RISE OF FATHERRIGHT 61 



most binding oath a man could take was by his eldest 

 sister ; his wife ruled supreme in his house ; and she 

 possessed her own separate property. The first years of 

 married life were spent by her husband in his father-in- 

 law's service ; he was the old man's companion in the 

 hunting-field and in war. 1 So a Bushman was com- 

 pelled to accompany his wife's parents everywhere 

 and to provide them with game ; nor in very many 

 cases did the marriage last longer than this obligation 

 was fulfilled. 2 



In South America, the Bakairi of Central Brazil are 

 in the stage of motherright, though the dignity of 

 chief tends to male descent. Ordinarily marriage is 

 negotiated by the parents of the young couple ; the 

 bride's father is presented with a stone axe and with 

 arrows ; the bridegroom works with him in his dear- 

 ing, and hangs his hammock in the hut above the 

 bride's. Without more ado the pair are regarded as 

 man and wife. As little ceremony is there in a 

 divorce, which takes place at the will of the wife even 

 though the husband be opposed to it ; probably he has 

 an equal privilege. Polygamy is not unknown, at all 

 events among the portion of the tribe living in 

 Kulisehu valley ; but it is not customary to have 

 more than one wife in the same village. A recent 

 traveller was assured that a man could without inter- 

 fering with the good understanding between himself 

 and his first wife's relations take another wife in a 

 neighbouring place ; and if he visited her for a change 

 quite commonly his first wife, either with or without 

 her relations, would accompany him. On the death 



1 Hahn, 18. 



2 Merensky, 68; Post, Afr.Jur. i. 379 ; Fritsch, 445. 



