548 



it is most considerable among the Caribbees* 

 and all the nations that have preserved the cus- 

 tom of carrying off young girls from the neigh- 

 bouring tribes. How shall we speak of domestic 

 happiness in so unequal an association ? The 

 women live in a sort of slavery, as they do in 

 most nations in a state of barbarism. The hus- 

 bands being in the full enjoyment of absolute 

 power, no complaint is heard in their presence. 

 An apparent tranquillity prevails in the house ; 

 the women are eager to anticipate the wishes of 

 an imperious and sullen master ; and they take 

 care indistinctly of their own children and those 

 of their rivals. The missionaries assert, what 

 may easily be believed, that this domestic peace, 

 the effect of common fear, is singularly disturb- 

 ed when the husband is long absent. The 

 wife who contracted the first ties then applies 

 to the others the names of concubines and ser- 

 vants. The quarrels continue till the return of 

 the master, who knows how to calm their pas- 

 sions by the sound of his voice, by a mere 

 gesticulation, or, if he think it necessary, by 

 means a little more violent. A certain inequa- 

 lity in the rights of the women is sanctioned by 

 the language of the Tamanacs. The husband 

 calls the second and third wife the companions 

 of the first ; and the first treats these compa- 

 nions as rivals and enemies (ipucjatoje), which 



