No. 36.— 1888.] MAKKIAGE CUSTOMS OF THE MOORS. 229 



from wearing any gold, even a ring on the finger. Thus 

 attired gloriously, the bridegroom sits smiling and receiv- 

 ing presents and congratulations from his friends, till the 

 time for departure arrives. 



At the proper juncture the priest pronounces a fdtihah, to 

 which all present respond by the usual "amen " ; and a start is 

 made with a flourish of tom-toms, cymbals, and flutes, under 

 a brilliant display of fireworks, blue lights, and pendant lamps. 

 He sits in an open carriage if the bride's house is distant, 

 otherwise he goes on foot attended by two boys dressed up 

 for the occasion, one on either side with fans in their hands ; 

 and an immense concourse of relatives, friends, and of the 

 " hoi polloi " to the number of several hundreds, the cynosure 

 of all eyes. On the way, if the procession passes the 

 residence of particular friends, the bridegroom receives 

 many an ovation, and much sprinkling of rose-water. On 

 approaching the bride's house a halt is made at some 

 distance, the remainder of the road being covered with 

 pdvddai, or white cloth, for the party to walk on. Nume- 

 rous allathes greet him every few yards. The allatlie 

 consists of three plates : one containing saffron water, one 

 cocoanut milk, one betel and small copper coins, carried by 

 three men having at their head a relative of the bride, who 

 advances with the rose-water sprinkler. Having sprinkled 

 the bridegroom and his immediate attendants, by whom 

 the compliment is forthwith returned, the two first-men- 

 tioned plates are waived round the bridegroom's head three 

 times in succession ; he spits into the plates at the end of 

 each performance, when the betel and coppers are thrown 

 high over his head, producing a scramble among the poor. 

 This ceremony is repeated at intervals frequent in propor- 

 tion to the number of male friends of the bride's family, 

 the last, and not the least, being the bride's father or brother, 

 the head of the family, as the case may be. Arrived at the 

 house, and before entering it, a boy, generally a brother of the 

 bride, washes the feet of the bridegroom with rose-water, for 

 which he is rewarded with a ring. He then leads the 



