O POLYGAMY. 



upon it. If not answered immediately it is repeated ; 

 if still unanswered, a large fire is got up and allowed 

 to burn until an answer is returned. 



Polygamy is practised both on the mainland and 

 throughout the islands of Torres Strait. Five is the 

 greatest number of wives which I was credibly 

 informed had been possessed by one man, — but this 

 was an extraordinary instance, one, two, or three, 

 being the usual complement, leaving of course many 

 men who are never provided with wives. The posses- 

 sion of several wives ensures to the husband a certain 

 amount of influence in his tribe as the owner of so 

 much valuable property, also from the natm-e and 

 extent of his connections by marriage. In most cases 

 females are betrothed in infancy, according to the 

 will of the father, and without regard to disparity of 

 age, thus the future husband maj^ be and often is 

 an old man with several wives. When the man 

 thinks proper he takes his wife to live with him 

 without any further ceremony, but before this she has 

 probably had promiscuous intercourse with the young 

 men, such, if conducted with a moderate degree of 

 secrecy, not being considered as an offence, although 

 if continued after marriage it would be visited by 

 the husband (if powerful enough) upon both the 

 offendin g parties wit the severest punishment. 



Occasionally there are instances of strong mutual 

 attachment and courtship, when, if the damsel is not 

 betrothed, a small present made to the father is 

 sufficient to procui'e his consent ; at the Prince of 



