8 POLYGAMY. 



upon it. If not answered immediately it is repeated ; 

 if still unanswered^ a larg-e fire is g"ot up and allowed 

 to burn until an answer is returned. 



Polyg-amy is practised both on the mainland and 

 throug-hout the islands of Torres Strait. Five is the 

 greatest number of wives which I was credibly 

 informed had been possessed by one man^— but this 

 was an extraordinary instance^ one, two^ or three^ 

 being- the usual complement^ leaving- of course many 

 men who are never provided with wives. The posses- 

 sion of several wives ensures to the husband a certain 

 amount of influence in his tribe as the owner of so 

 much valuable property^ also from the nature and 

 extent of his connections by marriag-e. In most cases 

 females are betrothed in infancy^ according* to the 

 will of the father^ and w ithout reg-ard to disparity of 

 ag-e^ thus the future husband may be and often is 

 an old man with several wives. When the man 

 thinks proper he takes his wife to live with him 

 without an}" farther ceremony, but before this she has 

 probably had promiscuous intercourse with the }■ oung- 

 men, such, if conducted with a moderate deg'ree of 

 secrecy, not being- considered as an offence, althoug-h 

 if continued after marring-e it would be visited by 

 the husband (if powerful enough) upon both the 

 ofFendin g- parties wit the severest punishment. 



Occasionally there are instances of strong- mutual 

 attachment and courtship, when, if the damsel is not 

 betrothed, a small present made to the father is 

 sufficient to procure his consent ; at the Prince of 



