IN TIMOR. 457 



to missing some of the most characteristic and interesting of 

 the laws and customs of a people, and how only hy a lucky 

 chance or mischance in the most unexpected way he may light 

 on fundamental facts of their history. 



I was fortunate enough to gain also much information about 

 the curious connubial relations prevailing in this part of the 

 island, which recall the husband-clans and wife-clans existing 

 among some of the Australian tribes. 



To the west of Bibijupu lies the neighbouring kingdom of 

 Manufahi, and to the south-west that of Alias. The men of 

 Manufahi cannot purchase wives from Bibifupu, but the men 

 of Bibipufu can obtain wives by barter from Manufahi. The 

 women of Bibipupu can obtain husbands from Manufahi, if 

 these men come and live during the lifetime of their wives 

 in the kingdom of their wives. No ^wrc/iase-money may be 

 paid, and none may be accepted for them. The son of the 

 Rajah of Manufahi may marry the daughter of the Rajah of 

 Bibifupu, but he cannot on any condition obtain her by pur- 

 chase, nor may she settle in Manufahi ; he must remain in 

 Bibifupu during her lifetime. 



Saluki and Bidauk are two districts of the kingdom of 

 Bibipufu. A man of Saluki may marry a woman of Bidauk, 

 and take her back with him to Saluki ; but he must purchase 

 her, and it is not in his option to remain in Bidauk with his 

 wife's relatives instead of paying for her. On the other hand, 

 the men of Bidauk can marry with the women of Saluki ; but 

 the man must go to Saluki and live in the house of the woman, 

 and he has not the option of paying for her at all. The 

 children of the union belong to her, and on her death inherit 

 all her property, while the husband returns to his own king- 

 dom, leaving the children behind him, except in the case of 

 their being more than two, v/hen he is entitled to claim at 

 least one. This is possibly the remnants of matriarchal 

 descent. These restrictions, however, do not hold with a 

 man of Saluki if, for instance, he select a wife from a king- 

 dom which is not related in this curious way to his own 

 kingdom ; also, as far as I am able to learn, Manufahi men 

 may take wives from Alias — or Alias men from Manufahi — 

 on paying the ordinary price demanded in these kingdoms for 

 a wife, without incurring any restriction as to residence. The 



