_Statements._--Amongst the Kurnai "the husband expected strict fidelity from his wife, but he did not admit any reciprocal obligation on his part towards her."[231] ... "The expected fidelity towards the husband was enforced by severe penalties. In cases of elopement her life was in his hands.... Each man not only expected his wife to be faithful to himself, but he, on his part, never lent her to a friend or to a guest."[232] In another place,[233] Howitt says, about the same tribe, that sometimes wives were exchanged "by order of the old men" to avert some impending danger to the tribe. We see that with these rare exceptions, the husband had quite exclusive sexual rights over a woman. Even the general practice of wife-lending seems to have been entirely absent. Now, as Howitt is a strong adherent of the theory of group marriage, we may accept his statements asserting individuality of "marriage" as especially trustworthy. [231] Howitt, _Kam. and Kurn._, p. 205. [232] _Ibid._, p. 202, Latin footnote; p. 205. [233] _Smith. Rep._, 1883, p. 810. Amongst the Murring[234] "the only occurrence of licence is when a visitor from a distance is provided with a temporary wife by the hosts.... In cases of elopement, when the woman is captured, she becomes for a time the common property of the pursuers. With these exceptions, marriage seems to me strictly individual."[235] (We see that here again Howitt speaks of individual marriage where there are only, in fact, individual sexual rights.) The only exceptions were here, wife-lending to visitors and the characteristic form of punishment. [234] _Ibid._ [235] As Howitt uses the term "marriage" to denote only its sexual side, we must understand that sexual rights are strictly individual. Curr says:[236] "Amongst Australians there is no community of women. The husband is the absolute owner of his wife (or wives)." He is very jealous and "usually assumes that his wife has been unfaithful to him, whenever there has been an opportunity for criminality; hence the laws with respect to women are very stringent." A woman is completely isolated.[237] The husband will, nevertheless, often "prostitute his wife to his brothers" or visitors.[238] Here we see the same: the man can dispose of his wife (the term prostitute is here probably used rather in rhetoric sense, for it does not seem that the man would receive any direct contribution for wife-lending); but he is very jealous in all cases where anything might happen behind his back. [236] _A.R._, i. p. 109. This may be considered as trustworthy only in reference to the North Victorian tribes, especially the Bangerang, whom Curr had under personal observation. [237] See below, Chap. V. [238] _A.R._, i. p. 110.