MANNERS Tons, the generality o f children are born females. This obfeirvationt
is really confirmed by fa & ; for all the voyagers unanimoufly agree,
that among all the African nations polygyny is cuftomary * ; nor has-
any one obferved, that there are many men among thefe nations-
without wives f , for every one is matched to one or more females.
When a polygamous nation lives in the neighbourhood o f monogamous
nations, there is always a probability, that the women necei—
fal-y for fb many men, who have more than one wife, are obtained
by Health,, by force, Or by commerce from the neighbouring
nations: but in Africa all the nations are polygamous, every man is-
married, and has more -than one wife; he cannot procure' thefe numerous
wives from the neighbouring tribes, where the fame cuftom
prevails ; it is therefore, in my . opinion, a clear and fettled point,
that the women born among thefe nations mull be more numerous
than the males.
Though.
* Qldendorp, (in his Hifioty o f the MiJJjon q f the 'Moravian Brethren in the Carihhee IJks, Sf..
Thomas, St.. Croix, and St. John, Barby, 1777 -'8vo.) fays, vol» I . p.293, “ Polygamy is
“ introduced among all the tribes of African negroes j; thofe 'of Congo only, who' are ac--
“ quainted vvith the Chriflian doftrines and are baptized, are monogamous»”; But Bord'
Kaime, in his Sketches o f thcUiJlory o f Man,, vol. I. .p,. 197, fays, “ -Among the Chriflians of
“ Congo, polygamy is" in ufe as formerly when they were pagans. To be confined to one-
41 wife during life, is held 'by the molt zealous Chrifiiaus there, to he -altogether irrational.
“ rather than be fo confined, they would renounce Chriftianity.” ’
-f- Eofman’s Defcription of the Coal! Of Guinea, p. 180 ; who likewile p, 181, exprelsly
declares, that “ the number of women, much exceeds that of the men,”
Though the -colonifts fettled at the Cape of Good Hope are
monogamous, I obferved in the various families o f the town and
country the number of females to prevail. T h e climate and food
might influence them in feme meafure ;. b u t ' the chief reafon
which may be affigned for. this appearance, is the licentious conduit
o f the young people there. Th e numerous female, ilaves imported
-from Madagafcar,- Bengal, Java, the Moluccas, and the coaft of
Papuas, give their young men many opportunities, and fo great a
facility o f forming early and .irregular connexions with thefe
lafeivious females, by which the vigour, and Hrength o f conftitution
is exhaufted in their males before marriage; that it is; no wonder
that the young women o f the colony, born under a genial fun,
never Hinted for food, nor fpent by labour, are more hale, vigorous,
and blefled with a warm conftitution;: and that they during
marriage, bring forth more females than males. I t has been
obferved that in. Sweden more females than males have been born
during the latter part o f this century. And it is reported that
in the kingdom o f Bantam * even ten women are born for one
man. I wifh therefore, that what I have here obferved, may not
be confidered as a decided fait, but rather as reafons for doubting
and continuing the enquiry with greater accuracy; as fuch a hint
I i i 2 , . . . ; may
* Lord Kaime’s Sketches of the Hiftory o f Man, vdl. i, p. 176,
MANNERS