With reference to the Fuegians, Mr. Bridges, who has lived amongst
them for thirty years, writes to me, “Admiral Fitzroy’s supposition
concerning parties among the natives who lived promiscuously is false,
and adultery and lewdness are condemned as evil, though through the
strength of animal passions very generally indulged, but never with
the consent of husbands or wives, or of parents.” From the description
of Captain Jacobsen’s recent voyage to the North-Western Coast of
North America, it appears that marriage exists among the Queen
Charlotte Islanders also, although the husbands often prostitute their
wives.[286] As for Professor Wilken’s statements about promiscuity
among some peoples belonging to the Malay race, Professor Ratzel calls
their accuracy in question. At least, among the Lubus, as Herr Van
Ophuijsen assures us, a man has to buy his wife, just as among the
other Malay peoples;[287] and Dr. Schwaner expressly says that all that
we know about the Olo Ot depends on hearsay only.[288] But, according
to him, they are not without marriage.[289]
Some of Professor Bastian’s assertions are most astonishing. Any one
who takes the trouble to read Richardson’s, Kirby’s, or Bancroft’s
account of the Kutchin, will find that polygyny, but not promiscuity,
is prevalent among them, the husbands being very jealous of their
wives.[290] The same is stated by v. Martius about the Arawaks, whose
blood-feuds are generally owing to jealousy and a desire to avenge
violations of conjugal rights.[291] The occurrence of marriage among
them has also been ascertained by Schomburgk and the Rev. W. H.
Brett.[292] The Guaycurûs are said by Lozano to be monogamous,[293]
and so, according to Captain Lewin, are as a rule the Chittagong Hill
tribes, as we shall find later on. Touching the Keriahs, Colonel Dalton
affirms only that they have no word for marriage in their own language,
but he does not deny that marriage itself occurs among them; on the
contrary, it appears that they buy their wives.[294] The Kurumbas
are stated to be without the marriage ceremony, but not without
marriage.[295] And Dapper’s assertion that certain negro tribes have
their women in common, has never, so far as I know, been confirmed by
more recent writers. Dr. Post has found no people in Africa living in
a state of promiscuity;[296] and Mr. Ingham informs me, speaking of
the Bakongo, that “they would be horrified at the idea of promiscuous
intercourse.”
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