A man agrees to pay a certain price to the father of his wife, and
witnesses are called to support the proof of the contract: the girl
is sent home, and at night a feast is made by the husband for his
male friends; by the wife for her female friends.
Rape is punished by death. Adultery is not punishable by the law,
nor is it a ground for divorce. A husband may always put away his
20 wife, but if without sufficient legal ground, he must pay her
stipulated dower. Abusive language is a sufficient ground of
divorce, but adultery is not. The dower is the price originally
agreed upon with the father; and if it has been already paid (which
it seldom is), she has no further claim upon the husband, though
put away without sufficient ground. Her clothes, jewels, &c. given
to her by her relations are her own property. A father generally
gives the daughter in jewels, &c. a present double the value of
that given him by the husband. A man can have but one wife, but may
keep concubines. Seduction and adultery are not cognisable by law.
The law says, "a woman's flesh is her own, she may do with it what
she pleases." Prostitutes are common. A man may marry his niece,
but not his daughter.
The people of Timbuctoo are not circumcised.