If it had come to blows, we should, no
doubt, in spite of my aid, have come off the worst; but they
contented themselves with mutual abuse and threats, and the fellows
got out of the way.
I have everywhere remarked that the Indians jangle and threaten a
great deal, but that they never go beyond that. I have lived a
great deal among the people and observed them, and have often seen
anger and quarrelling, but never fighting. Indeed, when their anger
lasts long, they sit down together. The children never wrestle or
pull each other about, either in sport or earnest. I only once saw
two boys engaged in earnest quarrel, when one of them so far forgot
himself as to give the other a box on the ear, but he did this as
carefully as if he received the blow himself. The boy who was
struck drew his sleeve over his cheek, and the quarrel was ended.
Some other children had looked on from the distance, but took no
part in it.
This good nature may partly depend upon the fact that the people eat
so little flesh, and, according to their religion, are so extremely
kind to all animals; but I think still that there is some cowardice
at the bottom of it.
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