Narrative of the surveying voyages of his majesty's ships Adventure and Beagle (vol.2): between the years 1826 and 1836 : describing their examination of the southern shores of South America, and the Beagles's circumnavigation of the globe

MARRIAGES 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," says Falkner; " 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