Ch.VI. south AMERICA. 41^ 



After a young man has a(ked the objec^l of his 

 afFedion^of her father, and obtained his confent, they 

 immediately begin to live together as man and wife, 

 and aflift the father-in-law in cultivating his chacara. 

 At the end of three or four months, and often of a 

 year, he leaves his bride, without ceremony, and per- 

 haps for the wild reafon above-mentioned : and 

 even expoftulates with the father-in-law, that he fiiould 

 endeavour to deceive him, by impofing upon him 

 his daughter, whom nobody elfe had thought worthy 

 of making his bedfellow. But if nothing of this 

 happens, after pafilng three or four months in this 

 commerce, which they call Amanarfe, i. e. to habi- 

 tuate one's felf, they then marry : and this cuftom is 

 ftill very common, having hitherto proved too ftrong 

 for the joint endeavours of the whole body of the 

 clergy to extirpate. Accordingly the firft queftion 

 at the ceremony of marriage is, whether they are 

 amannadoSy in order to abfolve them of that fm be- 

 fore they receive the nuptial benedi6lion. They look 

 upon no marriage to be legal which is not folemn, 

 and according to them the whole confifts in the nuptial? 

 benediction, which mud be given them at the time they 

 join their hands, as otherwife, on any caprice, they^ 

 Separate : and it is to no purpofe to go about to per- 

 fiiade them that they were married ; rtor will any 

 punifliment have the lead efFe6b. For as it does not 

 irmply any infamy, the intention is loft. It is the 

 feme thing with them to be expofed to the public 

 derifion and infults, as to be ordered to Ihew their Ikili 

 i-n dancing on a feftival \ the thing which, of all others,,' 

 they moft delight in. They are indeed fenfible of 

 corporal punifhments during the time they are inflidt- 

 ing, but immediately afterwards are as placid and eafy 

 as if they had not been touched. This occafions 

 many things to be connived at in them, and other 

 means of prevention ufedy 



It ' 



