MAKRIAGES SLAVES. 



153 



made, in proportion to the supposed value of the damsel, and 

 the property of her purchaser. If a girl dislikes a match made 

 for her, she resists, and although dragged forcibly to the hut of 

 her lawful owner, plagues him so much by her contumacy, 

 that he at last turns her away, or sells her to the person on 

 whom she has fixed her affections ; but he seldom beats her, or 

 treats her ill. Perhaps she does not wait to be so disposed of, 

 but elopes and takes her choice of a protector ; who, if more 

 powerful than the husband, obliges him to submit to the double 

 loss, unless a cacique, or a powerful friend of the losing party, 

 forces the gallant to restore her, or compromise the matter, 

 and these affairs are in general easy to settle. It has been 

 already mentioned that each man who possesses any property 

 has usually more than one wife ; and that some few men, who 

 have forty or fifty horses, and other riches in proportion, 

 maintain four or five wives. 



" Women who have accepted their husbands with good-will 

 are in general very faithful and laborious," saysFalkner; 

 " their lives are but one continued scene of labour ; for, besides 

 nursing and bringing up children, they are obliged to do much 

 drudgery.*" Except hunting, providing food, and fighting, all 

 work is done by the women. Indeed they sometimes aid in 

 battle. Some families have slaves who do household work ; 

 but if they should have no slaves, not even the wives of a 

 cacique are exempt from every-day labour. 



Men do not marry before they are about twenty years of 

 age. Girls are married earlier: from fourteen or fifteen they 

 are considered to be marketable commodities. Falkner says, 

 " When once the parties are agreed, and have children, they 

 seldom forsake each other, even in extreme old age. The hus- 

 band protects his wife from all injuries, and always takes her 

 part, even if she is in the wrong, which occasions frequent 

 quarrels and bloodshed ; but this partiality does not prevent 

 him from reprimanding her, in private, for engaging him in 

 these disputes. 



" He very seldom beats her ; if she is found unfaithful he 

 lays blame on the gallant, and, if able, punishes him severely ; 



