. Women of all nations, a record of their characteristics, habits, manners, customs and influence; . garoo or someother game, the matchwas arranged, and theywould elope on the firstopportunity. In this tribe elopement was the recognised way of getting a wife. Magic and ^^^ magicians Marriage. ° made it their business to arrange mar-riages by elopement speUs,which, however, were per-formed in public, so thatthe whole camp knew ofthe coming event. While the girls parents,luUed by the incantation, lay \\Tapped insleep, the wooer crept up behind the girland touched her with a rod; if she wasready
. Women of all nations, a record of their characteristics, habits, manners, customs and influence; . garoo or someother game, the matchwas arranged, and theywould elope on the firstopportunity. In this tribe elopement was the recognised way of getting a wife. Magic and ^^^ magicians Marriage. ° made it their business to arrange mar-riages by elopement speUs,which, however, were per-formed in public, so thatthe whole camp knew ofthe coming event. While the girls parents,luUed by the incantation, lay \\Tapped insleep, the wooer crept up behind the girland touched her with a rod; if she wasready she gave it a tug; and then nothingremained but for the young couple torun off. When the father woke from his magicsleep, he too proceeded to work magic inorder to find out which direction the fugi-tives had taken, and then set out to capturethem. If the Joung couple got away andremained away for some time, perhaps tilla child was born to them, all went wellwhen they returned. But if they cameback too early, or if they allowed themselvesto be caught by a pursuing party, the sub- AUSTRALIA 139. CAMP is the duty of the women to collect wood, build huts, cook, etc. sequent proceedings went very far beyonda joke. The girl was beaten with diggingsticks by her female relatives, who hadperhaps all got their husbands in the sameway ; and her father might spear her throughone or both feet, to prevent her from runningaway again. The man had to meet bothmen and women in combat, and the lattertried to stab him in the stomach with theirdigging sticks. Last but not least thecouple did not even have the satisfactionof being able to settle down to married life ;for the whole business ofelopement had to be gonethrough a second time. Itsays much for the depth ofaboriginal devotion and thefervour of black passionthat all married couplesshould run these risks, andif necessary run them asecond time, in order toenjoy connubial bliss. In some tribes it was apoint of honour for the brideto ap
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