8 BUREAU OF AMEEICAN ETHNOLOGY [bltll. 57 



ing position behind. These breechclouts were carefully embroidered 

 by the women and decorated with featherwork. A large square cape 

 hung from the shoulders, and sandals of hemp or leather completed 

 the costume. For persons of high rank the apparel was much more 

 elaborate, the humble breechclout and cape of the laboring man 

 giving place to panaches of gorgeously colored feathers hanging from 

 wooden helmets, rich mantles of tiger skins, and finely wrought orna- 

 ments of gold and jade. 



The women sometimes wore a simple petticoat, and a cloth covering 

 the breasts and passing under the arms. More often their costume 

 consisted of a single loose sacklike garment called the hvpil, which 

 reached to the feet and had slits for the arms. This garment, with 

 the addition of a cloth or scarf wrapped around the shoulders, con- 

 stituted the women's clothing a thousand years ago, just as it does 

 to-day. 



In ancient times the women were very chaste and modest. When 

 they passed men on the road they stepped to one side, turning their 

 backs and hiding then- faces. The age of marriage was about 20, 

 although children were frequently affianced when very young. When 

 bo3^s arrived at a marriageable age their fathers consulted the pro- 

 fessional matchmakers of the community, to whom arrangements for 

 marriage were ordinarily intrusted, it being considered vulgar for 

 parents or their sons to take an active part in arranging these affairs. 

 Having sought out the girl's parents, the matchmaker arranged Avith 

 them the matter of the dowTy, which the yomig man's father paid, 

 his wife at the same time giving the necessary clothing for her son 

 and prospective daughter-in-law. On the day of the wedding the 

 relatives and guests assembled at the house of the young man's 

 parents, where a great feast had been prepared. Having satisfied 

 himself that the young couple had sufficiently considered the grave 

 step they were about to take, the priest gave the bride to her hus- 

 band. The ceremony closed with a feast in which all participated. 

 Immediately after the wedding the young husband went to the home 

 of his Avife's parents, where he was obliged to work five or six years 

 for his board. If he refused to comply with this custom he was 

 driven from the house, and the marriage presumably was annulled. 

 This step seems rarely to have been necessary, however, and the 

 mother-in-law on her part saw to it that her daughter fed the 3"oung 

 husband regularly, a practice which betokened their recognition of 

 the marriage rite. 



Widowers and widows married without ceremony, it being consid- 

 ered sufficient for a widower to call on his prospective wife and eat in 

 her house. Marriage between people of the same name was con- 

 sidered an evil practice, possibly in deference to some former exogamic 

 law. It was thought improper to marry a mother-in-law or an aunt 



