WOMEN IN THE EAST.

Dunstan Times, Issue 979, 21 January 1881, Page 3

WOMEN IN THE EAST.

The Mahomedans nearly all believe that woman has no soul. This is not taught in the Koraiij but is couiiteneueed by the fact that in tho great prophet's paradise honria are given to the faithful instead of their earthly wives. The Chinese make slaves of the women in this world, and deny them any hope of compensation hereafter. In Western Australia female children am A ways betrothed a fow days after their birth, and sbriuld the first husband die before the girl .attains her maturity; she belongs to his heir. In New Zealand if a girl’s fuTire husband dies, no other man can make a proposal to her. Among the Hindoos widows may not marry again. In China the parents bargain for the marriage of their children while they are yet unborn. The New Hollanders steal their wives, and if a woman attempts to escape from her captor, he at dice tlinists a sp&ir through the fleshy part of her leg or thbdi. Or all methods of obtaining a wife, that’of purchase is the most universal. It is practised by the African, by the black and brown races of the Indian Archipelago, by nearly all the nations of Asia. The Circassian women prefer being sent to Constantinople to be Sold. In Siam arid Cochin China mfe'n invariably purchase their wives, but tho wonferi have one privilege—the parents cannot sell them without their will. In China, however, women arO sold without being consulted on the subject, ami have to obey every one in the family of her purchaser, without exception—the husband's control over her being unlimited. In Japan presents are made to the bride, who transfers them to her relatives, to' defray the expense and trouble they incurred in bringing her up from infancy.