[228] Cp. T. Burrow, "The Genesis and Meaning of Homosexuality and its relation to the problem of introverted mental states." Psychoanalytic Review, IV. 272.
[229] We have already (p. 90) given certain examples of that most common form of incest, the connection of brother and sister. We may here refer briefly to a few further instances, more especially to those in which there occurs the more intimate connection between parents and children. Such instances would seem to have been observed with especial frequency among the Indians of North America. Thus Samuel Hearne, writing in 1795, tells us of the Chippewayans that "it is notoriously known that many of them cohabit occasionally with their own mothers and frequently espouse their sisters and daughters. I have known several of them who, after having lived in that state with their daughters, have given them to their sons and all parties have been perfectly reconciled to it." ("Journey to the Northern Ocean," 1795, 130). Eighty years later Bancroft tells us much the same of the Kadiaks ("The Native Races of the Pacific States of North America," 1875, I, 81). An observer of about the same period writes concerning the eastern tribes of the Tinnehs that "instances of men united to their mothers, their sisters or their daughters are far from rare. I have heard among them of two sons keeping their mother as a common wife, of another wedded to his daughter, while in cases of polygamy having two sisters to wife is very usual." ("Annual Report of Regents of the Smithsonian Institution," 1867, 310).
In South America too the practice of incest of this kind would appear to have been fairly frequently observed. Thus in Brazil the Indians of the Isanna river "marry one, two or three wives and prefer relations, marrying with cousins, uncles with nieces, nephews with aunts, so that in a village all are connected" (A. R. Wallace, "Travels in the Amazon and Rio Negro," 1889, 352). Commenting on this report, Frazer adds that "in this preference for marriage with blood relations the Indians of the Isanna agree with other Indian tribes of South America, especially of Brazil" ("Totemism and Exogamy," III, 575). Concerning this same part of the world, another traveller says that "in general it may be asserted that incest in all degrees is of frequent occurrence among the numerous tribes and hordes on the Amazon and the Rio Negro" (See Martius, "Zur Ethnographie Amerikas, zumal Brasiliens," 1867, 116). Of the Peruvian aborigines we are told by an earlier authority that they "follow their own desires without excepting sister, daughter or mother. Others excepted their mother but none else" (Garcilasso de la Vega, First part of the "Royal Commentaries of the Yncas," trans. by C. R. Markham, 1869-71, I, 58).
Similar observations have been made by travellers among primitive peoples in many other parts of the world. Thus with the Karens of Tenasserim "matrimonial alliances between brother and sister or father and daughter are not uncommon" (Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society of Bengal, VII, 856). In Africa "the kings of Gonzalves and Gaboon are accustomed to marry their grown-up daughters and the queens marry their eldest sons" (A. Bastian, "Der Mensch in der Geschichte," 1860, III, 293). In a district of Celebes "father and daughter, mother and son, brother and sister frequently lived together in bonds of matrimony" (S. J. Hickson, "A Naturalist in North Celebes," 1889, 277). With the Kalangs (probably the aborigines of Java) "mother and son often live together as man and wife, and it is a belief that prosperity and riches flow from such a union" (E. Ketjen, De Kalangers, Tijdschrift von Indische Taal-Land en Volkenkunde, 1877, XXIV, 427). Very similar practices have been reported from New Guinea (Rev. J. Chalmers, "Notes on the Natives of Kiwai," Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, XXXI, II, 1903, 124), the Indian Archipelago (Wilken, Over de Verwantschap en het huwelijks en enfrechts bij de volken van het maleische ras, 1883, 277), and Melanesia (Frazer, "Totemism and Exogamy," II, 118).
But it must not be supposed that the frequent practice of incest is confined to primitive races. Although in civilised communities regarded with almost universal condemnation, incest has probably always existed to some extent among certain sections of the population and the practice of incest among modern white races is undoubtedly much more prevalent than is commonly supposed. A well known British psycho-analyst assures me that in the exercise of their profession he and his colleagues hear with astonishing frequency of cases of incest, the report of which is otherwise suppressed. Particularly is this so as regards children. At the present day however, incest undoubtedly occurs most frequently among the poorer classes, where want of adequate housing accommodation renders the temptation greater. It is startling to note in this connection that, according to the Chicago Vice Commission, out of a group of 103 girls examined, no less than 51 reported that they had received their first sexual experience at the hands of their father ("The Social Evil in Chicago," 1911, quoted by W. A. White, "Mechanisms of Character Formation," 1916, 163). Even if we allow a liberal margin for incorrect or exaggerated statements (in this case of course, instances of wish-fulfilment), these figures would seem to afford astonishing evidence as to the prevalence of incest of the father-daughter type in the towns of America. In this country there is reason to believe that similar occurrences are far from being uncommon (cp. "Downward Paths", 20)
[230] Cp. Frazer, "Totemism and Exogamy," IV, 112 ff.
[231] "Native Tribes of Central Australia," 419.
[232] Frazer, "Totemism and Exogamy," I, 242 ff.
[233] Idem, op. cit., IV, 297, quoting Rev. S. Endle.
[234] Idem, op. cit., II, 636.