infpire them with an ardent defire for military fame. If a young man were to difcover a fondnefs for women before he has been to war, he would become the contempt of the men, and the fcorn and ridicule of the women. Or were he to indulge himfelf with a captive taken in war, and much more were he to offer violence in order to gratify his luft, he would incur indelible difgrace. The feeming frigidity of the men, therefore, is the effed: of manners, and not a defed: of na- ture. Befides, a celebrated warrior is oftener courted by the females, than he has occafion to court: and this is a point of honour which the men aim at. In- ftances fimilar to that of Ruth and Boaz* are not uncommon among them. For though the women are modeft and diffi- dent, and fo baftiful that they feldom lift up their eyes, and fcarce ever look a man full in the face, yet, being brought up in great fubjedlion, cuftom and manners re- * When Boaz had eaten and drank, and his heart was merry, he went to lie down at the end of the heap of corn : and Ruth came foftly, and uncovered his feet, and laid her down. Ruth iii, 7.
[ 384 J concile them to modes of ading, which,- judged of by Europeans, would be deemed mconfiftent with the rules of female de- corum and propriety. I once faw a young widow, whofe hufband, a warrior, had died about eight days before, haftening to finifh her grief, and who by tearing her hair, beating her breaft, and drinking fpi- rits, made the tears flow in great abundance, in order that fhe might grieve much in a fhort fpace of time, and be married that evening to another young warrior.
The manner in which this was viewed by the men and women of the tribe, who flood round, filent and folemn fpeftators of the fcene, and the indiiference with which they anfwered my queftion refpefting it, convinced me that it was no unufual cuftom. I have known men advanced in years, whofe wives were old and paft child-bearing, take young wives, and have children, though the praiSice of polygamy is not common. Does this favour of fri- gidity, or want of ardour for the female?