Note 603 — Chapter VI · [168] DISCUSSION OF KINSHIP

Spencer and Gillen themselves in many places make statements that stand in direct contradiction with a theory of reincarnation literally understood. Frhr. von Leonhardi takes the trouble to adduce several instances of these contradictions (ii. p. 56, footnote 1). They might easily be multiplied, but as argued in the text they do not affect in the least the value of the information. The description of these beliefs given by Strehlow (loc. cit., ii. pp. 51 sqq.), does not differ radically from what we know about them from Spencer and Gillen, although Strehlow's account is more detailed.