The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1900-09-28
HUSBANDS IN JOB LOTS.
Women In Central Africn May Marry
as Many Men as They
Choose.


as Many Men as They
Choose.
In certain parts of central Africa
it is not an uncommon occurrence for
women among the native tribes to
have as many as 100 and sometimes
l5O husbands. A traveller has related
how certain Makoldo woman be-
came immensely wealthy, as wealth
goes in that queer country, by marry
ing herself to suitor after suitor on
condition that certain amount of
cattle was Forthcoming. Thus she be-
came the possessor of vast herd and
was raised almost to the rank of
queen, says the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Among certain savages an extraor-
dinary custom prevails--that is. If the
eldest brother of family wishes to
marry the ceremony has also to be
gone through by his other brothers.
Thus, If there be family of 12 broth
ers and the eldest goes courting the
woman of his choice must also ef nee
essity be chosen by the other IL. and
after her marriage. If the woman
wishes to add to her stock of hus-
bands, there is nothing to prevent her
doing SO.
Among the Afghans 1t is ordained
by law that should woman be left
a widow the eldest brother of the dead
man is to become her husband, and
the custom is so strongly insisted
. upon that any departure from it is
considered scandal and a disgrace
upon the parties concerned. The
same law holds good among the
Thushwap Indians of British Colum-
bia, the Somalis of east Africa, the
Damavas Of South Africa, the inhabit-
ants Of New Hebrides and others,
which is remarkable when we consid-
er how fa< apart these places are, and
that the Inhabitants of these several
districts have, in nine cases out of
ten, never heard of the others.
In the Marquesas islands an extraor-
dinary law is In vogue, as follows:
"Ee man may have more than one
wife, and no wife of mature age less
than two husbands" Neither is there
any stipulation that the woman shall
not have as many husbands as she
Hikes, and there have been cases where
woman has had 20 or 80 husbands,
though such state of affairs is rath-
er the exception than the rule.
In the Sandwich islands polygamy
is very common. There have been
cases In the islands where women
have married widowers and their
sons. Neither ie there any limit In
that country to the number Of hus-
bands woman may have If she be
sufficiently fascinating. Among nu-
merous Indian races polyandry has
been an institution for ages and
among the Cingalese exists a rather
remarkable custom that allows hus-
band to bring home another man with
him on approval as another husband
for his wife.
A traveller in Ceylon some years ago
found one household presided over by
woman who had 35 husbands, o
good many Of whom had been intro
duced by the original husband, the
others, IN turn, being brought In to
the tolerant wife by the newcomers.
OF course, to our ideas such state of
affairs is abhorrent, but very little dis
cord seemed to be rife among this
particular wife and her varied assort-
ment Of husbands. The custom Of
centuries has made any ground for
wonderment or objection nonexistent.
There is one most remarkable phase
In polyandry as practiced among the
Thibetans; that is II any children be
born to the widow of man whose
brother has married the woman again,
they are counted as the children Of
the deceased. And no matter wheth-
er the woman had ten husbands, her
children would still be considered the
children of her original husband. The
reason for this is that the first hus-
band Is considered the head OF the
household the family property being
vested In him, and so all the children
are feigned to be his.
The coming out" Of girl in the
.Barodezi tribe In central Africa means
q good deal more than 1t does here.
She is taken out in the middle Of
the village and all the men Of her
tribe are commanded to fall IN line
In front Of her in full fighting dress.
She is then blindfolded and Q wand
placed in her hand. This being done,
the line of warriors becomes o vast
circle around the girl, and she is sent
all around the living wall that hems
her In with outstretched wand and
amid the profoundest silence. Who
ever her wand touches as she speeds
around the circle is to be her husband,
At every second step the wand IL TO
be thrust out. SO that after she has
finished her steur" she viii find her
self possessed of a score or more of
stalwart husbands. For she must
marry every one that her wand
touches.
Didn't Scatter His Blows.