MARRIAGE CUSTOMS 65 



choom, and with a short stick taps him, and then the 

 mother of the maiden, on the shoulder. He then 

 demands the girl in marriage, and offers the father and 

 mother a glass of vodka, which he has brought with him. 

 As a token of his goodwill the father drinks the vodka ; 

 he tells the young man he has no objection, but that he 

 must ask the girl's consent. The preliminary ceremony 

 of asking papa having been gone through, the young 

 man retires. A few days later he comes again to the 

 choom ; this time accompanied by what servants he has, 

 and provided with plenty of vodka. His retinue remain 

 outside, while he enters the choom, and seats himself by 

 the side of his lady-love. The father hands the young 

 man a glass of vodka ; he drinks half, and hands the 

 half-full glass under his left arm to the girl, who finishes 

 it. The father then gives his daughter a glass of vodka, 

 who in like manner drinks half of it, and presents the 

 remainder with her left hand under her right arm to her 

 lover, who drains the glass. After this the father hands 

 a piece of raw flesh to the young man, who eats it, and 

 then takes a piece from the floor, eats half, and presents 

 the other half under his left arm to the girl to finish. 

 She. in her turn, takes a piece of raw flesh from the 

 floor, eats half, and likewise hands the other half under 

 her right arm to the young man to finish. Then follows 

 the eating and drinking that in barbarous, as in civilised 

 nations, is considered necessary to ratify the ceremony. 

 Before night an old man, called a shaman, a kind of 

 magician or medicine-man, carrying a drum, visits the 

 choom ; of him the bridegroom asks certain questions 

 concerning his bride. If the old man knows nothing 

 against her he begins to play upon his drum, and the 

 marriage is completed. If, however, the magician speaks 

 evil of the girl, the young man has the option of leaving 



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