370 TRAVELS IN 
her, which he had gained at play : but he had 
not enough, and requeued me to advance him, 
in part of his wages, a Kttle hard-ware, that he 
might have it in his power to conclude his 
bargain. 
A gift of fuch confequence implied fomc 
great fervice received. Before, I affented to his 
requeft, I would know what had given rife to 
it ; and I found that the cow was not a prefent, 
but an article of barter. My Hottentot was in 
love with the daughter of the Nimiqua ; and, 
to obtain her, he had offered him a cow, which 
the Nimrqua had confented to accept. 
In this manner are marriages made In all 
the African nations ; and fuch was originally 
the cuftom throughout the world, before 
the imagination of poets, and the policy of 
civilized focieties, had fubftituted in the ftead 
of love a reprefentatlve, who, under the name 
of Hymen, claiming alone the right of uniting 
the fexes, contributes but too often to difturb 
and depravetheir union. Among favages there 
is no contrad, no witnefs, no ceremony. A 
man and woman pleafe each other ; they live 
together; and this conftitutes them hufband and 
wife. If the woman have parents, flie is con- 
sidered 
