1835.] of the Piney Mountains, Madura District. 665 



both parties. The Puryum, or marriage gift, to the relations of the 

 bride, is a pair of oxen; to the west only one bullock, and sometimes 

 a cloth, as a present to the mother of the bride. Incontinency is 

 however very predominant, and separation between man and wife, not 

 unfrequent, subject often to caprice. If a man feels an inclination to 

 alienate himself from his wife, he has only to make his intention 

 known to her parents, who receive her back with an offer of a pair of 

 oxen. To the west she is turned over, simply with a Vatti, or 

 metal dish, in use, to eat victuals out of. In case a woman is dis- 

 pleased with her husband, and absolutely wishes to part from him, 

 she is at liberty, only she must leave all her golden trinkets, if she 

 has any, to her husband ; those of silver she takes, being considered 

 as her own property. To the west, however, the wife is only per- 

 mitted to take back such articles as she may have possessed before 

 marriage, and if she has any children, they are left behind as the sole 

 property of her husband. Should such separation take place, when 

 the woman is in a state of pregnancy, (and in the interim, be 

 married to another man,) the child then born must revert to the 

 legitimate father. The care and expense of weaning it, to the east, 

 is recompensed by a donation of 30 fanams ; towards the west, it is 

 delivered to the father, on his demand, and no recompense made : 

 the children of such a connection are allowed to grow up, and then 

 as if by instinct return to their real father, who is bound to receive 

 and protect them. A woman may marry as often as she chooses, but 

 can have only one lawful husband at a time, though she may bestow 

 her favors on another, provided he be of the same caste : any sexual 

 connection with a man of another tribe would tend ultimately to ex- 

 pel her from the caste. A man may marry, if his circumstances will 

 admit, as many wives as he pleases ; for concubinage is not permitted : 

 and to a man of some opulence, two or three women are necessary in 

 his domestic affairs; they are also very useful in the fields, as the toil- 

 some labour of weeding and watering devolves chiefly on them. 

 Among the western Kunnuvers, a circumstance rather singular is 

 supposed to prevail, in case of an estate devolving on a female, which 

 is likely to occur from the default of male issue ; she is prohibited 

 marriage, but undergoes the ceremony of being betrothed to some 

 part of the dwelling ; she is however allowed to have an intercourse 

 with the opposite sex, and to the offspring of such a connection, if a 

 male, the estate devolves. The women of the eastern parts are very 

 uncouth, and wear brass and metal necklaces, with a profusion of 

 bangles on their arms and legs, and bore the membrane between the 

 nostrils ; the latter is also peculiar to the women of the west, who are 



