The Critic and record., 1891-04-22
EXPERIMENTAL MARRIAGE.
AS Said to he Practiced in Strange
British Colony.


From tho LOHdOa ItVib.
The Andaman Islands are used as
penal settlement tor Indian and Burmese
convicts, who, with the exception of
very limited aboriginal race scattered over
the group, form the bulk of the popula-
tion, The isolated situation of the settle
ment in the Bay of Bengal, the absence
Of communication by cable the small
military force maintained, and the fact
that about $4,000 convicts are here resi-
dent, render il necessary to endow the
chief commissioner with more than the
ordinary powers extended to governors.
Hence the Chief Commissioner of the
Andamans, who is also superintendent of
the convict settlement at Port Blair by
virtue of the almost autocratic authority
vested in him, enjoys q despotism we'll
nigh incredible under the British flag.
Such powers being concentrated in a
single individual, it may well be imagined
that from time to time some rather start
ling revelations leak out. | only propose,
however, to refer for the present to our
marriage customs which have novelty, il
nothing else, to recommend them. The
Chief Commissioner as superintendent of
the settlement in convict matrimonial
matters is supreme. He is lcenser, regis
trar, parson, and witnesses rolled into one.
The greater part Of the life convicts, who
arc good characters, are "self-supporters'
that is, men out on tiCket-of-leaYe in the
settlement These men are allowed TO
marry. The convict women, on the other
hand, are always kept under close super
vision in the female convict Jail, When
the 'selfsupporter' is troubled with hy-
meneal aspirations he visits the female
jail and informs the oyerseer. The latter
individual orders parade of those women
of good character who have completed
four years in the island. The would-be
Benedict then passes along the ranks with
a view of selecting a likely helpmate. AS
might be expected very eager are the faces
and loving the glances bestowed upon
him as he does so.
While the overseer's head is turned the
women engage in every variety of panto-
mimic efforts 10 display their qualiiica-
tions for the post. Should the oYerser
absent himself for moment, the coveted
bachelor though he he an oCtogenaran,
is assailed ON all sides with q view to his
conquest Such phrases as Here; take
mel' No, me m "Why, she's got red
hair !" "She's crOss-oyedw do not make
matters easier for him. AT length having
| suited himself, he takes by the hand the
| lady Of his choice and leads her from tho
| ranks. The couple are then allowed hall
| an hour TO discuss matters, after which
| ii they agree, their names are sent in tC
the head office. day or two later the,
| attend at the Commissioner and arr
there put through an examination as Il
the state of their affections aud their in
| clinatiOn TO marry; but no awkward ques
tions are ever raised concerning possible
existing husbands or wives beyond tn
seas.
And now comes the climax. Supposin.
satisfactory answers have been given a
to their mutual sentiments, the lady
handed over TO the man-not TO becom
his wife for better or worse, but for
seven days trial. During these sever
DAYS she lives with him, and the rela
tionship Of the pair Is that of Marie
couple. AT the expiration OF the term O
approval, if both are agreeable, they re
turn to the Chief Commissioner ohic
and are married by that gentleman. II
on the other hand, either of them doe
not approve of the other, the man is lef
10 go his way, while the woman return
to her old routine Of work in the femal
jail.
The worst feature of the system Is tn
fact that as might be anticipated, chl
dren are occasionally born of these pro