WOMEN IN EARLY CIVILIZATION 4 1 3
many children, or whatever goods, he might have in the house, he might at any time be ordered to pick up his blanket and budge.
Among the Nootkas, "wives are consulted in matters of trade, and in fact seem to be nearly on terms of equality with their husbands, except that they are excluded from some public feasts and ceremonies." The Thlinkets and Kamchadales held their women in much respect. Concerning the Chukchi, Nordenskjold states :
The power of the woman appears to be very great. In making the more important bargains, even about weapons and hunting implements, she is, as a rule, consulted, and her advice is taken. A number of things which form women's tools she can barter away on her own responsibility, or in any other way employ as she pleases.
Passing to other quarters of the world : Among the Kandhs, one of the uncivilized tribes of India, women
are uniformly treated with respect; the mothers of families, generally with much honor. Nothing is done either in public or in private affairs without consulting them, and they generally exert a powerful influence upon the councils of their tribes.
They have extraordinary matrimonial privileges. Constancy to her husband is not at all required in a wife, whereas infidelity on the part of a married man is held to be highly dishonorable, and is often punished by deprivation of many social privileges. And a wife may quit her husband at any time, except within a year of her marriage, or when she expects offspring, or within a year after the birth of a child, though, when she quits him, he has a right to reclaim immediately from her father the whole sum paid for her. Of the Todas, another people in India, Mr. Marshall states that their women
hold a position in the family quite unlike what is ordinarily witnessed among oriental nations. They are treated with respect and are permitted a remark- able amount of freedom.
The same is said of many of the aboriginal tribes of India. The Bheel husband has always had the credit of allowing his wife to domineer over him.
A Kol or Ho makes a regular companion of his wife. She is consulted in all difficulties, and receives the fullest consideration due to her sex.
