MARITAL JEALOUSY 197 



nights in the maniata, " an isolated spot in the woods 

 on which has been erected a sort of kraal, consisting of 

 two or three dozen huts about eighteen feet long, three 

 feet broad and three feet high, resembling dog-kennels. 

 These huts are only furnished with a single bed of 

 dried grass, and have no doors. Here the Taveta 

 youth spend their time when the work for the day is 

 finished. All children born in this kraal are put to 

 death at birth." At the age of fifteen or sixteen a girl 

 is formally betrothed. The ceremonies of betrothal 

 differ according to the clan of the husband. It is only 

 necessary to refer here to those of the Ndighiri clan. 

 A Mndighiri bridegroom is required to capture his 

 bride by force and hand her over to four stalwart 

 relations who carry her struggling to her suitor's 

 dwelling. There it is averred they have all four a 

 right of intercourse with her. The actual marriage 

 follows at a later date. A man can obtain a separation 

 from his wife with the consent of the chief and elders 

 if she refuse to work or cause trouble by stealing from 

 a neighbour, or some offence of that kind, but not for 

 adultery. Adultery is only punishable when the man 

 who commits it is not of the same "age" as the 

 husband of the woman. Even if he were to rape the 

 wife of a comrade of his own "age" he could at most 

 be fined one goat for assault. A man lends his wives 

 to a comrade of his own "age ; " and they court their 

 lovers under his very eyes. Sexual intercourse with 

 an unmarried girl is punished by a fine, but only when 

 the man belongs to a different " age " from that of the 

 girl. 1 



1 Hollis, Journ. Afr. Soc. i. no, in, 117, 124; Johnston, 

 Kilimanjaro, 430, 433. At Moschi a few miles off among a related 



