DIVORCE 339 



have been deliberately encouraged, for, apart from 

 the wronged partner's constitutional right to the 

 satisfaction afforded by complete separation, he or 

 she may overlook the offence on payment by the 

 individual with whom it has been committed of a 

 substantial sum as damages. This is, in any case, 

 a matter which can only be adjusted by superior 

 authority, either the European district official, or 

 the headman or chief of the village, or group of 

 villages, in which the parties reside. If, on the 

 other hand, the person against whom the adultery 

 is alleged should successfully disprove the charge, 

 he or she may claim divorce, as well as the custody 

 of any children of the marriage. But in general 

 this is rarely done, for although the committal of 

 the offence may have been established, with all 

 sorts of aggravating circumstances, the matter is 

 usually amicably settled on payment of damages 

 on a higher or lower scale. 



Another somewhat less common practice which 

 may give cause for the separation of husband and 

 wife is the deliberate frustration by the latter of 

 approaching maternity. This may be prompted by 

 jealousy, by suspicion, in a word, of her husband's 

 infidelity ; by her condition having arisen through 

 her own secret misconduct, or, more frequently still, 

 as the result of a desire, arising out of some simple 

 tiff, to deliberately disappoint and annoy him. As 

 a rule this is brought about by drinking the juices 

 of certain astringent trees which have been pointed 

 out to me, as also, occasionally, by violent means. 

 Curiously enough the women experience scarcely 

 any ill-effects, but this is only one more proof of 



