On the West Victorian aborigines Dawson writes[239] that illegitimate children were rare, and the mother was severely beaten, sometimes even put to death, by the relatives. "The father of the child is also punished with the greatest severity and occasionally killed." The woman's relatives do not even accept his presents as expiation. "Exchange[240] of wives is permitted only after the death of their parents and, of course, with the consent of the chiefs, but is not allowed if either of the women has children." What is said about illegitimate children, would point to sexual morality before marriage. But we can hardly conceive how in a society, where females are handed over to their husbands, often before, and at the latest at reaching puberty, there could be illegitimate children at all. The whole statement is not clear. [239] _Loc. cit._, p. 28. [240] He doesn't say if temporary or permanent exchange. Probably the first, as he speaks below of divorce. Beveridge[241] says of the aborigines of Victoria and Riverina: "Chastity is quite unknown amongst them." "In their sexual intercourse ... they are not in the least bit particular, consequently incest of every grade is continually being perpetrated."[242] [241] _Loc. cit._, p. 23. [242] This assertion of incest is quite in contradiction with all we know about Australians and undoubtedly false; it may be true in the case of quite "civilized" blacks, perhaps. I quote it as an instance of how, from one statement only, one might draw absolutely false conclusions. "Among the Wotjobaluk it was not usual for men to have more than one wife, and they were very strict in requiring fidelity from her, and did not lend a wife to a friend or to a visitor from a distance." Death was the punishment for both the wife and her accomplice in case of adultery.[243] According to this statement not only fidelity is required in this tribe, but even chastity is known as a virtue. This seems rather exaggerated, and as it is given only by a correspondent of Howitt, we shall not attach to it too much weight. Nevertheless, this, in agreement with all our other statements on Victoria, shows that the standard of sexual morality could not be very low there, as we might infer from the foregoing statement. [243] Howitt, _Nat. Tr._, p. 245. "Marriage is not looked upon as any pledge of chastity, indeed, no such virtue is recognized." And in a Latin footnote the author enumerates the proofs: promiscuity of unmarried people; wife-lending and exchange; general ceremonial licence.[244] But the Adelaide tribes were much degenerated, and possibly some customs relate to the Lake Eyre tribes, with whom the author was also acquainted. [244] Eyre, ii. p. 320, about the Lower Murray River tribes.