MARITAL JEALOUSY 215 



It is absolutely safe to state that it would be almost 

 impossible to find a maiden in a Fang village over 

 sixteen years of age. Adultery is common and one of 

 the chief causes of ' women palavers.' Women rank 

 first in value as goods for trade, next in value are 

 goats, then guns and cloth." Wives are lent to guests. 1 

 A French traveller relates, in illustration of the absence 

 of jealousy and the desire to make money out of their 

 wives' favours, that a few days before he had seen a 

 husband posted as sentinel at the entrance of his hut 

 in order that no importunate man might disturb the 

 passing amours of a native militia-man in the traveller's 

 retinue with one of his wives. 2 



Among the Bakoko in the Cameroon a bride-price is 

 paid. If before betrothal a girl be free of her favours 

 the suitor disregards it with equanimity. A man 

 frequently bespeaks a girl as soon as she is born and 

 pays the bride-price by instalments until she arrives at 

 a marriageable age. If after betrothal and before 

 marriage the girl have sexual intercourse with another 

 man the engagement is broken off, and the girl's 

 family must repay the amount received. Divorce is 

 easy, at least to the husband, but he rarely makes use 

 of the privilege. A married woman is not sacred from 

 her husband's brother and is not backward in recipro- 

 cating his advances. Any man who fancies his neigh- 

 bour's wife can hire her from him for a cask of powder 

 or its equivalent. The desire for the goods will con- 

 quer any reluctance the husband may feel. But sexual 

 intercourse with a married woman without the hus- 

 band's consent entails on both parties a severe thrashing 



1 A. L. Bennett, Id. xxix. 70, 79. Cf. Nassau, 6, 10, 370, 

 Roche, Pahouins, 95, 96, 



