PHYSIOLOGICAL IGNORANCE 269 



eight years of age, before puberty. 1 Among the 

 Mbondemos and the tribes about Corisco Bay young 

 girls, quite children, are often married from political 

 reasons to old men. 2 The sturdy tribe of the Fan 

 practise the marriage of infant girls. 3 



The true Negroes present a picture not very 

 different. Among the Agni of Inde"ni the sole con- 

 dition requisite for marriage is the consent of both 

 families. Betrothal often takes place during infancy. 

 In such a case the bridegroom sometimes makes a few 

 presents to the bride's family and she goes to live 

 with him until she attains puberty. Either party may 

 then refuse to make the marriage definitive on paying 

 to the family of the other an indemnity of twenty-five 

 francs. 4 The Abron law considers impuberty an 

 absolute bar to the marriage of a free girl ; but 

 she has a right to a bon ami, and can if he live in 

 another village go and live with him for a fortnight or 

 three weeks at a time. It is true that the relations 

 between them are supposed to be purely platonic ; for 

 she is as a rule betrothed from birth and her affianced 

 husband would have a right to impose a heavy fine on 

 the lover who robbed him of his rights. It is another 

 question how far the hypothesis usually corresponds to 

 the fact. Marriage with a slave-girl, on the other 

 hand, must be consummated before puberty, other- 

 wise all the children must be put to death. 6 The 



does not seem to be any reason for the question raised by the 

 editor of the report as to the consistency of Pogge's statements. 



1 Post, Afr. Jur. i. 384 citing Du Chaillu, Ashango, 162. 



2 Id. 366, citing the same, 51. 



3 Kingsley, Trav. 404. The Benga and Igalwa are also addicted 

 to it, but it is said to be a recent innovation (Ibid. 402). 



4 Clozel, 149. 5 Ibid. 194, 195. 



