Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1900-04-06
MARRIAGE BY FORCE.
Ind ans of TERRA Del Fueyo Take Ad-
vantage OF Their Strength.


DR.. Frederick A. Cook tells of a little
known race OF abOrigines in an article
in the Century magazine for March
on The Giant Indians OF TERRA del
Fuego," whom he visited on the Bel
gian antarctic expedition. OF their
marriage customs he writes: Mar
rage, like almost everything Ona, IS
not fixed by established rules. It is
arranged and reacranged from time 10
time to suit the convenience OF the
contracting parties. The bargain is
made almost solely by the men, anu
physical force is The principal bond OF
union. For ages the strongest bucks
have been accustomed To steal women
from neighborirE tribes, and from
neiEhbcring Glars CT their own tribe.
The Onas. being by FAR the most pow
erfui laGians. have thus been able 10
capture and re.ain u liberal supply Ct
Yves 4 missionary who IA, been IN
constant c0n;a1t VIA ;hese Indians
COR thirty yCats ka, given Il Is his
0piniCa 'h2t Z plurality %: wives -
entirely sa,israc,oi: u their peculiar
emotions and hab Is Of life. The reia-
Ion 10 one another % the women VINO
possess but Cne husband in common
in the family wigwam is OF novel in
teres, As rule. they are no more
jealous than are TIE ehl1:en n a c.vi-
ICED home ci.cle. The principal rea
son for this is that the several wives
ere cften sisters \ young man takes
by force. 10y mutual agreement. or By
barter. the Oldest daughter OF family.
! If he proves himself a coed hVnter and
Il kind husband. the vile persuadcs her
sister 10 jcin her w;gwam aud share
her husbands affe items Frequently,
when a girl = lett al orphan. sac is
| taken into i fami,E md trained 10 be-
come tha slppitJa emt1ly wiIe Of her
| Eenefat;0r in afiCr years. In he hut
each VIE has her own assisnpd posi-
! ton. always testing liz cXacCiE the
| saIre spot. with ar ~ her belongings
| about hcr The wea.th Of the house
! hoid is not common ~ Al TIE occu-
| pants. Each Woman his her own has
| kgt OF ma, Iragltclts ar sheili'sh. her
! f
! sinews ara bits OF tnr. AID each wife
| has her own asse nIniasp CT children.
| The work &c the man i strictly limit
| cd to the chase lie carries his bow
| and culver Of arrows. and MS eye is
ever on the horizon fo- game; but he
| seldom Sleeps 10 anything like manual
| labor that is not connected with the
| actual necessities Of the chase. lie
| kills the game, but the wife must carry
X into camp. In moving. the women
take up all of their earthly possessions.
| pack them into a huge roll. and with
| this firmly strapped across their backs
they follow the unincum0eTed lead OF
| their brave but uDgailant husbands.
Thus the women carry, day after day,
rot only all the household furniture,
but the children and the portable po:-
| tons OF the house. The women GER
| tainiy have all the lnintercSting detail
and the dyudgery Of life heaped upon
them, but they seem to enjoy it. in
| defense of the men II should be SAID
that they are worthy husbands. They
will fight fiercely to protect thei.
homes. and they Will guard the homo:
of their women with their own blood
It Is Il crying sin OF the advance OF
Christian civilization that this red man
OF the far south should be compelled
TO lay down his life at the feet OF the
heartless pale-faced invaders 10 shiei1
the homo OF his home"