lled "buying the
child."[191]

These cases, with the inferences they suggest, show that though
mother-descent may be strongly established in Africa, this does not
confer (except to the royal princesses) any special distinction upon
women. This is explained if we recognise that a transitional period
has been reached, when, under the pressure of social, and particularly
of military activities, the government of the tribe has passed to the
male kindred of the women. It wants but a step further for the
establishment of father-right.

There are many cases pointing to this new father-force asserting
itself and pushing aside the earlier order. Again I can give one or
two examples only. Among Wayao and Mang'anja of the Shire highlands,
south of Lake Nyassa, a man on marrying leaves his own village and
goes to live in that of his wife; but, as an alternative, he is
allowed to pay a bride-price, in which case he takes his wife away to
his home.[192] Whenever we find the payment of a bride-price, there is
sure indication of the decay of mother-right: woman has become
property. Among the Bassa Komo of Nigeria marriage is usually effected
by an exchange of sisters or other female relatives. The women are
supposed to be faithful to their husbands. If, however, as frequently
happens, there is a preliminary courtship period, during which the
marriage is considered as provisional, considerable licence is granted
to the woman. Chastity is only regarded as a virtue when the woman has
become the property of the husband. The men may marry as many wives as
they have sisters or female relatives to give in exchange. In this
tribe the women look after the children, but the boys, when four years
old, go to work and live with their fathers.[193] The husbands of the
Bambala tribe (inhabiting the Congo states between the rivers Inzia
and Kwilu) have to abstain from visiting their wives for a year after
the birth of each child, but they are allowed to return to her on the
payment to her father of two goats.[194] Among the Basanga on the
south-west of Lake Moeru the children of the wife belong to the
mother's kin, but the children of slaves are the property of the
father.[195]

It is rendered clear by such cases as these, that the rise of
father-right was dependent on property and had nothing to do with
blood relationship. The payment of a bride-price, the giving of a
sister in exchange, as also marriage with a slave, gained for the
husband the