In the lower stages of human development sexual affection is much inferior in intensity to the tender feelings with which parents embrace their children; and among several peoples it seems to be almost unknown. Thus, speaking of the Hovas in Madagascar, Mr. Sibree says that, among them, until the spread of Christianity, there was “no lack of strong affection between blood-relations—parents and children, brothers and sisters, grandparents and grandchildren;” but the idea of love between husband and wife was hardly thought of.[2067] On the Gold Coast, says Major Ellis, “love, as understood by the people of Europe, has no existence.”[2068] At Winnebah, according to Mr. Duncan, “not even the appearance of affection exists between husband and wife;” and almost the same is asserted by M. Sabatier with reference to the Kabyles, by Signor Bonfanti with reference to the Bantu race.[2069] Munzinger says that, among the Beni-Amer, it is considered even disgraceful for a wife to show any affection for her husband.[2070] The Chittagong Hill tribes, according to Captain Lewin, have “no idea of tenderness, nor of chivalrous devotion.” Marriage is among them regarded as merely a convenient and animal connection.[2071] In the Island of Ponapé, according to Dr. Finsch, love in our sense of the term is entirely unknown.[2072] As regards the Eskimo of Newfoundland, Heriot asserts, “Like all other men in the savage state, they treat their wives with great coldness and neglect, but their affection towards their offspring is lively and tender.”[2073] In Greenland, a man thought nothing of beating his wife, but it was an heinous offence for a mother to chastise her children.[2074] Almost the same is said of the Kutchin by Mr. Jones, and of the Eskimo of Norton Sound by Mr. Dall.[2075] According to Mr. Morgan, the refined passion of love is unknown to the North American Indians in general.[2076] Such statements, however, may easily be misleading. The love of a savage is certainly very different from the love of a civilized man; nevertheless, we may discover in it traces of the same ingredients. There are facts which tend to show that even very rude savages may have conjugal affection; nay, that among certain uncivilized peoples it has reached a remarkably high degree of development. Among the wretched Bushmans, according to Mr. Chapman, there is love in all their marriages.[2077] Among the races of the Upper Congo, love is ennobled by a certain poetry;[2078] and with the Touaregs, there is a touch of almost chivalrous sentiment in the relations between men and women.[2079] Regarding the man-eating Niam-Niam, Dr. Schweinfurth asserts that they display an affection for their wives which is unparalleled among other natives of an equally low grade.[2080]