MARITAL JEALOUSY 139 



practice of capture (or rather elopement, for it seems 

 to have been preceded by an understanding with the 

 bride) and the exaction of a bride-price have, we may 

 conclude, developed the patria potestas. Sexual 

 intercourse is free to the unmarried also on the Keei 

 or Ewaabu Islands and is usual. The women formerly 

 lived in polyandry and the children belonged to the 

 mother ; but women were captured in war and were 

 regarded as the property of their captors, the children 

 fellowing the father. This is the traditional manner 

 of accounting for the change from uterine to agnatic 

 kinship. At the present time marriage is entered into 

 either with or without payment of a bride-price ; and 

 the reckoning of children to the father or mother 

 depends on the payment. The husband has the right 

 to send his wife away for adultery : the bride-price 

 must then be repaid. If this cannot be done, her 

 family unite to bring the pair together again. Many 

 of the people are Mohammedans ; but their knowledge 

 of Islam is very defective. 1 Matrimonial institutions 

 therefore appear to be undergoing a parallel evolution 

 to those of the Ambon and Uliase islanders. 



The Eskimo reckon kindred along both lines of 

 descent. In spite of the vast extent of shore-line 

 along the Polar Sea over which they are scattered 

 their manners have a general resemblance. Infant 

 betrothal is not uncommon, but as a rule the selection 

 of a wife is made by a man after attaining puberty and 

 giving proof of ability to support a family by his success 

 in hunting and fishing. The lady usually feigns or 

 feels aversion, and force is used to compel her. Poly- 

 gamy is recognised, but is perhaps not very common, 

 * Riedel, 319, 235, 236, 2QQ, 



