Page:The Aborigines of Victoria and Riverina.djvu/27

22 and bride. The bridegroom and father, or guardian, as the case may be, of the intended bride, come to a proper understanding, and the latter simply desires the mooroongoor to pick up her belongings, and take herself off to the loondthal of her future lord and master. Should she demur, as is not infrequent, the coercion of a waddy is resorted to, and it seldom fails to have the desired effect. There are not any ceremonies connected with this tin; it is merely a matter of mating, still it is binding enough, at least, so far as the woman is concerned. The man at any time, however, can cut the knot, and send the woman back to her people, by whom she is received readily enough, and there is not any trouble or bother about it. There may perhaps be a slight coolness displayed by the father or other guardian of the girl, towards her sometime husband for a few days, but further than this there is no dispute or quarrel on the subject of the slight. The fact that their language is altogether guiltless of a synonym for that noun, may account for their calmness under the circumstances. The girl, of course, is again ready to be disposed of to the first eligible aspirant who may offer, even although her first matrimonial venture had resulted in the production of an infant. Her new lord has to take the encumbrance, which he does, and feels proud, too, of what will in the future be deemed his putative paternity. Polygamy is allowed to any extent, and the rule is generally taken advantage of by those who chance to be rich in sisters, or female wards, to give in exchange for wives. No man can get a wife unless he be the possessor of a sister or ward, whom he can give in exchange. Fathers of grown-up sons frequently