142 SPORT, TRAVEL, AND ADVENTURE 



tion before the prospective bridegroom can recover his 

 property. It is even said that a man will barter away 

 his unborn child on the understanding that if it should 

 prove to be a boy the payments made shall be returned. 

 Among the Gan' and Teso people there is but little 

 ceremony to celebrate a heathen wedding, but the Ban- 

 yoro made much of the occasion even before they 

 learned Christian usage. The bridegroom (wrapped 

 in a new barkcloth, his head freshly shaved) sits in his 

 house, which has been swept and spread with fresh 

 grass. The friends whom he has invited to the wedding 

 go meanwhile to the home of the bride as if to make 

 an informal call, and are entertained with beer and 

 coffee -berries. After a time the bride's girl friends 

 take down from the roof of the house all the things 

 which have been given to her to take to her new home 

 her barkcloths, knife, and any other little personal 

 article she may have. The young men next prefer the 

 request to the father that they may be allowed to take 

 the girl away, and he accordingly hands her over to 

 their care. The bride is carried on the backs of these 

 ' best men ' to her new home, where she is met by the 

 lady guests and received into the house. All this time 

 she must remain with her face bent down, and it is 

 correct to look as miserable as possible. Her wedding 

 breakfast consists of button mushrooms and other deli- 

 cacies, after partaking of which she retires to the back 

 part of the house, in company with an aunt ; it is most 

 important that she should retire before a hyena or jackal 

 is heard to howl. The bride having departed, refresh- 

 ments are served to the other guests, and beer-drinking 

 and smoking are continued till morning dawns. When 

 it is full daylight a meal is served and the father's 



