RISE OF FATHERRIGHT 33 



mother's family ; but subsequent payment secures them 

 to the father. 1 



In Talauer, Sengir and the other small islands 

 between Celebes and the Philippines motherright is 

 the rule. The husband goes to reside in the wife's 

 house and becomes a member of her family. The 

 marriage-bond, however, is loose, for divorces fre- 

 quently occur. As a bride-price is paid, it is only rich 

 men who can afford the luxury of frequent change of 

 wives. In Talauer in case of the wife's adultery her 

 paramour has to pay a fine not to her husband, but to 

 her parents. 2 On the island of Engano the husband 

 almost always enters at marriage the family of his 

 wife ; and so close is the bond thus created that her 

 death is very far from dissolving it. If he afterwards 

 contract a marriage in another family that of his 

 deceased wife is entitled to compensation. The 

 reason of this is partly, at any rate, economic ; for on 

 entering a family by marriage the husband works in 

 the fields of his new relations and thus contributes to 

 the support of the entire circle. A new marriage 

 means a transfer of his labour, of the benefit of which 

 the family of his former wife is thus deprived. 3 On 



1 Riedel, 171 sqq. The intervention of the imam in the marriage 

 ceremonies is of course proper, but it seems to be not essential if 

 the bride-price have been paid. 



2 Hickson, /. A. I. xvi. 138. 



3 Modigliani, Isola, 215. A small payment is made for the bride. 

 Theoretically a man may have as many wives as he likes ; but mono- 

 gamy is the rule, the contrary being very rare (Ibid. 211, 212). 

 Separation however is very common and is usually carried out by 

 agreement, the parties remaining the best of friends. I cannot 

 discover definitely from the author's account whether the Enganese 

 reckon descent through the mother or through the father. It would 

 seem from the above and certain other customs that they are in the 

 stage of motherright, 



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