RISE OF FATHERRIGHT 43 



usage. Their neighbours, the Koryak, have for the 

 most part resisted the efforts of the missionaries to 

 convert them from their ancient paganism. The 

 traditional tales current among them disclose that the 

 suitor usually serves for the bride and having married 

 her remains with her in her father's or her brother's 

 settlement, often making after some time a ceremonial 

 visit with her to his own home, and subsequently return- 

 ing. 1 Among the Chukchi it was formerly the custom 

 when persons belonging to different family groups inter- 

 married that the bridegroom entered the bride's family, 

 "leaving for ever his own kindred." Latterly this 

 has been commuted for service during a period of 

 one or two years. " A young man thus serving his 

 father-in-law as Jacob served Laban has to perform all 

 kinds of rough and hard work, and is usually tested by 

 various trials before the family of the bride allows him 

 to lead her away. Rich families having many young 

 women whom they are unwilling to give to strangers 

 generally select poor young men. These having stood 

 the test are admitted to the bride and become members 

 of the family by the performance of certain rites." 

 Such marriages however, "are not very binding. The 

 parents and brothers of the woman given away to 

 the stranger reserve the right to take her back even 

 after the lapse of years. ... In the case of accept- 

 ing a poor young man into the family there have 

 been instances where the father-in-law, becoming 



1 Jochelson, Jesup Exped. vi. passim. The Kamtchadal tales are 

 comprised in pp. 327-340. The Koryak custom as represented in 

 the tales is not invariable. Occasionally the wife is at once taken 

 away to the husband's home ; but I have stated in the text what 

 appears to be the predominant practice. 



