of Edinhurgh, Session 1883 -84 323 
period (two years?) elapses between each new marriage. Each wife 
has a separate hut, and the husband passes a definite number of days 
with each in rotation. This is regulated as circumstances may re- 
quire, but each wife expects her full allowance. When this is 
granted, as it usually is, the wives live on good terms with one 
another. 
Should a woman who has a child be divorced, if the divorce has 
been for her adultery, after the child is weaned it belongs to the 
husband ; but if she should be divorced from, any other cause, she 
keeps the child. In either case, the father and mother can visit the 
child, or it may go on a visit for a few weeks to either parent. 
Women who have been divorced may, but seldom do, marry again; 
should they do so, they are to be had cheap, and the children, if there 
be any, from the previous marriage remain with the grandfather. 
The Madi women generally make very good wives, and married 
life is apparently a smooth one. Prostitution in a general sense is 
unknown. Before marriage the girls are very carefully looked after, 
but as marriage usually takes place very early, there is not mucli 
cause for them to go wrong. This also applies to the men. 
Reproduction and Birth, ^c . — Early marriages appear to be the 
rule, and, as before mentioned, polygamy obtains only to a limited 
extent. It is very difficult to give facts as regards the number of 
children born, &c., but a few notes may be of interest. 
Four children would seem to be a fair average family. Few die 
directly after birth. Twins occur at times, and are considered very 
lucky both to the parents and to the village at which they are born. 
Many congratulations are offered, but no special ceremonies take 
place at their birth. I could not hear of a single case of triplets, 
but one woman was said to have had four children at a birth. 
Girls and boys are equally valued, but a boy is generally preferred 
as the first child. 
As a rule, labours are very easy. As soon as a woman thinks that 
she is near her time of delivery, she abstains from meat, but eats a 
good deal of vegetable food. She gets a neighbour to help to clear 
out her hut, sends her children, should she have any, to friends, and 
when labour commences, she walks round her hut, while her friends 
place a deep layer of dry sand at a short distance from the door. 
Sometimes two good-sized stakes are driven into the ground, about 
