FL661449

nor to delay the time of becoming the wife
of him who is destined for her. No regard
is paid to any affections or attachments on her part.
[words crossed out] In most cases the young woman obtains
an elderly man and it may be he's one or two
rivals to contend with. Should her parents
as their natural guardians die [word crossed out] before
she is of an age to marry, it may happen that
her intended husband puts her under
the guardianship of the wife, or one of the wives
he possesses. These early betrothals are
made sometimes for a consideration or by
intrigue, it may be threats, [word crossed out] also at
a later age similar schemes are had re-
course to. To these come in addition as great
auxilliary certain claims depending
on a [words crossed out] ficticious
relationship of which I shall speak after-
wards. I must tell you at the same time (a [indecipherable] who may
not be aware of it) that it is not an infrequent
occurrence for a number of men, especially
young men, to suprise the camp of a
distant, perhaps unfriendly tribe and carry
away a number of[word crossed out] young women, no
matter whether married or unmarried, [words crossed out] & to
[crossed out: appropriate them to themselves] divide
their spoil when returned in safety to them