The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1857-07-04
FEMALE SUPREMACY IN CENTRAL AT.

During DR.. Livmgston's descent along
the river Zambese, he came chiefly III con-
tact with the Bolonda negroes. On gaining
u more intimate acquaintance with their
social state. our traveller was specially struck
with one prevailing peculiarity, the position
and even power of the women. AS II rule,
it has been found that lleathenism deprivcs
woman of her rightful status in society. and
dooms her to drudgery and degradation.-
He was not prepared, therefore to find
amongst the Heather and very saperstiuous
people. the relative position of man and wo.
man reversed. That the woman should sit
in the council of the nation: that young
man on entering the matrimonial state
should be compelled to remove from his
own village to that Of his wife; and III tor
ming this relation. he should bind hmslf to
provide her mother with iirewood rs long
as the old lady lived: that the wife alone
could divorce tho husband, and that in the
event of their separation. the children be-
come the property Of their mother; and thnt
the lord of creation should he unable 10
enter into the most ordinary contract. or
perform the simplest service for another,
without the sanction Of the "lady superior
were certainly indications of female su-
prcmacv- which it was passing strange to
find (it is to be hoped for the first time and
the last. in the history of disc"verIes)
amongst the denizons of Central Afrlca.-
But yet it must be allowed that "thc recip-
rocty was" not "onlv on one sidc;"
for, in return for the husbands Difference
his wives were expected toprovldc hlm with
food. This. possibly. may account for the
fact which our friend suites, that til" ladies
never lack a husD ii from the Cape TO the
Equator.
Occasionally. however there will come
hitch in their domestic arrangements; and
while our traveller supplies no instance of
rebellion upon the part of the husband, he
shows that conspiracy WAS not 50 unusual
amongst wives. If mt any time the former
is so unfortunate as to offend the ladies',
they resolve to wound him in the most ten
der part--the stomach. Returning home,
therefore at the usual hour, he calls upon
his first wife, and asks for dinner, but she
| sends him to second, "whom he loves
better" and she again. TO third, until he
has run the gauntlet through them all with
the same result. Having nothing left but
| to ayenge himself Of the wrong, faint and
! hungry, he climbs tree in some populous
part OF his village, and prociaims aloud,
with piteous intonations, "iistcn. y listen;
thought had women, but they are only
witches am bachelor! have not Il sim
gle wife Is that right for gentleman like
me 2" But the ladies'. not always satisfied
with showing their dispieasure in the mega
| tive form, will sometimes even dare TO en-
force their authority over their husbands
with cuffs and blows. This, however. is
carrying matters Httte too far, and the
public sentiment being against such conduct,
the poor sufferer gets more substantial re-
vengc; for the authorities Of the village
then intefere, and his tyranical wife is SEN
fenced for the assault TO carry him uron her
back from the Gotta, an enclosed court Of
the chiefs premises, to his own house, taun-
ted, as she goes along, with the sneers and
gibes of men on one. hand; but, alas on
the other, cheered by the sympathy and by
such exhorasions as, "serves him right
"Giye it to him again." from members Of
her own gentle sex.-British Banner.