178 The “ Kols” of Chota-Nagpore. 
plain rice cooked by others, provided they are left to salt it themselves. 
The salt, it would appear, thus applied, removes the ‘‘ Taboo,” and 
makes fas what is otherwise nefas. 
As a rule, marriages are not contracted till both the bride and 
bridegroom are of mature age. It is sometimes left to the parents 
to select wives for their sons, but the young people have ample 
opportunities for studying each others characters, love-making and 
following the bent of their own inclinations; and it very often happens, 
that plans concocted by the parents are frustrated by the children. 
In Chota-Nagpore, amongst the agricultural classes, and in Sing- 
bhoom amongst all classes of Kols, the girls have all a price fixed upon 
them, and this the lover or his friends must arrange to pay, before the 
parents of the bride will give their consent. In Singbhoom, the price 
is so high, especially for young ladies of good family, that marriage is 
frequently put off till late in life; and girls valued not so much for 
their charms and accomplishments as for their pedigree, often grow 
grey as maidens in the house of their fathers. Singbhoom is perhaps 
the only place in India in which old maids are found; they have 
plenty of them there. But though urged to change this practice by 
all who take an interest in them, the old Mankees of Singbhoom are 
inflexible, not only in demanding a high price for their girls, but 
in insisting that it shall be paid, according to ancient custom, chiefly 
in cattle. A Mankee of the old school will not take less than 
forty head of cattle for his daughter; but the eyes of the rising 
generation are opened to the absurdity of the practice, and some of us 
may live to see it changed. 
In consequence of this custom, the grown up boys and girls are 
quite a separate institution in every Kol village ; there is very little 
restraint on their intercourse, they form a very pleasant society of 
their own, from which the old people sensibly keep aloof. If a 
flirtation is known to have gone too far, the matter is generally settled 
by the young man being made to pay the price for the girl and 
marry her. 
In Chota-Nagpore the daughter of a Mankee was, some years ago, 
valued at about 36 Rs, but they are gradually adopting the custom 
of the Hindoos in regard to their marriages, and giving up the 
objectionable practice of putting a price on them. The price paid by 
