Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1883-02-08
MARRIAGE.
Strange appearance and Queer
Wuys Of the Jagoaa Tribe.

London Daily News.
Among the most interesting obsen-
vations made by Lieutenant Bove,
in Terra Del Fuego, are those on the
Jagan tribe, which counts about 3, 700
individuals, who inhabit portion Of
the southwest of the country.
We give the account in Lieuten-
ant Bove's words:
"The Jagans impress one as a
poor race. In general, the men are
scarcely more than of medium stature
while the women rarely reach it. The
faces of this race are round, large and
fat, with high cheek bones, low fore
heads, large fat noses, very black and
restless eyes, wide apart, large tumid
lips, and strong jaws, furnished with
beautiful teeth. The head and chest
are disproportionately large compar-
ed to the extreme slenderness Of arms
and legs, and it is a marvel how the
latter can support the well-developed
trunk and heavy head.
In spite Of this strange formation,
both men and women have uncom-
mon strength, and have seen them
carry weights that would have taxed
the robustest of our sailors. No less
surprising is the smallness of their
hands and feet, which, if a beauty, is
very disadvantageous to the men,
who can carry only one or two objects
in their hands at the same time.
They have rough, lustreless black
hair, which they wear long, and fall
ing over the face and shoulders.
Some bind it with a leather strap,
but most let it grow to such an ex-
tent that they look more like furies
than human beings.
Though Fuegian may marry as
many wives as he pleases, he seldom
takes more than four; and even with
that small number it is difficult to
preserve domestic peace. The wig
wan is the scene of daily battles,
and sometimes the prettiest of the
wives pays with her life for the pre-
ference of her husband. Sometimes
however, the wives all unite against
their common husband. The girls
begin to hunt for husbands at ten or
twelve years Of age, but they only
become mothers at the age Of seven
teen or eighteen.
The men marry at IA or 16 years
Of age. The marriages are dictated
by convenience, and are matter of
sale and purchase rather than Of love
or reciprocal sympathy. The father
chooses from among the suitors for
his daughter the one who is strong
est, most dexterous and docile to his
wishes, and fixes the number of furs
to be given, and days that his son-in-
law must work for him. A canoe
spears and harpoon are to be the
property of the bride.
When all is settled the bride is in
formed, and, whatever may be hel
sentiments, she takes good care to show
no resistance to her father, and is ta-
ken away to her husbands wigwam
But generally the 1ather's choice il
also the daughters, for nowhere dc
strength and dexterity make a great
er impression than upon the Fuegiar
girls, who fly from a crooked or de-
formed man as from a pariah.
There is DO feast or wedding eere-
mony. The bride simply goes to hel
husbands wigwam, or he establish
es himself in that of her father. Blu
some rules have to be observed. /
the husband wishes to continue to ea
the flesh Of the guanaee or seal HI
must take purifying bath in the Sc,
the morning after his wedding. Sucl
a bath. especially in the depth ofwin
ter, is no doubt often the cause @
many Of the maladies to which tn,
young Fuegians are subject. Th'
Fuegian women are very prolific
Seven or eight is the average numbe
of children, but often a still young
woman will have ten or twelve.
The children however, seldom al
survive their parents, for the mortal
ity between two and ten years Of ag
is extraordinary. The variable ant
rigid climate, the want of nourish
mept, the terrible heat and ba.
treatment by the parents are th
chief causes of the death Of tbes
miserable infants yet unarmed agains
the frightful struggle for existence
And another evil, introduced by civ
ilization, has come to add to thos
that SO ravage these unhappy natives
The smallness Of the new-bor,
children is such that childbirth
extremely easy. When the great mo
ment arrives the future mothe
: leaves her wigwam, accompanied b,
few female friends, and seeks a Sc
cure retreat in the woods. The yer
next day the young mother is oftel
seen fishing in canoe or gatherin,
Ishellrfsh along the coast, The MO
theTs love lasts, it may be said, an
til the babe is weaned, after whicl
affection rapidly diminishes as tn
child grows, and is completely gon
when the latter attains the age Q