1892.] S. E. Peal — Communal Barracks of Primitive liaces. 



2G9 



The fact that these baiTacks are found over such an immense area 

 among such distinct races, and with such marked geographical vari- 

 ations, ohviously due to the surroundings, indicates an extreme anti- 

 quity, preceding the differentiation of physique and even language, 

 and beirg essentially of a communal nature they seem relics of a social 

 stage preceding monogamy, and to demonstrate more or less clearly 

 that marriage arose by capture. The extreme, and indeed absolute 

 freedom between the sexes before marriage, culminating in many races, 

 in sexual orgies, and the absence of the ideas of modesty and chastity, 

 amply demonstrate that it could not have been the dread of incest 

 which drove them into exogamy. There appears to be absolutely no 

 evidence that a peaceful stage of monogamy preceded the communal 

 barrack system, certainly no evidence of peaceful endogamy, or "mar- 

 riage " within the horde or clan. Such evidence as we have is distinctly 

 in favor of " marriage by capture," having arisen during a stage of 

 communism, the relics of which we see surviving in these singular 

 communal barracks. That they are doomed, and ere long will become 

 extinct, is not at all doubtful to those who have watched them in 

 some cases for 20 years. The trader and the missionary are rapidly 

 changing the old order of things, and, even without their aid, there ap- 

 pears to be some evidence that among many of these races, the im- 

 portance of the family is in the ascendant. It is most desirable therefore 

 that these social relics should be studied systematically at an early 

 date, the information gained would be of much value to anthropologists, 

 and not entirely useless perhaps to those interested in such questions 

 as infant marriage, and the age of consent. 





A 









B 





Co. 





-{Ml 





wy 



-M 





Mr 





■€3 



-a 



-a 



Co 





- 









-a 





rzh 





Co 





- 



-a 





v~y 















I s 











{wy 



i r 



DcaiczTUf l ~ 

 P7< =[ 



35 



