Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-07-03
Female Supremacy in Central Africa.

During DR.. Livingstons decent along the river
Zambese he came chiefly in contact with the Bolonda
negroes. On gaining more intimate acquaintance
with their social state, our traveller was specially
stuck with one prevailing pecuiarity-the position,
and even power OF the women. AS rule, it has been
found that heathensm deprives woman of her right.
full status in society, and dooms her to drudgely and
degradation. He not prepared, therefore, to find
amongst this heather and very supersttious people
tie relative posi- ton of man and woman reversed
| That the should sit in the councils of the
nation that young man entering the matrimonial
| state should he compelled 10 remove from his own
village to that of his wife and in forming this rea
| tion he should bind himself to provide her mother
with frewood long the old lady lived that the
wife alone could divorce the husband, and that in the
event of their separation, the children become the
property of their mother and that the lord of creation
should be unable to enter into the most ordinary con
tract, to perform the simplest service for anoth ar
without the sanction of " the lady superior '-were
certainly indications of female supre macy, which
it was passing strange to find Git is to be hoped for
the first time and the last in the history of dis cover.
ies) amongst the denizens of Central Africa. Bu
yet it must be allowed that " the reciprocity was
not only on on side,' for, in return for the bus
bands Difference, his wives expected to provide
him with food This, possibly, may account for the
fact which our friend staes that the ladies lack
a husband, and that old maid is not 10 be found
from the Cape 10 the Equator.
Occasionally, however, there will come hutch in
their domestic arrangements and while our travel
er supplies instance of rebellion on the part OF
the husbands, he shows that conspiracy was not un
usual amongst ives. If at any time the former is
SO unfortunate TO offend the ladies' they resolve tc
wound him in the most tender part-the stomach
Returning home, therefore, at the usual hour, be
calls upon bis first wife and asks for dinner: but she
sends him 10 a se"ond g whom he loves better )" and
she again 10 third, until he has run the gauntle
through them all, with the same result Having
nothing left but to avenge himself of the wrong faint
and hungry, he climbs tree in some populous par
of his village and proclams aloud with piteous into
nations, Listen, O. listen | thought bad married
women, but they are only witches | am bache
Or; | have not single wife Is that right for gen
teman like me 2" But The ladies, not always salts.
fed with showing their dspleasue in the negative
form, will sometimes even dare TO enforce their au
thority over their husbands with cuffs and blows
This, however, is carrying matters little too far
and the public sentiment being against such conduct
the poor sufferer gets substantial revenge; fol
the authorities OF the village then interfere, and his
! tyranncal wife is ntenced for the assault to GARY
him upon her back from the Gotta, enclosed cour
of the chiefs premises, to his own house, taunlei, al
i she goes along with the and gibes of or
the one hand but, alas on the other, checred BY
The sympathy and by such exhortalioIs as Serves
him right" Give it 10 him again." from members
of her own gentle sex.-British Banner.