there is a tutelary god of the royal
family. The Yorubans have a similar system, embracing gods of the Niger,
nightmare, wealth, gardens, and divination.[1113] This more elaborate
system corresponds to their more highly developed scheme of social
organization.

+661+. The tribes of Northeastern Asia are less developed religiously.
The Koryaks are said to have benevolent and malevolent deities, but
appear not to have made much progress in the recognition of the distinct
departments of nature.[1114] The Ainu have a large number of specific
deities: the goddess of fire, whose title is "Grandmother"; gods of the
kitchen, of doors, of springs, and of gardens.[1115] As the Ainu culture
resembles that of Northeastern Asia in several respects, it is possible
that in the latter region there exists a more highly specialized scheme
than has yet been reported. In Central Asia also it seems that no great
progress has been made in this direction by native thought. The
statement of Herodotus[1116] that the Thracians in time of thunderstorms
used to shoot arrows at the sky and threaten the god, may point to a
recognition of a god of the sky or of storm. In the greater part of
Central Asia the conception of local spirits has prevailed and still
prevails (Shamanism), a phase of religion that stands below that of the
division of nature into departments. In certain districts of Mongolia,
in which the theistic system is complicated, departmental deities are
now found, but the obvious dependence of this region on Buddhism
(Lamaism) and other outside cults makes it doubtful whether or how far
this scheme of gods is of native origin.[1117]

+662+. In North America the Algonkin and Maskoki nations and the Skidi
Pawnee have deities of the sky, the heavenly bodies, the winds, and
fire.[1118] In the western part of the continent the theistic systems
are less developed, but the details of the cults have not yet been fully
collected; so far as appears, a departmental organization has not been
made. In Brazil there is a trace of such a conception among the Tupis;
but the South American tribes remain at a low level of theistic
development.[1119]

+663+. The three greater religions of America, the Maya, the Mexican,
and the Peruvian, offer much more interesting material, in regard to
which the information which has been handed down to us is often
unfortunately meager. Particularly, little definite is known of the Maya
system; the indications are th