The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-11


1t is a curious fact that nearly all writ
ers on Mongol character and customs.
while dilating at greater or lesser length
on the system of polyandry. have never
drawn attention TO the co-existence u
polygamy. yet plural marriages among
men are by no means uncommon. Here at
Serkok-Kuo / took particular pains 70
question the head man concerning the mar
riage customs of the district. the results Of
which show that while polyandry Is gener-
ally in vogue. that the distinction lies main
ly among the poorer classes; the head man
and powerful chiefs are not circumscribed
by any such limitations and often have as
many as FIVE helpmeets. The results OF this
investigation likewise showed that ] had
been premature in ascribing unimpeachahls
morals as a ubiquitous MOngol virtue:
while west OF Yong-Cha-Long. the power
of the lamas may have a decided influence
in mitigating these abuses 0or plural mar
riages among either sex is under the ban
of r~eligion) in this district such structures
of spiritual authority go for little or
naught. Rockhin observes that in the
Ts'aidam the "so-called pol. androus mar
riages are only. say a week. a fortnight or
a year." This may have been inferred from
the practice of Thibetan traders who visit
the country taking Mongol wives merely
for the time which they intend TO stay in
the district, in fact the real position OF the
latter is that OF concubines. OF one man
having a number Of legitimate wives he
had never heard. though the practice must
be prevalent throughout the whole of Ko-
ko-Nor.
Though a woman is as much a chattel in
this region as any article their lords may
own. she is a valuable commodity. is held
in honor and esteem and possesses clearly
defined rights which may not be over
looked with impunity. The dover stock
for her purchase may have been surren-
dered to her father. but If she be i'll used
she can return to her parents. and before
she is restored the husband must repur-
chase her, so that there is always an in
centive for him 10 keep a bride on his tenn
per, for even the most bloated Croesus
would soon find himself immersed in the
woes of insolvency should the desertion OF
his wife or wives become a periodical In
Fiction.
A COMMERCIAL TRANSACTIONS.
The transaction of securing a wife 10
nothing more nor less than a barter be-
tween the sutton and the father of the girl.
Love or affection never enters into the
calculation at all. The man DESTROYS OF a
wife makes an offer of a certain number OF
cattle or presents equally valuable. brings
them on the appointed day to the fathers
hut, and, IL the latter is satisfied, takes
away the girl at once. If she has had little
10 say in the previous transaction. as soon
as she is married abundant opportunity
is presented to make up for all arrears.
and if the ruthless destroyer of romance.
In the person of an undesirable husband.
has intruded on any previous love affair
far better for him had he tied a milestone
round his neck and leaped TO the bottom OF
the sea-" into his house he has now
brought an element whose power IL pre-
eminent. The learned Able Hue has had
much TO suffer at the hands OF he Rus
sian explorer. Prejevalsky, who has been
inclined to doubt the statements OF the
French missionary regarding the important
position that married women hold In the
| Mongol internal economy; yet such condi-
lions really exist. The control OF the wife
in the household is fully equal to that Of
her husband no buying or selling is done
without her consent. and she is invariably
consulted on all questions concerning the
domestic welfare. Before dropping the
question OF plural marriages in Thibet I
can do no better than quote from the eK-
cellent report OF Colborne Baber 20 the
Royal Geographical Society. which offers
a plausible. If not the accurate. reason
for this practice Of the coexistence OF
polygsmy and polyandry.
'Polygamy obtains in valleys. while polyandry
prevails IN the uplands. In the valley farms. !
am told. the work Is light and. suitable for
women. but the rough rfe and fare OF a shepherd
on pastures thirteen thousand feet or more above
the sea level is too severe for the sex. This ex-
PLANTATION has been given me by an Official 81
great experience and long residence In thess
countries, whose personal conviction. though al
verse 10 marriage in his own case, II strictly
homogeneous. nevertheless. he feels compelled &c
admit that the two systems. working side -
side. mutually compensate the evils OF eaen,
and that both are reasonable under the circum-
stances. and probably requisite 20 maintain fhs
equal production OF sexes The subject raises
many curious and by no means frivolous sues-
tons. but 1 cannot help thinking IL singular that
the conduct OF courtship and matrimony shculd
be regulated by the barometrical pressure