50 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [bull. 34 



that a marriage before the sixteenth or seventeenth year on the part 

 of the girl, and the twentieth on that of the young man, is rare. 

 Marriages are arranged by parents "when they think the boy or girl 

 ready to marry," the feehngs of the parties not being alwa^^s heeded. 

 Individuals who never marry are but few. 



Marriage among the Pima, according to Chief Antonio Azul, takes 

 place sometimes from love, but perhaps more often by the will of 

 parents. The first menstruation is regarded as indicating fi^tness for 

 marriage. Some of the girls, especially before the large boarding 

 school was established, married at as early an age as 14. In one 

 case both the yoimg mother and her child were pupils in the agency 

 school. 



The Mohave young men and women do not live together before 

 their marriage. There is, however, but little restraint on sexual 

 relations. Not a. few girls have one or more children before marriage, 

 mostly by their brothers-in-law or stepfathers. There is but little 

 shame attached to this practice, and such girls marry the same as 

 others. The father is made to take care of the illegitimate child, 

 which is usually called by some ancient name. 



Among the Yuma on the Colorado, according to reliable reports, 

 sexual relations with girls are usually established soon after puberty 

 and quite irrespective of marriage. Prostitution, especially with 

 whites, appears to be tolerated; at least, there are indications that 

 it is not uncommon." 



Among many of the Mexican tribes much that related to marriage 

 has been more or less altered by views resulting from contact with 

 whites and change in religion. On the whole, a moderately early 

 marriage (girls 16 to 18, men 18 to 21) is favored. Among the least 

 civilized tribes the conditions are much like those among the major- 

 ity of the Arizona and New Mexico Indians. Chastity in a girl is not 

 held very high. The fact that a girl has a child before marriage, or 

 has been divorced, is, where church influence does not reach, of little 

 hindrance to marriage. Some intratribal prostitution is everywhere 

 freely acknowledged, and wherever the natives live near the whites 

 mixture, both clandestine and by marriage, is prevalent. Very early 

 marriages (13 to 15 years) take place occasionally among the Tara- 

 humarej Huichol, and probably among others of the more primitive 

 tribes. Among the Tarahumare old men seek to marry young girls. 

 Among the Cora the parents of the young man approach those of the 

 young woman whom they believe to be suitable for their son, and if 

 an agreement is reached the couple are married even if not known to 

 each other. Polygamy is still prevalent among the Tarahumare, 



a Compare accounts in the Reports of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and those in the Report on 

 Indians, Eleventh Census, 1890. Although exaggeration must be guarded against, the evidence as to 

 the dissolute life of at least some of the Yuma women is ample. 



