RISE OF FATHERRIGHT 31 



bride is formally handed over to her husband in his 

 home. But side by side with this there is another 

 way, by which the youth having gained his sweet- 

 heart's favour conies secretly to sleep with her and re- 

 mains in her apartment until discovered by her parents. 

 When this happens, declaring his passion for their 

 daughter he gives himself wholly up to them to be 

 dealt with as they decide, or as it is figuratively 

 expressed " to be marked as their slave." If they are 

 willing he stays in his wife's house, enters her family 

 and works for her and her parents. His children then 

 follow their mother ; but if later he be in a position 

 to pay the bride-price the children follow him and he 

 obtains full rights over them as in the more formal 

 marriage previously mentioned. If the parents are 

 unwilling for the marriage, the youth on being dis- 

 covered is compelled to leave the house and pay 

 compensation equivalent to a sovereign of our money. 

 Monogamy is the rule. 1 In the Romang Archipelago 

 unmarried girls are allowed unrestricted intercourse 

 with men. A youth intending to marry pays repeated 

 visits to the house of his beloved, to whom he offers a 

 sarong, or scarf, and some glass beads. If these things 

 are accepted he stays in the house and endeavours to 

 obtain her utmost favours openly in the presence of 

 her parents or relatives. When this happens the 

 latter flare up in a rage, abuse him and demand 

 immediate payment of the bride-price ; they snatch up 

 their weapons and rush off to the dwelling of the 

 youth's parents or relatives as if they will fight them. 

 The youth's relatives, thus attacked, on their part seize 

 their weapons and issuing forth inquire what is the 



1 Riedelj 206. 



