SOCIAL STATE OF THE ARABS. 363 



The marriage-ceremony in general is very simple. 

 Negotiations commence with the father of the 

 maiden, who usually consults the wishes of his 

 daughter, and if her consent is gained the match 

 takes place. The marriage-day being appointed 

 perhaps five or six days after, the bridegroom comes 

 with a lamb in his arms to the tent of his betrothed, 

 and there cuts the animal's throat before witnesses, 

 and as soon as the blood falls upon the ground the 

 ceremony is regarded as completed. It is accom- 

 panied with feasting and singing ; all the guests 

 present must eat bread and meat; for this is a cir- 

 cumstance absolutely necessary on such occasions. 

 The form of betrothing differs in different tribes ; 

 sometimes the friend of the lover, holding the girl's 

 father by the hand, merely says before witnesses, 

 " You declare that you give your daughter as wife 

 to " Among the Bedouins of Sinai the fa- 

 ther of the bride gives to the suitor a twig of a tree 

 or shrub, or something green, which he sticks in his 

 turban and wears for three days, to show that he 

 has taken a virgin in matrimony. The betrothed is 

 seldom made acquainted with the change that is to 

 take place in her condition. On returning home 

 in the evening with the cattle, she is met at a short 

 distance from the camp by her future spouse and a 

 couple of his young friends, who carry her by force 

 to her father's tent. If she entertains any suspicion 

 of their designs she defends herself with stones, and 

 often inflicts wounds on the assailants though she 

 has no dislike to the lover; for the more she struggles, 

 bites, kicks, cries, and strikes, the more she is ap- 

 plauded ever after by her own companions. Some- 

 times she escapes to the neighbouring mountains, 

 and several days elapse before the bridegroom can 



