496 SEMINOLE INDIANS OF FLORIDA. 
COURTSHIP. 
T learned the following facts concerning the formation of a family: 
A young warrior, at the age of twenty or less, sees an Indian maiden 
of about sixteen years, and by a natural impulse desires to make her 
his wife. What follows? He calls his immediate relatives to a coun- 
cil and tells them of his wish. If the damsel is not a member of the 
lover’s own gens and if no other impediment stands in the way of the 
proposed alliance, they select, from their own number, some who, at an 
appropriate time, go to the maiden’s kindred and tell them that they 
desire the maid to receive their kinsman as her husband. The girl’s rel- 
atives then consider the question. If they decide in favor of the union, 
they interrogate the prospective bride as to her disposition towards the 
young man. If she also is willing, news of the double consent is con- 
veyed through the relatives, on both sides, to the prospective husband. 
From that moment there is a gentle excitement in both households. 
The female relatives of the young man take to the house of the be- 
trothed’s motier a blanket or a large piece of cotton cloth and a bed 
canopy —in other words, the furnishing of anew bed. Thereupon there 
is returned thence to the young man a wedding costume, consisting of 
a newly made shirt. 
MARRIAGE. 
Arrangements for the marriage being thus completed, the marriage 
takes place by the very informal ceremony of the going of the bride- 
eroom, at sunset of an appointed day, to the home of his mother-in-law, 
where he is received by his bride. From that time he is her husband. 
The next day, husband and wife appear together in the camp, and are 
thenceforth recognized as a wedded pair. After the marriage, through 
what is the equivalent of the white man’s honeymoon, and often fora 
much longer period, the new couple remain at the home of the mother- 
in-law. Itis the man and not the woman among these Indians who 
leaves father and mother and cleaves unto the mate. After a time, 
especially as the family increases, the wedded pair build one or more 
houses for independent housekeeping, either at the camp of the wife’s 
mother or elsewhere, excepting among the husband’s relatives. 
DIVORCE. 
The home may continue until death breaks it up. Sometimes, how- 
ever, if occurs that most hopeful matrimonial beginnings, among the 
Florida Seminole, as elsewhere, end in disappointment and ruin. How 
divorce is accomplished I could not learn. I pressed the question upon 
Ko nip-ha-teo, but his answer was, ‘‘ Me don’t know; Indian no tell me 
much.” All the light I obtained upon the subject comes from Billy’s 
first reply, ‘‘ He left her.” In fact, desertion seems to be the only cer- 
emony accompanying adivorece. The husband, no longer satisfied with 
his wife, leaves her; she returns to her family, and the matter is ended. 
OO —— ed 
