Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1865-01-21
Curious Wife Hunting.

Inc native blacks OF AuStralia nave
singular mode Of wife hunting, and We
find it vividly described in 2 new English
work, whence we extract the following
In nothing is the brutality of their ma
ture more clearly shown than in their
treatment of their females. Among them,
women are considered as an inferior class
and are nsed almost as beasts Of burden f;
so that II is not at all uncommon to meet
a huge black fellow travelling merrily
along with no load but his spear or war
club, while his unfortunate leubrW is pant
ing under the weight of their goods and
cbattels, WHICH she is compelled to carry
from camp to camp. Courtship, as the
precursor TO marriage, is unknown among
them. When young warrior is desirous
of procuring wife, he generally obtains
one by giving in exchange for her sister
or some other female :elative Of his own
but if there should happen to be no eligi-
bic dalnsel disengaged in the tribe to
which he belongs, then he hovers round
the encampmcnt Of some other black until
he gets an opportunity of seizing one OF
their leubras, whom perhaps he has seen
and admired iu attending one of the grand
corroborries. His mode of paying his
addresses is simple and eficacious. With
a blow of his nuHa mulLa (wqr club,) he
stuns the object oi his affections and
drags her nsensible body away to some
retired spot, when as soon as she RECEIVERS
her senses, he brings her home TO his own
gunyah in triumph. Sometimes two join
in an expedition for the same purpose, ,and
then for several days they watch the move
mcuts of their intended victims, using the
utmost in concealing their presence.
When they have obtained the knowledge
they equire, they wait for dark, windy
night; then quite naked, and carrying
only their "jag spears" they crawl steal
thily through the bush until they reach
the immediate vicinity of the camp fires
in front of which the girls they are il
search of are sleeping Slowly and silen
l. ly thoy creep close enough to distinguish
' the figure of one of those leubras; the
= one of the intruders stretches out his spear
d and inserts the barbed poiRt among he
y thick flowing locks, turning the spea
IS slowly round then with a sudden jerk
e she is aroused from her slumbcr, and q
n her eyes open, she feels the sharp point
), another pressed against her throat. Sh
neither faints nor screams; she know
y we'll that the slightest attempt at escape
e alarm will cause her instant death, so, lik
s. sensible woman, she makes virtue {
II necessity, and rising silently, she follow
d her captors They lead her away to
rs considerable distance, tie her to tre'
y and return 70 ensnare their other victi
10 10 like manner Then, when they HAY
u accomplished their design, they hurry O
l. to their own camp, where they are re
Or ceived with universal applause, and bighl
honored for their chivalrous exploit o.
as casionally, an alarm is given, but eve
" then the wife stealers escape amid the col
il fusion, 10 renew their attempt at some fl
* .ure period. When q distinguished wa
ut rior carries off bride from s.rang
th tribe, he will frequently volunteer 10 VI
n, dergo the "trial Of spears,' in order
'h prevent the necessity of his people gor
IN to war in bis defence then both the trib
meet, and ten of their smarest and strou
ne est young men are picked out by the a
m grieved party. These are each provide
ut with three reed spears, and a wommer
el or throwing stick; and the offender, arr
d, cd only with his heilmau, ia black shio
ID Is inches long by 6 wide,) is led out
ed frcnt, and placed at distance of for
h, yards. Then at given signal, the thir
ID spears are launched at hiI.! in rapiS su
no ccssion, these he receives and parries wi
to his shield, and so skillful ere the blac
in the use oil their own weapons, teat We
a seldom is eny wound inflicted, Hav
ire successfully passed through this orde
nd tho warrior is considered 10 have fail
en- earned his leubra, and to have atoned
nd his offense in carrying her of; so
no ceremony generally concludes by the t.
,m tribes feasting together in perfect harmon
"How do you like me now," Osked
is, belle CT her spouse, as she sailed into