, 1889-01-06
SIX HUSBANDS.
That Is What One Woman Had Where
PSIy.ndry L. Practiced-

PSlyzndry Il Practioed.
When Warren Hastings sent his
first envoy to Thibet moro than a CEN
fury ago, he specially mentioned this
custom of the people as one on which
he desired information, and since that
time il has attracted the attention of
all travellers who have como in con-
tact with Thibetan social life.
One of the most recent writer's on
the subject is the late Mr.. Andrew
Wilson, who, during his w~anderings
among the western Himalayas en-
tered Thibet rs Shipki, and who de
votes n chapter of his work, THE
Abode Of Snow" TO Thibetan poly
andry.
Polyandry is that species Of poly
gamy in which the wife has more hus-
bands than one, and it prevails wher-
ever the Thibetan language is spoken,
even in districts on the Indian side OF
the mountains
Polyandry is found in many other
places, such as the interior Of Ceylon,
among the Todas and Nairs, of south
ern India; the lroquois and the
aboriginal Tasmaulans. But Thibetan
polyandry has the peculiarly that the
husbands aro all brothers; or, at least,
very nearly related, so that the wo-
man becomes the wife Of u whole
family.
1t does not appear 10 be in any way.
connected with the Thibetan religion,
but owe its existence to tho poverty
Of the country and the desire 10 limit
the population. 1t is practiced by
all classes of the population, rich and
poor, and is only superseded by poly
gamy, or multiplicity of wives, where
the people have been much in contact
with Hindoos OF Mahometans
Turner, the second of Warren Hast
ings' ENJOYS 10 Thibet says that the
number of husbands is not restricted
or defined. At Teshu Jumbo, the
residence of the Tcshu Laina, he has
known n family Of live brothers living
happily with one wife, and he thinks
this probably is the practical limit.
MIR. Wilson met a case in which one
woman was married to six brothers.
II Of whom was quite n boy; but he
thinks in most cases there aro only
two husbands, not because Eve or six
were Objectionable, but because fami-
lies with more than two brothers are
not common.
He attributes the fact that the sys-
tenn works peacefully 10 the calm and
u~iimpaSslonod temperament Of the
people, who subordinate all interests
to those Of the family. The children
are regarded as sciOns OF the house
rather than of ANY individual member
Of il; ell the husbands arc treated as
the fathers of the children, and there
Is no noticeable difference in the rela- |
ton of II Child 81 tho different fathers.
The surplus women left by the sys
tom arc provided for in the Lamar
nunncrios, whoro they learn TO read
and copy the Thibctan Scriptures and
TO engage III religious services.
The choice Of IA vito for the family
is the right Of tho elder brother, and
tho contract lie makes involves mar
rage contracts with all the brothers.
llio System Is sud TO have existed in
IhthCt since prehistoric times, so that
its origin is lost in antiquity.
II has been suggested that il arose
IN II state of society where men were
forced To be away from home for long
periods, and where tho duty of pro,
tocting the family would fall on the
brothers in turn.
The notable end which it serves is
that 1t restricts population in regions
where emigration is difficult and
where the means of subsistence can
not be easily increased. Louisville
Commercial.