CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CALMUCKS. 423 



invited into the tent of his betrothed, where is exposed her entire dow- 

 ry, which they shortly send to his khoton. Sometimes the entrance is 

 guarded by the companions of the betrothed, armed with sticks, so 

 that the youth often has great difficulty in gaining an entrance. In 

 order to avoid the blows which threaten him, he offers sweetmeats to 

 the guard. When this guard is satisfied, the young man carries away 

 his betrothed, places her behind him upon his saddle, and repairs to 

 the khoton of his parents. 



Here there has been early prepared a tent to receive the newly-mar- 

 ried people, and it is before this that the following marriage ceremony 

 is performed : Before the entrance they spread a carpet, and upon this 

 is put a quilt of white felt. Behind the carpet is found the table with 

 the idols, before which is placed, in an offering-dish, a shoulder of mut- 

 ton, as an emblem of riches. The affianced, surrounded with ac- 

 quaintances and relatives, place themselves before the sacred table ; the 

 priest recites many prayers, after which he seats himself upon the car- 

 pet, takes the fold which veils the face of the girl, envelops in it the 

 shoulder of mutton, and presents it to her. The young man takes it 

 in his left hand and his betrothed in the right. Then the priest, after 

 having pronounced many more prayers, raises the two affianced up, 

 and recommends them to bow three times to the earth. They execute 

 these motions without relinquishing the shoulder of mutton, which they 

 continue to hold in their hands, and, in making each reverence, they 

 pronounce the following words : 



" I incline myself this first time to adore my Lord God, who is my 

 father and my mother. 



" I incline myself this second time to adore my Sun, which is the 

 light of my beloved day ; and my Moon, which is the light of my be- 

 loved night. 



" We swear to love one another, to respect one another mutually, 

 and to partake in common of all the trials and all the joys of our life." 



After which, the priest having taken an idol from the table and 

 touched the heads of the couple, the principal and essential portion of 

 the ceremony is finished. 



The rest is accomplished in the interior of the tent. Having en- 

 tered, the affianced incline themselves three times before the idols, and 

 seat themselves in their places, the youth on the bolster of the bed, 

 and his affianced at the other end. After which, all the acquaintances 

 enter and occupy their places. The priest takes the shoulder of mut- 

 ton, cuts the flesh in pieces, and distributes them to the betrothed and 

 their parents : the viand is consumed instantly ; and the bone is pre- 

 served as a sacred thing, as a pledge of the future happiness of the 

 new family. 



Having accomplished all this, the priest retires, and the party de- 

 vote themselves to the rejoicings they have been so long expecting, 

 which are prolonged two or three days. Among these entertainments 



