428
m a n n e r s
R E M A R K S o n t h e
may lead to more authenticated fads, and ferve to illuftrate this
curious part o f the hiftory of mankind. In the greater part of
Europe it has been proved by the mod accurate lifts o f mortality,
that the proportion o f men to women is: nearly equal, or i f any
difference takes place the males born are more numerous, in the
proportion of 105 to 100 ; here no doubt, providence has enforced
the neceflity o f monogamy:, how far the argument holds in hot
countries, in Afia and Africa, is ftill uncertain. Perhaps the
vicious habit o f polygamy, has in a long fucceflion o f time
inverted or viciated the general rule o f nature, by the gradual
enervation and encreafing weaknefs o f males. Thus we find
polygyny in one part of the globe, monogamy in another, and we
have reafon to fulpedt that polyandry is actually eftablilhed at Eaftet-
• Ifland. In remote ages the Median women are laid to have had
feveral hulbands at a time', and thofe were thought ill provided,
who were wedded to no more than five. * N a y , among the
antient Britons ten or a dozen men kept but one woman, -j- The
women o f quality on the coaft o f Malabar are allowed to marry as
many men as they pleafe. J And lately it has been confirmed
that in the kingdom o f Tibet, feveral men, efpecially i f they
happen
* Strabo Geogr. lib. xi. p. m. 362.
f Csefar de bello Gallico, lib. v.
X Dellon’s. Voyage, part i. ehap. xxxii.
H U M A N S P E C I E S . 429
happen to be brethren or relations, join together in maintaining m a n n e r s
one woman, and they ufed to excufe themfelves that they had not
women enough. Strange and unnatural as this cuftom may appear,
it is however, not lets true, and owes its origin undoubtedly to
peculiar caufes. In the vicinity of China, Bukaria, and India,
where mén are ufed to marry more than one wife, women muft
naturally grow fcarce, being taken by main force or addrefs, or by
commerce : it is no wonder therefore that feveral men are obliged
to maintain but one wife. Eafter-ifland, when it was difcoyered in
1722, . by Roggewein contained many thoufands o f inhabitants.*
Th e Spaniards found in 1770 about 3000 people on it, j - and
we in 1774, fcarcely 900. J This gradual diminution of
inhabitants is a Angular appearance,- but what is ftill more
remarkable, is, that among thefe 900 there were but about 50
women in a l l : fo that the number of men to that o f women was. as
17 to
* Mr. Dalrynrple’s Collection of Voyages, vol. ii. p. 91, and 11*2.
f See Mr. Dalrymple’s Letter to Dr. Hawkefworth, London, 4t” 1773, page 34.-
+ Captain Cook’s Voyage towards the South Pole, and round the World, vol. 1, p. 289,
It is faid, “ The inhabitants of this ifland do hot feem to exceed fix Or feven hundred
“ fouls, and above two thirds of thofe we faw, were males,” The difproportion between
men and women is undoubtedly greater. Capt, Cook was fickly, and did not join the
expedition over the ifland, being too weak. I am certain their houfes contained no
women concealed : and am equally fure that all the women I faw, did not exceed fifty;
nor is it probable that they had reflrained their females from appearing during our flay,
as they were by no means of a jealous difpofition.
'll