The Tarkars were polygamists, sometimes having as many as three wives, but never any more. The conditions of life were so easy they could afford the luxury. There was no need to support the wives, for the women had the same amount of property as the men and did the same work. Jealousy among the wives was unknown; the first wife selected the second and the second the third, etc. This custom has been lucidly explained by Kazoola and Olouala. “Kazoola has been married about three years. His wife says, ‘Kazoola, I am growing old--I am tired--I will bring you another wife.’ Before speaking thus, she has already one in mind--some maid who attracts her and who Kazoola has possibly never seen. The wife goes out and finds the maid--possibly in the marketplace--and asks, ‘You know Kazoola?’ The maid answers, ‘I have heard of him.’ The wife then says, ‘Kazoola is good--he is kind--I would like you to be his wife.’ The maid answers, ‘Come with me to my parents.’ They go together; questions are exchanged and if these are satisfactory, the parents say, ‘We give our girl into your keeping--she is ours no more--be good to her.’” The wife and the maid return together to Kazoola’s house. The wife introduces the maid to Kazoola, shows her how to look after things as she has done, then sits down to take her days of rest and works no more. The relation of the husband to the wives was that of protector. Once married, a man dared not look upon women other than his wives, for the punishment was very great. To justify their native custom of polygamy, the Christianized Tarkars now cite the example of David and Solomon. [Illustration: Abaché and Kazoola.] They believed in the spirits of departed relatives; to these the “day was as night and the night as the day.” To these spirits their actions were known. The Tarkars also possessed dualistic ideas of a future life. There was a Spirit of Good--Ahla-ahra, to whom by doing right their actual, daily life would be something of a consecration; and there was a Spirit of Evil--Ahla-bady-oleelay. “Do right and you will go to Ahla-ahra; do wrong, you go to Ahla-bady-oleelay.” While not exactly Nature-worshipers, they were Nature-fearers; they did not propitiate by prayer or any kind of ceremonial these Spirits of Good and Evil, but believed their powers were manifested in the wind, the cloud that covered the sun, and in the thunder and the lightning. Before these last the Tarkars trembled, and were filled with fear; they would cross their arms over their breasts and cowering, cry out, “We will be good!”