MAN-MODB OF SEXUAL SELECTION. 593 



groom, the former having a fair start; and Clarke "was assured 

 "that no instance occurs of a girl being caught, unless she has a 

 "partiality to the pursuer." Amongst the wild tribes of the Malay 

 Archipelago there is also a racing match; and it appears from M. 

 Bourien's account, as Sir J. Lubbock remarks, that "the race 'is 

 " 'not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong,' but to the young 

 "man who has the good fortune to please his intended bride." A 

 similar custom, with the same result, prevails with the Koraks 

 of North-Eastern Asia. 



Turning to Africa: the Kafirs buy their wives, and girls are 

 severely beaten by their fathers if they will not accept a chosen 

 husband; but it is manifest from many facts given by the Rev. 

 Mr. Shooter, that they have considerable power of choice. Thus 

 very ugly, though rich men, have been known to fail in getting 

 wives. The girls, before consenting to be betrothed, compel the 

 men to show themselves off first in front and then behind, and 

 "exhibit their paces." They have been known to propose to a 

 man, and they not rarely run away with a favored lover. So 

 again, Mr. Leslie, who was intimately acquainted with the Kafirs, 

 says, "it is a mistake to imagine that a girl is sold by her father 

 "in the same manner, and with the same authority, with which 

 "he would dispose of a cow." Amongst the degraded Bushmen of 

 S. Africa, "when a girl has grown up to womanhood without hav- 

 "ing been betrothed, which, however, does not often happen, her 

 "lover must gain her approbation, as well as that of the par- 

 "ents."^° Mr. Winwood Reade made inquiries for me with respect 

 to the negroes of Western Africa, and he informs me that "the 

 "women, at least among the more intelligent Pagan tribes, have 

 "no difficulty in getting the husbands whom they may desire, 

 "although it is considered unwomanly to ask a man to marry 

 "them. They are quite capable of falling in love, and of forming 

 "tender, passionate, and faithful attachments." Additional cases 

 could be given. 



We thus see that with savages the women are not in quite so 

 abject a state in relation to marriage, as has often been supposed. 

 They can tempt the men whom they prefer, and can sometimes 



=» Azara, 'Voyages,' &c. torn. ii. p. 23. Dobrizhoffer, 'An account of 

 the Abipones,' vol. li. 1822, p. 207. Capt. Musters, in 'Proc. R. Geo- 

 graph. See.,' vol. xv. p. 47. Williams on the Fiji Islanders, as quoted 

 by Lubbock, 'Origin of Civilization,' 1870, p. 79. On the Puegians, 

 King and FitzRoy, 'Voyages of the Adventure and Beagle,' vol. ii. 

 1839, p. 183. On the Kalmucks, quoted by M'Lennan, 'Primitive Mar- 

 riage,' 1865, p. 32. On the Malays, Lubbock, ibid. p. 76. The Rev. J. 

 Shooter, 'On the Kafirs of Natal,' 1857, pp. 52-60. Mr. D. Leslie, 'Kafir 

 Character and Customs,' 1871, p. 4. On the Bush-men, Burchell, 'Trav- 

 els in S. Africa,' vol. ii. 1824, p. 69. On the Koraks by McKennan, as 

 quoted by Mr. Wake, in 'Anthropologia,' Oct. 1873, p. 75. 

 39 



