Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1896-07-24
PURCHASE OF WIVES.
Matrimonial Engagements are
Brought to a Business
Basis.

There are many countries IN
which, if a man wishes to be
legally married, he has to go out
and buy a wife, though the
market price of that article varies
considerably. In Uganda you
can get what you require for two
or three bullocks, or even for SIX
good sewing needles, OF perhaps
box of percussion caps; while
inferior wives can be picked up
in exchange for a coat, and II
one is Indifferent to health and
beauty for a pair of shoes. In
the Caroline Islands wives are
cheap. A father will let you
marry his daughter if you give
him little fruit or a small pres
ent of fish, while in Samoa mat
rimony runs you into pigs and
canoes; among the Fijians, into
| whales teeth and muskets. In
Tartary it is best to marry be-
meath you you can do it for
few pounds of butter,) because a
man who has lordly notions OF a
marriage with one of the upper
ten must be an owner OF horses.
The aboricines of Australia
manage the marriages upon a
most equitable principle. 1t A
wishes to marry BIS sister, he
allows him to marry his own: Or
if B happens to be a widower'
then his daughter will do just as
we'll. One of the most obJec>
tionable forms of gaining a wife
is to work for her, habit prac-
ticed among many unc1v lied
nations, its only advantage be-
ing that a man can get a wife on
credit, though his fatherin-laW
takes good care that he serves
his time. Among some races
you have to do your work before
you get your wife, as Jacob had
to serve for Leah and for Rachel
Marriage by exchange and pur~
chase is not customary among
uncivilized nations only. In
Central America and Peru a man
has to work fer his bride.
In China a present is given by
: the father of the bridegroom, the
f amount Of which is agreed upon
by both the families. The Japa
nese make use of a similar Gus
: tom, though, in their case, the
giving of presents is the mos
important part of the whole mar
T.. rage ceremony, for after these
r have been delivered and formally
, accepted, neither of the con
r tracing parties is able to g
back. Wife purchase appears t.
have been the basis of 1nd(
European marriage before thu
. separation of the people tool
place. Manu- mentions the Asur;
. form of marriage as one of pur
chase, and according to Aristotle
the ancient Greeks were in tn
= habit of buying their brides; TO
u in the MOrner1c age a malde1
e was called by a name which sig
nifed cone who brings he
4 parents many oxeu.'
. The old Scandinavians be
= lieved that even the gods ha
, paid a price for their wives, An
d in Germany the expression ct
D purchase a wife" was in vogu
! until the end of the middle ages
The old inhabitants of Irelan
and Wales were accustomed t
i buy their wives with gold All
II silver or land. In Servia, at tn
:, beginning of our century, girl
O had reached such price the
/, Black George reduced thei
value to one duCat.
" Among many savage nation
% the equivalent Of a wife al
'e varied and grotesque. Poe
: Bashgirs purchase theirs wit
Ie carloads of wood or hay; tn
- Indian Wisans, with two basket
- of rice and rupee; a tribe i
California, with half string {
- dentalium shell, and among til
+ Padams. rude people of Indi
y the sutton shows his inteDtior
J. by gifts of field mice and squi