Conditions in Asia and Africa

‘Whoever wished for a wife must pay the parents for her, or perform a stipulated period of service; sometimes the parties were solemnly betrothed in childhood, and the price of the bride stipulated.’

‘Anyone who wanted a wife had to pay her parents for her or serve them for an agreed period. Sometimes the couple were formally promised to each other in childhood, and the bride’s price was agreed upon.’

‘In every district, three men, respectable for their virtue, were chosen to conduct all the marriageable girls to the public assembly. Here they were put up at auction by the public crier, while the magistrate presided over the sales. The most beautiful were sold first, and the rich contended eagerly for a choice. The most ugly, or deformed girl was sold next in succession to the handsomest, and assigned to any person who would take her with the least sum of money. The price given for the beautiful was divided into dowries for the homely.’

‘In every district, three men respected for their virtue were chosen to bring all the girls old enough to marry to a public gathering. There, a public crier put the girls up for auction, while the magistrate oversaw the sales. The most beautiful girls were sold first, and the rich competed eagerly to choose among them. The ugliest or deformed girl was sold next, after the most beautiful. She was given to whoever would take her for the smallest sum of money. The money paid for the beautiful girls was divided into dowries for the plain ones.’

‘In no part of the world does the condition of women appear more dreary than in Hindostan. The arbitrary power of a father disposes of them in childhood. When they are married, their husbands have despotic control over them; if unable to support them, they can lend or sell them to a neighbor, and in the Hindoo rage for gambling, wives and children are frequently staked and lost. If they survive their husbands, they must pay implicit obedience to the oldest son; if they have no sons, the nearest male relation holds them in subjection; and if there happen to be no kinsmen, they must be dependent on the chief of the tribe.’

‘Nowhere in the world does the condition of women seem more dreary than in Hindostan. A father has absolute power to decide whom his daughters marry while they are still children. Once they are married, their husbands have absolute control over them. If husbands cannot support their wives, they can lend or sell them to a neighbor. In the Hindoo passion for gambling, wives and children are frequently wagered and lost. If women outlive their husbands, they must obey their oldest son without question. If they have no sons, their nearest male relative rules over them. If they have no relatives, they must depend on the chief of the tribe.’

‘India has been a great marriage market, on account of the emigration of young enterprising Englishmen, without a corresponding number of women. Some persons actually imported women to the British settlements, in order to sell them to rich Europeans, or nabobs, who would give a good price for them. How the importers acquired a right thus to dispose of them is not mentioned; it is probable that the women themselves, from extreme poverty, or some other cause, consented to become articles of speculation, upon consideration of receiving a certain remuneration. In September, 1818, the following advertisement appeared in the Calcutta Advertiser:

‘India has been a great marriage market because many enterprising young Englishmen emigrated there, but far fewer women did. Some people actually brought women to the British settlements to sell them to rich Europeans, or nabobs, who would pay well for them. The account does not say how the importers acquired the right to dispose of the women this way. The women probably agreed to be bought and sold in exchange for payment, because of extreme poverty or some other cause. In September, 1818, the following advertisement appeared in the Calcutta Advertiser:

FEMALES RAFFLED FOR.

WOMEN RAFFLED OFF.

Be it known, that six fair pretty young ladies, with two sweet engaging children, lately imported from Europe, having the roses of health blooming on their cheeks, and joy sparkling in their eyes, possessing amiable tempers and highly accomplished, whom the most indifferent cannot behold without rapture, are to be raffled for next door to the British gallery.’

Be advised that six fair, pretty young ladies and two sweet, charming children have recently been brought from Europe. Their cheeks glow with health, and their eyes sparkle with joy. They have pleasant dispositions and are highly accomplished. Even the most indifferent person cannot look at them without delight. They are to be raffled off next door to the British gallery.’

‘The occupations of the ancient Jewish women were laborious. They spent their time in spinning and weaving cloth for garments, and for the covering of the tents, in cooking the food, tending the flocks, grinding the corn, and drawing water from the wells.’

‘Ancient Jewish women had demanding jobs. They spun and wove cloth for clothing and tent coverings. They cooked food, tended flocks, ground grain, and drew water from wells.’

‘Andromache, though a princess and well beloved by her husband, fed and took care of the horses of Hector.’

‘Although Andromache was a princess and her husband loved her dearly, she fed and cared for Hector’s horses.’

‘The Hindoo women are engaged in every variety of occupation, according to the caste of their husbands. They cultivate the land, make baskets and mats, bring water in jars, carry manure and various other articles to market in baskets on their heads, cook food, tend children, weave cloth, reel thread and wind cocoons.’

‘Hindoo women do many kinds of work, depending on their husbands’ caste. They farm the land, make baskets and mats, and bring water in jars. They carry manure and other goods to market in baskets on their heads. They cook, care for children, weave cloth, reel thread, and wind cocoons.’

‘The Thibetian women of the laboring classes are inured to a great deal of toil. They plant, weed, reap, and thresh grain, and are exposed to the roughest weather, while their indolent husbands are perhaps living at their ease.’

‘Thibetian women of the working class are used to hard labor. They plant, weed, harvest, and thresh grain. They work in the harshest weather, while their lazy husbands may be living in comfort.’

‘Females of the lower classes among the Chinese endure as much labor and fatigue as the men. A wife sometimes drags the plough in rice fields with an infant tied upon her back, while her husband performs the less arduous task of holding the plough.’

‘Women of the lower classes among the Chinese work as hard and grow as tired as the men. A wife sometimes pulls the plough in rice fields with a baby tied to her back. Meanwhile, her husband does the less demanding work of holding the plough.’

‘The Tartar women in general perform a greater share of labor than the men; for it is a prevalent opinion that they were sent into the world for no other purpose, but to be useful and convenient SLAVES to the stronger sex.’ ‘Among some of the Tartar tribes of the present day, females manage a horse, hurl a javelin, hunt wild animals, and fight an enemy as well as the men.’

‘Tartar women generally do more work than men. For many believe that women were sent into the world only to be useful and convenient SLAVES to men.’ ‘Among some present-day Tartar tribes, women ride horses, throw javelins, hunt wild animals, and fight enemies as well as men do.’

‘In the island of Sumatra, the women do all the work, while their husbands lounge in idleness, playing on the flute, with wreaths of globe amaranth on their heads, or racing with each other, without saddle or stirrup, or hunting deer, or gambling away their wives, their children, or themselves. The Battas consider their wives and children as slaves, and sell them whenever they choose.’

‘On the island of Sumatra, women do all the work while their husbands lounge around, doing nothing. The husbands play the flute with wreaths of globe amaranth on their heads. Or they race each other without saddles or stirrups, hunt deer, or gamble away their wives, children, or themselves. The Battas regard their wives and children as slaves and sell them whenever they choose.’

‘The Moors are indolent to excess. They lie whole days upon their mats, sleeping and smoking, while the women and slaves perform all the labor. Owing to their uncleanly habits, they are much infested with vermin; and as they consider it beneath their dignity to remove this annoyance, the task is imposed on the women. They are very impatient and tyrannical, and for the slightest offence beat their wives most cruelly.’

‘The Moors are extremely lazy. They spend whole days lying on their mats, sleeping and smoking, while the women and slaves do all the work. Because of their unclean habits, they are heavily infested with vermin. They think it beneath their dignity to remove the vermin, so the women are made to do it. They are very impatient and tyrannical, and they beat their wives cruelly for the slightest offense.’