The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-03

suitors, who are looked upon as legitimate
husbands as much as the first. and who
are obliged to assist in her support, their
relative positions being determined by their
Importance in the community. The head
men, who are not limited by poverty,
never have to resort to this dissatisfying
method, but as Will readily be seen. it
offers innumerable advantages for poor
young bachelors to enjoy all the delights Of
connubial bliss and domestic tranquility
who otherwise would not be able 10 afford
the luxury of maintaining wife financially
unassisted.
TOOK y SOLOMON'S PART.
At times, however, this marital arrange
ment just mentioned does not work alto
gether satisfactorily and Burton on one
occasion was requested to adjudicate a
case relating to marriage custom between
a chief on the one hand, first owner of a
wife, and another man, who had secured
second interest in her by right of suisse
quent purchase. The latter had paid the
girls father three cattle, but the chief had
detained his bride, so he claimed, more
than he was lawfully entitled to do, and
at the time of his appeal he was in the
predicament Of being both wifeless and
such a knotty and complex problem with
what seemed diplomatic tact, fell back on
Solomon reasoning and suggested that as
there seemed to be right on both sides, he
could suggest no better remedy for this
unfortunate condition of affairs than that
the woman should be cut in two and each
take his share. But, alas for the Solomon
reasoning, there was no Solomon ending,
Il
husbands would willingly have carried out
this jocular decision to the letter but that,
as a last resort, it was suggested to the
second sutton that a present Of another yak
to the chief might have some effect. This
arrangement proved eminently satisfactory
all round, the only one who entered objec-
tons being the father Of the girl, who in
some unexplainable way gained the idea
that somehow he had been duped in the
transaction.
Another case was less difficult legally,
| but fully as interesting. Burton, while
standing in front of his tent, was ap-
preached by native, who complained that
he had been deprived of two cows by the
chief of a neighboring tribe. and who now
wished to know how he could obtain re-
dress. He explained that he had paid the
cattle for a woman, but that she had died
within three months after he had married
her. and he had come to US because he was
| certain they had palmed off on him an
| altogether inferior and shop-worn better
/ half 1t took no end of time and much
more trouble, to explain to him the legal
rights of exchange and the impossibility of
upholding him i'm his views. That 1T was
heartless and mean for any wife to die
who had such a desirable husband we sol
EMMY assured him, but added that should
/ be demand the return of the purchase price
it would tend to bring the honored custom
of marriage contracts into contempt.
DISPOSING OF THEIR DEAD.
Like the Mongols and Thibetans, the Co
loks expose their dead to the attacks of
ravenous beasts and birds, cremate the re-
mains or preserve the entire bones, which
are placed in sacred bowls, mixed with
various magic charms and hung UP I'm some
prominent part of the tent or dwelling OF
else buried beneath an obO of stones, where
! they serve as objects for numerous pill
grimages. A little of the dust is placed In
small bags and these are worn round the
necks of the family of the deceased as pre-
| ventives of disease and as a safeguard
| against evil of all kind. Where there is q
large body Of water near at hand a different
| ceremony is often practiced. This consist
in placing the corpse in a small coracle "a
| canoe, in circular shape, Of yak skin spread
over a light wood framework surrounded
by all its earthly possessions and sinking
1t in the stream with heavy stones. Nc
ceremony is gone through with, whatever
it's nature without abundance of dane
ing and feasting, so that a man who mar
ries or conveniently dies at the right sea
son when food is abundant is a real public
benefactOr.
The GolOlxs differ from most other savage
races in having no real political or mill
tary rulers, the dignity of chief beins
merely titular and carrying with it no rea
executive power. The government is main
ly a family one, though if man is dis
tinguished for skill in the chase, strength
shrewdness or other qualities useful to
wild community he will no doubt obtain
corresponding influence in the village Of
encampment. The Goloks hardly ever 81
have no scruples in plundering and il
treating those of their own kindred. Among
themselves, although apt TO injure al
enemy secretly. they rarely come to blow:
and are morbidly anxious not to give eacl
other offense. On the Ma-Chu and in othel
districts where they come in contact will
MOngols and Thibetans they fight fiercely
and bear a name of terror the Mongo
mother calming her infant with the buga