

A WILDERNESS LABORATORY 169 



tennis shoes sticking absurdly out in front. A 

 third man carried a bundle, very small, to 

 which no one seemed to attach much impor- 

 tance, which was said to contain clothes for 

 the bride. 



After an undignified dismounting, the groom 

 squatted by a new rice-and-maize square and re- 

 moved his shoes and socks, to his own evident 

 relief and Sam's renewed excitement. Then 

 coppers passed to the priest and many symbolic 

 gifts were put in the groom's hands; some of 

 these he ate, and others he laid in the square. 

 Whenever money passed, it was hidden under 

 sweet-smelling frangipani blossoms, or temple- 

 flowers, as they are called in India. The bride's 

 mother came out and performed numerous rites 

 to and around the groom ; finally, a small person 

 in white also achieved one or two unimportant 

 things and disappeared. 



While we waited for some culminating event, 

 the groom stood up, skilfully lit a cigarette 

 through the meshes of the dangling head-dress, 

 and walked with his friends to the porch of the 

 opposite house, where he squatted on the earthen 

 floor in the semi-darkness. Then came Persai'd 

 and announced, " Marriage over; man wait until 



