Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 2.djvu/550

 462 NOETH-WEST AFEICA. or law of the " Mother's Son," the eldest son of the eldest daughter is always privileged in the transmission of property. At the death of a family chief, whether noble, raarabut, tributary, or serf, his effects are divided into two parts, the " property of justice," acquired by labour, and the " property of injustice," obtained by armed force. The former is equally distributed amongst all the children without distinction of age or sex ; the latter reverts entirely to the eldest son of the eldest daughter. By this ingenious arrangement the power of the great feudal families is safeguarded. When a conquered territory has to be distributed amongst the tribes, it is assigned to the " dowager ladies " of the nobility. Such is the traditional law, which appears to have been followed by all the Sanheja communities in North Africa before the Mohammedan conquest, and which has also been preserved by several other Berber peoples, as well as by the Tuaregs. Amongst the Imohaghs the child always follows in the maternal line, their traditional law being inspired by the sentiment embodied in the familiar saying, *■ It is a wise child that knows its owTi father." The son of an enslaved father and mother of noble rank is noble; the son of a noble father and female slave is a slave. In other respects in the ordinary social relations, the woman is man's equal, and in many cases his superior. She disposes of her own hand, the parents intervening only to prevent misalliances. She administers her personal fortune without being called upon to contribute to the household expenses, hence is generally more wealthy than her husband ; she brings up and controls the children ; in all festive gatherings the place of honour is ceded to her, and at table for her are reserved the choice pieces. But custom forbids her to take tea or coffee, delicacies set apart for the men. She is often admitted to the discussions of the tribal council, and at times even exercises the functions of sheikh, in this position enjoying double honours as chief and wife. In spite of the Koran, the Tuareg women have set their faces against polygamy, and no instance has been recorded of a noble or warrior who has ventured to take a second wife. Divorce is permitted, but the new bride will never cross the husband's threshold until the fate of the repudiated wife has been formally dis- posed of. Premature marriages, such as prevail amongst the Arabs, are unknown, and when the Targui woman takes to herself a husband, ustlally at about the age of twenty, she fully knows her own mind and knows how to make her rights be respected. Like her husband, she may mount the mehari and journey across the desert to visit kindred and friends, without being called upon to account for her movements to anyone. But she rarely abuses this absolute freedom of action ; for according to Duveyrier's expression, the Targui woman, " very tenacious of her rights, is equally mindful of her duties." Nevertheless, infanticide, consequent upon illicit intercourse, would appear to be by no means an unknown crime in the neighbourhood of Bhat. Nor are the Tuareg ladies at all prohibited by custom from having, Hke the chatelaines of mediaeval times, devoted admirers of the opposite sex, in whose honour they embroider veils or compose ditties. At the entertainments they give of an evening, singing and accompanying themselves on