1 180
2 MARAIAOEa
3 611 ■trengtfay and till hii beard is grown $ and the Ghi^ea bare stifi
4 later maini^;eB. In all parts of the oountiy, the age at which eveiy
5 individual marriiefly is rcigulated by his ability to puidiaae a wile^ and
6 to maintain a fimily. In general, men marry among their own triboi
7 but the Ai^iauna olten take Taujik, and enrea Fenian wives. Tliese
8 matches are not at all discre^table» hvA it is reckoned a mark of in-
9 feriority to give a daughter in mamagei and, consequently, the men'
10 of rankt and the' whole of the ]>ooraunees» refuse ihek daugjhters to
11 men of any odusr nation*
12 In towns, mm have no opportunities of seeing the women, and
13 matches are generally made from connderations of expediency.
14 When a man has thoi^^ of a particular ^r1, he sends a female rela-
15 iion^ dt neighbour, to see her, and report on her : if he is pleased, the
16 same lady sounds the girl's mother, and discovers whether her fiunily
17 are dispose<3 to consent to the rnatch : and if the result be &vourablei|
18 she msk^ an ofi't r in plain terms, nrtd settles n ilav for a public pro-
19 posal. On the appointetl day, tlie tkther of tlie suitor goes, with a
20 party of his male relations, to the girl's father : while a similar depu-
21 tation of women waits on her mother, and inalces the ofter in torm.
22 The suitor si uds u ring, a slias\ 1, or some such present to his mis-
23 tresii, and his lather begs the girl's faliK r to accept his son ior his
24 servant; the girl's father answers MolHiurik baitxhud, " May it be
25 auspicious upon this, sweatmeats arc brought in, of which both
26 parties partake, after solenuily repeating the Fauteheh, or opening
27 verse of the Korauii, and praying ibr a blessing on the couple: the
28 girl's father makes some trifling present to the lover, and trom this
29 jthne the partis are considered aa affianced. A considerable time
30 e^pses befiim the mamage is edehmted. It is employed by the re-
31 ktiona of the bride in preparing her dowry, which generally consists
32 in artidei of hoasehold iisEiiitarek eaipets^ plates, brsBen and iron
33 vessds, and personal acnameota. The biidegroem m llie mean time^
34 is collecting the price of his wifek whsdi always greatly exceeds her
35 dower, and in preparing a honaae^ and whatever -eilae Je-niiBeauai'j Ar
36 actth^ up a .Aanily. Wben the^bridegmim Sn-pa^f/.tbeBeprepaca-
37 ♦
38 i: A
39 Digitizeo by LiOOglc;