MARITAL JEALOUSY 107 



this is a privilege attached to the royal blood. The 

 husband stands upright in his wife's presence in a 

 respectful attitude ; he does not eat with her ; he 

 addresses her in the same tone as her servants do. 

 The sole privilege that an alliance so onerous procures 

 him is to be exempt from labour, and to have authority 

 over those who serve his wife." The chiefs had a 

 right to take any girl they pleased into the number of 

 their wives. They generally visited them at their 

 parents' houses. Jealousy was not a national charac- 

 teristic. The Natchez even lent their wives without 

 ceremony : whence it was, the Jesuit Father opined, 

 that it was so easy for them to dismiss them and take 

 others instead. 1 The hospitality which provides a 

 temporary wife for a guest is mentioned by Captain 

 John Smith as practised by the natives of Virginia 

 when it was first colonised. He describes the 

 ceremonies on the visit of a distinguished stranger, and 

 concludes by saying; "Such victuals as they have 

 they spend freely ; and at night where his lodging is 

 appointed they set a woman fresh painted red with 

 pocones and oil to be his bed-fellow." 2 



The Zaparos of Ecuador are addicted to the stealing 

 of women, even among themselves. " A man runs 

 away with his neighbour's wife, or one of them, and 

 secretes himself in some out of the way spot until he 

 gathers information that she is replaced, when he can 

 again make his appearance, finding the whole difficulty 

 smoothed over. In their matrimonial relations they 

 are, as indeed in the practice of all their customs, very 

 loose monogamy polygamy communism and promis- 

 cuity all apparently existing amongst them. Entirely 

 i Charlevoix, vi, j8i, 184, Smith, Works, 73, 



