The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-01-30
Domestic Relations Of the Different
Nations.

That monogamy is not the enly kind
of, marriage, we are, indeed, early
taught by cur Bible lessons. But
though the conception of polygamy is
thus made somewhat familiar, it does
not occur TO us that polyandry is also g
possible arrangement; and we ara sur
prissz5 on first learning that it not. only
exists, bat was once extremely general.
When we contemplate these marital in
stitutions unlike our own, we cannot ct
first imagine that they can be practiced
with a sense of propriety like that with
which we practice ours. Yet Living
stone narrates that In tribe bordering
one of the central African lakes, the wo-
men were quite disgusted on hearing
that in England man has only one
wife. This is a feeling by no means
peculiar to them. An intelligent Kan
dyan chief with whom MIR. Bailey visit
ed these Veddahs was perfectly scandal
lied Mt the utter barbarism of living
with only one wife, and never parting
until separated by death. It was, he
said, "iust like the wanderooss" (mon-
keys.) Again, one would suppose that,
as matter of course, monogamy, poly
gamy and polyandry, in its several varie-
ties, exhausted the possible forms of
marriage. An utterly unexpected form
is furnished us by one of the African
tribes. Marriage, among them, is for
so many days IN the week--commonly
for four days in the week, which is said
TO be the "custom" IN the best families;
the wife during the off-days being re-
garded as an independent woman who
may do what she pleases. We are lit
tie surprised, too, on reading that by
some of the Hill tribes of India, un-
faithfulness ON the part of the husband
is held TO be n grave offense, but un-
faithfulness on the part of the wife q
trivial one. We assume, as self-evident,
that good usage of wife by a husband
implies, among other things, absence of
violence; and hence it seems scarcely
imaginable that in some places the OPP
posite criterion holds. Yet it does so
among the Tartars. A nurse maid of
mine, writes Mrs. Anderson in her
+" Tartar Steps, left me to be married,
and some short time after she went to
the Natchalnick of the place to make a
complaint against her husband. He in
quired into the matter, when she coolly
told him her husband did not love her.
He asked how she knew he did not love
her; ' because, - she replied, che never
whipped her" A statement which
might be rejected as incredible were it
not for the analogous fact that, among
the South African races, white master
who does not thrash his men is ridicul-
ed and reproached by them as not
worthy to be called a master. Amsng
domestic customs, again, who, If he
had been set to imagine all possible an
omalies, would have hit upon that which
is found among the Basques, and has
existed among other races-the custom
that on the birth of a child the
husband goes 20 bed and receives
the congratulations of his seaends,.-
while his wife returns to her household
work? Or who, among the results of
having a son born, would dream of that
which occurs among some Polynesian
races, where the father Is forthwith dis
posed of his property, and becomes
simply guardian of it on behalf of the
infant? The varieties of filial relations
and of accompanying sentiments con-
tinuaIly show us things equally strange,
and at first sight equally unaeeountable,
IL seems hardly credible that it should
anywhere be thought a duty on the part
OF children to bury their parents alive.
Yet it is thought among the Fijians; of
whom we read also that the parents
thus put out of the way go 70 their
graves with smiling faces. Scarcely
less incredible does it seem that mans
affection should be regarded hs more fit
" shown toward the children of others
than toward his own children. Yet the
Hill tribes of India supply an example.