TILE ABOEIGINAL TRIBES. 157 



both races deck themselves with an inordinate amount 

 of what they consider ornaments. Quantity rather than 

 quality is aimed at ; and both arms and legs are usually 

 loaded with tiers of heavy rings — in silver among the 

 more wealthy, but, rather than not at ail, then in brass, 

 iron, or coloured glass. Ear and nose rings and bulky 

 necklaces of coins or beads are also common ; and their 

 ambrosial locks are intertwined on state occasions with 

 the hair of goats and other animals. 



In marriage customs they differ from the Hindus 

 chiefly in the contract and performance both taking 

 place when the parties are of full age. Polygamy is not 

 forbidden ; but, women being costly chattels, it is rarely 

 practised. The father of the bride is always paid a 

 consideration for the loss of her services, as is usually 

 the case among poor races where the females bear a 

 large share in the burden of life. The Biblical usao-e of 

 the bridegroom, when too poor to pay this considera- 

 tion in cash, serving in the house of his future father-in- 

 law for a certain time, is universal among the tribes. 

 The youth is then called a lamjan ; and it frequently 

 happens that he gets tired of waiting, and induces his 

 fair one to make a moonlight flitting of it. The 

 morality of both sexes before marriage is open to 

 comment ; and some of the tribes adopt the precaution 

 of shutting up all the marriageable young men at nio-ht 

 in a bothy by themselves. Infidelity in the married 

 state is, however, said to be very rare ; and when it does 

 occur is one of the few occasions when the stolid 

 aborigine is roused to the extremity of passion, frequently 

 revenging himself on the guilty pair by cutting off his 

 wife's nose, and knocking out the brains of her paramour 

 with his axe. 



