Nor did it stop there; for, after regarding him
critically from head to foot, the handsomest of the young women--one
wearing a robe, and with hair of a shade between brown and
chestnut--deliberately advanced to him, and, in a way that would have
been winning had it not been so determined, quietly put her arm round
his neck, bent forward, and kissed him on the lips.
I gave a gasp, expecting to see Leo instantly speared; and Job
ejaculated, "The hussy--well, I never!" As for Leo, he looked slightly
astonished; and then, remarking that we had clearly got into a country
where they followed the customs of the early Christians, deliberately
returned the embrace.
Again I gasped, thinking that something would happen; but, to my
surprise, though some of the young women showed traces of vexation, the
older ones and the men only smiled slightly. When we came to understand
the customs of this extraordinary people the mystery was explained. It
then appeared that, in direct opposition to the habits of almost every
other savage race in the world, women among the Amahagger are not only
upon terms of perfect equality with the men, but are not held to them by
any binding ties.
Pages:
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167