RISE OF FATHERRIGHT 55 



poor to pay a bride-price. A bride-price is indeed 

 actually paid, but it is of a nominal amount. It avails 

 only for the right of cohabitation, and does not transfer 

 the custody of the bride's person, or the potestas ; still 

 less does it change the descent from the maternal to 

 the paternal line as does the jujur. The personal 

 position of the husband, however, is, while the 

 marriage lasts, better than that of one who, married by 

 jujitr, is unable to pay the whole and who therefore 

 becomes an enslaved debtor in his father-in-law's 

 house. Moreover, by custom he can insist on release 

 if he can pay up the jujur and adat ; and in Passummah 

 if the father-in-law dismissed him he could turn the 

 tables upon him by paying a hundred dollars, thus 

 redeeming his wife and family, converting the ambel- 

 anak into a kulo marriage and returning to his former 

 tungguan (settlement or family), a man of more conse- 

 quence in society. 



The Achehnese at the north-western end of the 

 island have accepted Islam ; but many of the earlier 

 customs persist and maintain a by no means unequal 

 conflict with Mohammedan polity. Among these 

 are their marriage customs. After the negotiations 

 are completed, the consent of the head-man of the 

 kampong alike of the bride and of the bridegroom 

 must be obtained. A formal betrothal follows as a 

 preliminary to the long and tedious ceremonies of 

 marriage. When these are at an end the bridegroom 

 commences to visit the bride. He sleeps with her 

 for seven nights under the surveillance of an old 

 woman, and is not allowed to exercise his conjugal 

 rights. The following day he returns home, the 

 feast being now finished. On the ninth day he 



