276 A NATUBALIST IN CELEBES ch. xi 



At the appointed time the members of the young man's 

 family repair to the house of the bride, bringing with them 

 the harta, and after that comes the bridegroom himself. 

 They mount the steps of the house and take their places 

 at a long table in the principal room, the bride and bride- 

 groom sitting side by side at one end of it. At first every- 

 thing is very stiff and formal. Food is served, but not a 

 word is spoken by the young couple ; not a muscle of their 

 faces moves, not even a stray glance passes from one to 

 the other. 



Then comes the priest, who takes a piece of betel-nut 

 and solemnly chews it for some time with the sirih and 

 lime ; this he removes from his own mouth and puts it 

 into the bridegroom's mouth, who continues the process for 

 some time and passes it on to the bride. 



When this is done the walian gives the bride and bride- 

 groom rice and pork to eat and sagoweer wine to drink, and 

 the official part of the ceremony is concluded. At this 

 moment the couple retire to the nuptial chamber, while the 

 guests amuse themselves by feasting, drinking, and singing, 

 and the priest implores the empungs to pour blessings on 

 the happy pair. 



When the wedding-breakfast is over, the bride and bride- 

 groom, together with all the guests, repair to the house or 

 village of the bridegroom, and the night is spent in merry- 

 making. The following morning the marriage fosso com- 

 mences, and lasts in some cases for many days, the dura- 

 tion of the fosso depending to a great extent upon the 

 resources of the host. In the course of the fosso the fol- 

 lowing ceremony is usually performed. The priest takes 

 the young couple to the boundary of the district, and sticks 

 a piece of bamboo in the ground, saying, ' Here is a mouse.' 

 Then they arrange themselves around the bamboo, and the 

 priest says, ' Your riches shall be as innumerable even as 



