daily occurrences. Every morn- ing at daybreak he rides or walks about the village and har- angues as he goes; the business of the day is then and there settled ; but he never interferes with the affairs of individuals. This custom of the morning harangue is preserved to this day; the chief in this determines the movement of the camp as a whole, hunting parties, fishing, etc. Weightier matters always are brought before a council, a government by the most important men of the tribe. These councils are ceremonial and always orderly. After the chief has opened the matter, coun- cilors speak to the point, always one at a time and earnestly and orderly. Mackenzie 152 found the Dinees quiet and peace- able, never making any incursions into the lands of their neighbors. Lewis and Clark 153 report the Shoshones and other tribes very orderly, not prone to crowd around or disturb. Captain Chanal 154 says that in traffic they were orderly, no con- fusion, no disputes, neither eager, urgent, noisy nor importu- nate. Thompson, except at The Dalles, invariably reports that the Indians behaved well, and were under the control of the chiefs. Navarrete 155 tells us that Indians deal kindly among themselves, and do not allow themselves to be carried away with anger. Jewitt 156 says that there are no violent quarrels between citizens.
There is no compulsion in going to war. Thompson de- scribes the Kullyspell Indians' customs of mustering, which may be regarded as typical. If a small group is anxious to
151 Adventures: p. 293.
152 Voyages: Ch. IX.
153 Original Journals : III., p. 14.
1 54 Marchand : I., 359.
155 Sutil y Mexicana: Vol. I.
156 Adventures: p. aao.
