The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-01-31
Domestic Relations OF Different Ma
mons.

1lOIRAs
That inonogamy is not the only kind of
marriage, we are, indeed, early taught by
our bible lessons. But though the con-
ception of polygamy is thus made some
what familiar, it does not occur to US that
polyandry is also possible arrangement /;
and we are not surprised on first learning
that it not only exists, but was once ex-
tremely general. When we contemplate
these marital institutions unlike our own,
we cannot at first imagine that they can be
practced with sense of propriety like that
with which we practice ours. Yet. Living
stone narrates that in tribe border.
ing one of the central African lakes
the women were quite Disguised on learning
that in England man has only one wife.
This is a feeling by no means peculiar to
them. An intelligent Kandyan chief, with
whom Mr.. Bailey visited these Veddahs,
was perfectly scandalized at the utter bar
barism of living with only one wife and
never parting until separated by death. 1t
was, he said, ''just like the wanderoos."
(monkeys.) Again one would suppose
that, as q matter of course, monogamy,
polygainy and polyandry, in its several
varieties, exhausted the possible forms of
marriage. An utterly unexpected form
is furnished US by one Of theI 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 1.-THE
custom in the best families )" the wife
during the off-days being regarded as an
Independent woman, who may do what she
plsases. We are little surprised, too, on
reading that by some of the hill tribes of
India unfaithfulness on the part of the hus.
band is held to be grave offence, but un-
faithfulness on the part of the wife trivial
one. We assume as sell-evident, that good
usage of wife by husband implies,
among other things, absence of violence;
and hence it seems scarcely imaginable that
in sone places the opposite criterion holds.
Yet, it does SO among the Tartars. !.
"A nurse maid of NINE" writes Mrs.
Anderson, in her "Tartar Steppes," ''left
me to be married, and some short time af-
ter she vert to the Natchalnick of the
place to make complaint against her hus-
band. He inquired 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,
he never whipped me-" A statement
which might be regarded as incredible,
were it not for the analogous fact that
among the South African races white
master who does not thrash his men
is ridiculed and reproached by them as
not worthy to be called master.
Among domestic customs, again who,
If he had been set to imagine
al possible anomalies, would have hit upon
that which is found among the Basques,
and has existed among other races--the
custom that on the birth OF child the hus-
Land goes to bed and receives the congratu-
lation of friends, while his wife returns to
her household work? Or, who, among
the results of having son born, would
dream Of that which occurs among Poly
nesian races, where the father is forth
with dispossessed of his property, and
becomes simply guardian Of it Oh behalf
Of the infant? The varieties Of filial
relations, and of accompanying sentiments
continually show US things equally strange,
and at first equally unaccountable. 1t
seems hardly credible that it should any
where be thought duty on the part Of
children to bury their parents alive. Yet
it is so thought among the Fijians, oil
whom we read also that the parents thus
put out Of the way, 60 to their graves with
smiling faces. Scarcely less incredible
does it seem that mans affection should
Be regarded as more fifty shown towards
the children. Yet the hill tribes of India
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