2º. Preserving of food. This does not seem to require much labour among pastoral tribes. On the Pacific Coast of North America the fish have to be prepared for winter use. But where men live upon the products of their cattle, food is not at one time much more abundant than at another.
3º. Trade and industry. Household work, sometimes performed by slaves, does not seem to serve the purposes of trade, as on the Pacific Coast; there is not a single detail on record, that would lead us to suppose that it does. We even find particulars tending to prove the contrary. Among the Beni Amer, who have many slaves, the women are continually occupied in making mats, the proceeds of which labour are often sufficient to pay the tribute to the Turks[78]. Slaves do not seem to join in this occupation.
Among the Larbas free women manufacture tissues, which are sold abroad[79]. Probably slaves are not capable of performing such fine work.
Among the Yorubas and pirate-tribes of Mindanao and Sulu [[282]]the slaves are occupied in trading. But these tribes are not nomadic; moreover, these slaves do not, like the slaves on the Pacific Coast, prepare the articles of commerce, but are themselves the traders, which is quite another thing.
4º. Slaves wanted as warriors. Slaves sometimes serve to augment the military strength of the community. From the survey of the work done by slaves, given in the beginning of this chapter, it appears that they are often employed in warfare, viz. among the nomadic Somal and Danakil, Kafirs, pirate-tribes of Mindanao and Sulu, Mandingoes and Yorubas; probably also among the Bogos, where they generally take to robbery. Circassian slaves cannot be compelled to go to war[80]. Hence it seems to follow that they may go if they like. Among the Beni Amer native-born slaves are avenged by their own relatives; so these slaves are armed, and probably fight together with their masters.
The ensuing statement strikingly shows how highly slaves are valued as warriors among the nomadic Somal and Danakil. If a slave kills one enemy, he becomes free; if two or more, he is entitled to being adopted. Having killed ten enemies, he becomes a person of rank and enjoys many privileges[81].
In these cases slaves strengthen the military force of the tribe. But the tribe profits only indirectly by this reinforcement of the family. Most pastoral nomads live in comparatively small groups, rather independently; there is no strong central government[82]. And where quarrels between these small groups are frequent, the more numerous the family (in the wider sense, the Roman familia, including slaves), the better will the head of the family be able to maintain his position[83]. And pastoral nomads have always a great motive for fighting: they can enrich themselves by a successful raid. Among hunting, fishing, and agricultural tribes, if the conqueror does not want to keep the vanquished as slaves, war gives little profit[84]. But [[283]]in the raids pastoral nomads make on each other, the successful raider may acquire numerous herds, i.e. great wealth. Therefore it is of the utmost importance for a man to have as numerous a familia as possible.
When speaking of the Larbas, we have seen that their mode of life is un peu toujours comme la guerre. Their describer states: “Theft is the most threatening evil the nomad has to deal with; he is therefore most severe in suppressing it, the punishment being invariably death.” He also speaks of free servants, members of the family, who live under the protection and at the expense of some rich head of a family; they are generally very numerous, and form a body of clients that strengthens their patron’s power[85].
Levchine, speaking of the Kazak Kirghiz, says: “Their feuds are caused by the unrestrained desire for plunder, that ruins and entirely demoralizes them; this plundering is called baranta, These barantas consist in reciprocal cattle-stealing, from which often sanguinary combats result.… And we must not think that public hatred or contempt falls on those who are addicted to these horrible excesses; on the contrary, they enjoy a reputation for bravery, and are distinguished by the name of Batyr or Boghatyr, which name spreads through all the hordes the fame of their exploits. Many of these braves, called Batyr for their plundering ardour, though many years dead, still live in the remembrance of their countrymen, and their names are celebrated.” Accordingly, one of the qualities required in a chief is a large family, that gives him the power to maintain his authority[86].
Among the Beni Amer, where it seems to be quite an ordinary thing for a noble to receive 100 cows as his portion of the spoils of war, it is a great support for a man to have many children, as in these countries family is opposed to family[87].