38 Geological and Statistical Account of Rambree. [Jan. 



the hands of the bride and bridegroom are laid upon each other, (the 

 hand of the bridegroom uppermost) and washed by the same person 

 who had sprinkled the water and flowers over the parties. The father 

 of the bridegroom then takes a ring from off his son's hand, and 

 places it upon the third finger of the bride's left hand. The marriage 

 * ceremony being now completed, a nantoh and entertainment is held at 

 the bride's house. The bridegroom retires with the bride, and remains 

 seven days in her parent's house, preparatory to his taking her to his 

 own home. This will be found to be the general practice of the peo- 

 ple on the occasion of their nuptials, but it is not uncommon for a man 

 to take to himself a wife without going through any part whatever of 

 the ceremony above described, nor is there any discredit attached to the 

 parties so united. The woman is viewed in the light of a wife, and 

 ti'eated, in every respect, in the same manner as if she had been united 

 to the man in the manner I have detailed. A prostitute was a being 

 unknown to the Mughs before the country had fallen into the hands of 

 the British. Among the blessings attending the change of rule and 

 marking the progress of civilization in Arracan, is the introduction of 

 a gradual increase of that unhappy class of people, and with it the 

 miseries that are consequent to an unrestrained and promiscuous inter- 

 course. To the honour of the Mugh women I must declare, that in- 

 stances of prostitution on their part are still of rare occurrence ; the 

 reputation for this vice is still more generally attached to their more 

 civilized neighbours the Bengalees. 



So much liberty being allowed to the sexes in early youth, it may be 

 supposed that an unlicensed intercourse will, in many instances, be 

 found to exist between them previous to their union. It would be 

 unreasonable to affirm that a passion which is so often known to break 

 through the bounds imposed by religion and morality upon a people 

 who claim for themselves a superior degree of civilization, should not 

 in this country be known to exist in an equally unbridled state, and pro- 

 duce the evils consequent to an unrestrained intercourse and the shame 

 of an avowal. Instances of abortion or bastardy are not, however, of 

 frequent occurrence, the good sense of the parents, to whom the 

 attachment in its several stages is generally known, preventing by a 

 timely union of the parties, the evil which must originate from an 

 intercourse unsanctioned by custom and authority. 



When it is considered how easily a divorce is obtained, and how 

 seldom sought for, we may naturally conclude that marriage is conducive 

 to the happiness of the people. Separation may be effected (privately) 

 by a deed drawn out by husband and wife, and witnessed by two or 

 more respectable neighbours ; or both parties may appear before the 



