The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-04-14
B0YCOTTING.
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How it is practiced in
Savage Tribes.
They apply it to their
Mothers-In-law.

Mr.. Lorimer Fison 'ouce saw man of
the Australian tribe Wangaratta full OF the
utmost distress and disgust because his
mother-in-law's shadow had fallen across
his legs. He had been lying at the foot of
an enormous gum tree. which hid him
from the old lady's view as she approach.
ed. and SO the catastrophe occurred"
Among the less scrupulous savages
mothers-in law are not absolutely Boycott
ted. but there must be no tutoiment; they
are respectfully addressed in the dual or
plural. Even so the presence of relations
by marriage (among certain American
| tribes man must strictly Boycott his own
f9therin-law) always brings a chill con.
straint into the family circle This is the
more lneonvenient because man and a
hunter Is bound to give much of
his game to these same relations, |
his wife parents. Thus Boycotting stops
good way short of the Irish system. which |
chiefly exists for the opposite purpose of |
depriving landlords. agents and paying |
tenants of food. If married black fell |
10, aided By an unmarried black fellow,
kills kangaroo, the whole quarry goes to I
the father in law and mother-in- law, ex-
cept the lett leg, the share of the married |
man, and the right leg, the property of |
the bachelor, it a married man is lucky |
enough TO spear native bear his parents
in~law get the left side and two legs, he
himself obtains part Of the head, and gives
his wife portion. while she supplies her
sister with the ears The negotiations
have to be conducad through
the wife, while the hunter makes his own
arrangements with his own father aud
mother. When Woinbat is slain the
father in law only gets the backbone, and
the motheI-iu-iaw rome skin. Much i'll
feeling in naturally caused. We may pre-
sumo, when hunter is always supplying
the camp with vombat, and
never with native bear or kangaroo.
Owing to the simple and salutary
rules OF Intercourse. however, the mother
ln-law cannot reproach the bread winner,
or rather, we would say, the wombat win
ser. of the family.
/ The Aleutian Islander, says Sir. Farrer,
quoting Dali. knows nothing of what
civilized nationals call modesty," vet the
hshful creature positively bushes when
d is obliged to speak to his wife, or to ask
r for anything in the presence of others.
- istom compells them to assume the atti-
2e of perfect strangers, and it is greatly
be desired that this rule, or a modifca
. b of it. might be introduced into Ger
We 10y. where 5etrothed people behave in
er lipany as it they were alone IN wilder
OF space or possessed OF the
ct Of fern seed. The Hottie ntots
Ito have lad character for domes,
tafection, because they were ney.
Ieseen 10 speak to their own
he u But the Rottentot is not really
e4ud indifferent; be is only compelled
% law of his people to Boycott his
$. VIZ The lady may never enter her hus-
oa room IN the hut, and husbands as
h1
ss IN neigh bUrhGo3 o. ihe wife. Among
th9ubas, an African tribe, this domes-
4 TIC sc0ttlug il carried out with the
e extest rlgor. A woman is forbidden
to 4 to her husband and not even
e to sim II 1t can possibly be avoided. :
a. ApNtly a similar custom existed
amohe early SapskTit speaking peopie
Tor wife. 10 the famous story Of UrvaSi
e and nravas, says to her lord: Never u:
y let see thee without thy royal gar M,
ie men$r such is the manner OF women" WI
And IN this Tule was broken, Urvasi 70
must'itly and silently vanish away" fo1
, hke iet'ins who have locked on the ire
mystfs Boojum. The Ciroas-
sian ,sgroom must not see his wife
nor with her without the greatest
mysfe aud tie unconyerted natives OF PT
3 the Lands display the utmost dis
tress Old when adventurous mission
ares sst that there is 10 real harm n
10 mdaving under the same roof with Ii
ms wlfdo far do tie Hos carry this
feehnR' SO opposite to cur own are
Their i4oF decorum, that 1T is the
correct for wife to run away from e
her hust" In this ease the lady Boy E
colts heS. and it is bis duty to Try 10
make h,sturn to The fao,ils te.t
- DonestiScotting goes even rur,bar
m than th1ong the Fjans and other .
l. islanders the Pacific. The yourg I
e haneda with a wild scream into the
pushes II even mention the name 0. B.
Ct his amiahter, while in Fiji not ouly Ar
= brothers aisters, but first cousins Of n;
i. opposite s strictly Boycott each other =
81 and may ar eat together nor sneak "a