62 
MISSIQNAEy LIFE 
CHAPTER XXII. 
MATRIMONY, ABUSE OF WOMEN. 
I ix)w come to speak of a subject which, though 
not pleasant, goes far to show the deep degrada- 
tion of that people. I mean their customs ^regu- 
lating the marriage relation, and the conduct of 
the men toward the women. 
Every man almost has hi^ wife, or wives, and 
ordinarily each has as many as he can aftbrd to 
buy. Wives are bought there as animals are in 
this country. Usually they are not consulted in 
the choice of their husbands at all, but are com- 
pelled to be the partners of whoever happens to 
furnish their parents the amount of goods asked 
for them. 
Wives are often not allowed to eat with their 
husbands, nor walk by their sides, but must walk 
behind them to show that they are in subjection. 
They are also often severely flogged by them, for, 
in their own language, they no be good wife till 
she get one flog.’^ I often saw the cruel welts of 
