TACHIENLU, THE GATE OF THIBET 217 



directly and indirectly the cause of this limitation of offspring. 

 A glance at the system will show how these uncultured Mal- 

 thusians obtain their end : Three men, for instance, centre 

 their affections on one woman, who in her lifetime rears two 

 or three children. As monogamists each of these men would 

 have had his own wife and probably a total of fifteen 

 children. But another factor has to be taken into con- 

 sideration : polyandry not only limits a woman's natural 

 fecundity, but in a great number of cases is the direct cause 

 of barrenness. 



" About the domestic arrangements I cannot speak 

 authoritatively, but I have never heard internal discord used 

 as an argument against polyandry. It must often happen 

 that one or two husbands are away tending flocks, worshipping 

 at holy mountams, or robbing travellers. But this is an 

 accident ; the domestic equilibrium is rarely disturbed by 

 petty jealousies. The defloration of the bride or brides — 

 for there is no reason why two or more sisters should not 

 come into the community — is the right of the elder brother, 

 and the first child is, by courtesy, assigned to him ; but the 

 child or children of the union are, in reality, a joint possession. 

 The girls in the community either follow their mother's 

 example, or go into the towns and become the temporary 

 wives of Chinese, Lamas, or wandering merchants. In the 

 former case a dowry is given to the parents, but in the latter 

 the ' fair one ' makes the most of her time and the simplicity 

 of her husband or husbands. 



" Polyandry in one form or other is probably practised 

 whenever Thibetan communities are found. Its existence 

 may be denied emphaticaUy, but closer investigation will 

 only prove the wide distribution of the ' Munchausen ' 

 family. However, an exception may be allowed in the deep, 

 populous valleys of Eastern Thibet. Here individualism is 

 the rule, and new centres are formed and thrive without the 

 shadow of a grim Frankenstein disturbing them. So com- 

 pletely has the old dread of offspring been effaced that 

 marriage is always preceded by a tentative period, and 

 maternity alone establishes a girl's right to be admitted 

 into her husband's family. Here the quondam upholder of 



