RoTH] MARRIAGE, POLYGAMY, DIVORCE, WORK 683 
diately (FE, 78). This is practically confirmed by Stedman: The 
ceremony consists simply of the young man offering a quantity of 
game and fish of his own catching, when, if she accepts, he next 
proposes the question, “ Will you be my wife?” If she answers in 
the affirmative the matter is settled, and the nuptials celebrated in 
a drunken feast, when a house and furniture is provided for the 
young couple (St, 1, 398). Bancroft also speaks,of a house, with 
its furniture, being provided for the newly-married couple contigu- 
ous to that of the father’s (BA, 321), though as often as not it would 
seem that the bridegroom had to build it for himself. In Cavenne, 
as soon as a girl has cast her eyes at an Indian she will offer him a 
drink and firewood to light near his hammock. If he refuses the 
offer it means that he does not want her. If he accepts, marriage is 
considered concluded. That same night the girl slings her hammock 
close to his, they sleep together, and from that time forward she is his 
wife (PBA, 220). 
888. Besides the acceptance of food there are traces of certain cus- 
toms connected with the hair as symbolic of consent or consumma- 
tion of marriage. Thus, it is said of the Carib Islanders that some, 
without saying a word, go and lie down near the girl that pleases 
them best, and the mother acquaints her daughter that it is time to 
get married, though, often, she is only 12 years of age. The next 
morning she combs her master’s hair before the others, and brings 
him cassava. Through this public act, their wedding is declared 
(PBR, 251). In Cayenne, the true Nourague . .. when they want 
to marry, and everything is agreed upon, both parties throw one of 
their hairs into the air .. . and sling their hammock under a tree, 
where they proceed to consummate the marriage (PBA, 221). 
889. When an Indian marries he takes up his quarters close to his 
father-in-law, or may occupy the same house. He becomes part 
and parcel of his wife’s family. According to the Indian rules of 
marriage, the young husband is bound to live in the same settlement 
with his wife’s parents (Da, 263). The wife’s father expects the 
bridegroom to work for him in clearing the forest and in other 
things, and the young people often remain with him until an in- 
creasing family render a separate establishment necessary (Br, 
101). This also was the rule on the islands among the Carib. 
The woman continues to live in her father’s house after the wed- 
ding and she enjoys more privileges than her husband, because 
she can speak to everybody, but he can not speak to the wife’s re- 
lations without great caution, or when he finds them in liquor. 
They always shun such meeting (PBR, 251; RO, 545). Talk- 
ing of the mainland, Brett says that the Carib woman is always 
in bondage to her male relations. To her father, brother, or hus- 
