The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1900-04-13
MARRIAGE nY FORCE.
Indians Of TERRA Del Ruseo Taks AZ,
vantage Of Their strength.

vantage Of Their strength.
DR.. Frederick A. Cook tells OF a littla
known race Of aborignes In an articl.
In the Century magazine for March
on The Giant Indians of TERRA dei
Fuego." whom he visited on the Bel
CLAN antarctic expedition. OF their
marriage customs he writes. Mar
riage like almost everything onR. 10
not liked by established rules. II lie
arranged and rearranged from time 10
Time TO suit the convenience OF the
contracting parties The bargain 10
made almost solely by the men, and
physical force Is the principal bond OF
union. For ages the strongest bucks
nave been accustomed to steal women
from neighburlng tribes. and from
neighborlng clans Of their own tribe.
The Onas, being by far the most pow
erful Indians. have thus been able to
capture and retain liberal supply 90
wives. A missionary who has been in
constant contact with these Indians
for thirty years has given II as his
opinion that plurality OF wives 10
entirely satisfactory to their peculiar
emotions and habits OF life. Tho rela-
tlon to ono another Of the women who
possess but one husband In common
In the family wigwam ia OF novel In
toresL As rule. they are no moro
Jealous than are the children In a civil
HE'D home circle. The principal roa-
son for this Is that the several wives
are often sisters. A young man takea
by force. by mutual agreement, or by
barter. the Oldest daughter OF a family.
II he proves himself good hunter ant
n kind husband, the wife persuades ha
Sster to Join her wlgwam and share
her husbands affections. Frequently.
when a girl Ia left an orphan, she 10
taken Into family aud trained 10 be-
come the supplementary wife OF her
benefactor In after years In the hut
each wife has her own assigned posi-
tlon. always resting In exactly tho
same spot. with all OF her belongings
about her. The wealth OF the house,
hold Ia not common to all the occu-
pants. Each woman has her own bAa-
ket OF meat fragments or shellnah. her
own bag with implements. needles,
ainews and bits OF fur. and each vito
has her own agsemblage OF children.
The work OF the man ia strictly limit
cd TO the chase lie carries his bow
and CULVER OF arrows. and his eye 10
ever ON the horizon for game; but no
seldom stoops to anything like manual
labor that Ia not connected with tho
actual necessities Of the chase. lie
kills the game. but the wife must carry
IL into camp, In moving, the women
take up all OF their earthly possessions.
pack them into hugo roll. and with
this firmly strapped across their backs
they follow the unincumbored lead OF
their brave but ungallant husbands.
Thus the women carry. day after day.
not only all the household furniture.
but the children and the portable por-
tions OF the house. The women cer-
talnly have all the unlntercstlng detail
aud An. otuaeafy 81 itta hanpea upon
them. but thoy seem to enjoy IL II
defense OF the men II should be said
that they are worthy husbands. They
will fight hcrcely 20 protect theli
homes. and they will guard the honor
OF their women with their own blood.
II Is n crying sin OF the advance OF
Christian civilization that this red man
OF the far south should be compelled
10 lay down HIS life ut the feet Of the
heartless pale-faced invaders to shield
the honor OF his home"