to another. The hill Dyaks, whose wars are
constant and bloody, are very scrupulous about this account of
heads due. They are more so than the sea Dyaks, who have perhaps
been influenced by contact with outside peoples.[1746] Amongst
the Ewe-speaking peoples of West Africa[1747] a family is
collectively responsible for crimes and wrongs of which any one
of its members is guilty, and each one is assessed for his share
of the composition to be paid. Each member of a family also gets
his share of any payment paid to it for wrongs to its members.
Ellis says that formerly the village was the collective unit for
paying or receiving compensation. This is noteworthy because, in
general, composition by payment is later than the custom of equal
retaliation, while civil units come later than kin units as the
collective units which are responsible. The Somali attribute the
duty of blood revenge to the kin, not to the tribe. They have a
tariff for bodily injuries less than murder, and for age and sex.
The blood money goes to the kin. Blood revenge is executed
against any kinsman of the murderer. The Galla do not accept
compensation for blood guilt, "no doubt on account of the density
of population."[1748] In the _Eumenides_ of AEschylus it is said
(line 520), "Not all the wealth of the great earth can do away
with blood guilt." In Japan blood revenge continued until very
recently. The person who meant to seek it had to give notice in
writing to the criminal court. He was then free to execute his
purpose, but he must not make a riot. The Japanese father family
is a religious corporation, and the family bond is that of a
cult.[1749] The Japanese view is the half-civilized view, where
the kin sentiment is highly developed and the civil interest is
only imperfectly apprehended. In Scandinavia the feeling that it
is base to take compensation for blood continued until a late
time. We find in the saga of Grettir the Strong[1750] that
banishment is used instead of blood revenge. This was thought to
be a letting down of honor. Life and honor as well as property
were under the protection of kin. Blood revenge was a holy duty.
The son could not take his inheritance until he had avenged his
father. Attempts were made to introduce the weregild. The fine
for killing an old man or a woman was twice as much as for an
able-bodied man. The s