the widow, with the sanction of the chief, make arrangements for her re-marriage, 

 and she must marry the man chosen for her. If the widow has no near relatives, 

 the aiTangements are made by the chief of her tribe. Her own inclinations are 

 not consulted in the matter. 



No maiTiage or betrothal is permitted without the approval of the chiefs of 

 each party, who first ascertain that no 'flesh' relationship exists, and even then 

 their permission must be rewarded by presents. 



So strictly are the laws of marriage carried out, that, should any signs of 

 affection and courtship be observed between those of ' one flesh,' the brothers, or 

 male relatives of the woman beat her sevei-ely ; the man is brought before the 

 chief, and accused of an intention to fall into the same flesh, and is severely 

 reprimanded by the tribe. If he persists, and runs away with the object of his 

 affections, they beat and ' cut his head all over ;' and if the woman was a 

 consenting party she is half killed. If she dies in consequence of her punishment, 

 her death is avenged by the man's receiving an additional beating from her 

 relatives. No other vengeance is taken, as her punishment is legal. A child 

 bom under such conditions is taken from the parents, and handed over to the 

 care of its grandmother, who is compelled to rear it, as no one else will 

 adopt it. 



It says much for the morality of the aborigines and their laws that 

 illegitimacy is rare, and is looked upon with such abhorrence that the mother is 

 always severely beaten by her relatives, and sometimes put to death and burned. 

 Her child is occasionally killed and burned with her. The father of the child is 

 also punished with the greatest severity, and occasionally killed. Should he 

 survive the chastisement inflicted upon him, he is always shunned by the 

 woman's relatives, and any efforts to conciliate them with gifts are spurned, and 

 his presents are put in the fire and bui-ned. 



Since the advent of the Europeans among them, the aborigines have 

 occasionally disregarded their admirable marriage laws, and to this disregard 

 they attribute the greater weakness and unhealthiness of their children. 



As a preventive of illegal marriages, parents betroth their children when 

 just able to walk. The proposal to betroth is made by the father of the girl. 

 If the boy's father approves, he gives the girl a present of an opossum rug, 

 and shows her attention, and gives her 'nice things to eat' when he sees her 

 at great meetings. The father of the girl takes her occasionally to see her 

 intended husband, but he is not permitted to return the visit. 



