22 THE WOODLANDS ORCHIDS 



leave it to the women, and clear another for themselves. But 

 when a youth has a mind to marry, in the first place he builds 

 a hut in the forest. Then he awaits the train of wonien 

 returning, steps gently among them, and takes the maiden 

 of his fancy by the hand. She throws him off at once if 

 disinclined, and there is an end of it ; otherwise she suffers 

 him to lead her a step before freeing herself. Day after day 

 in that case the invitation is repeated, and the maiden takes 

 two steps, then three, until at length she quits the procession 

 entirely and surrenders. There is no ceremony of marriage, 

 but, so far as Roezl could gather, the bond is absolutely 

 sacred ; in fact, if we think of it, those conditions of life 

 forbid intrigue. It should be added that the other women 

 and girls studiously ignore these proceedings, and that till 

 the last moment a damsel may change her mind, repulsing 

 the lover favoured hitherto. 



A bride remains in the woodland hut for several weeks, 

 not a soul visiting her except the husband. Meantime he 

 builds a ' town house ' for himself, and the mother or female 

 relatives build one opposite for his wife. In fixing the stone 

 between them there is a ceremony, as Roezl gathered, but the 

 nature of it he was unable to understand. Though the pair 

 never meet again in pubhc as long as they live, they spend 

 as much time as they please together in the forest. And 

 really, after due consideration, I cannot but think that the 

 system shows remarkable sagacity. Truth compels me to 

 add, however, that Roezl suspected infanticide. We may 

 hope he was mistaken. Why should a people living as do 

 these restrict the number of their children .? The battle for 

 existence is not desperate with them apparently, since they 

 till the soil, and their territory, in effect, is boundless. No 

 Indian race of South America feels the pride of caste ; if 

 these do, they are a notable exception in that as in other 

 respects. Girls receive no dower ; the expense of marriage, 



