A MpHAMMEDAK MARRIAGK 



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surrounded by candlea arranged at different heiglits 

 on rude triangular frames. He was dressed in a 

 Malay suit of liglit red, and wore a gilded chain. I 

 had been told that, when he should attempt to enter 

 the room where the bride sat waiting, the womea 

 would gather and persistently dispute his right to 

 proceed, and here, in the distant Eiist, I thought to 

 myself, I shall see an illustration of the maxim, 

 " None but the brave deserv e the fair." On the con- 

 trary, so far from manifesting any disposition to op- 

 pose him and prolong the ceremony, they only made 

 way for him to enter the bridal-chamber as quickly 

 as possible. As my Mend and I were the only white 

 persons present, we were allowed the especial favor 

 of entering also. On one side of the room was a 

 small table covered with a red cloth, and on this were 

 two gigantic red wax-candles. Behind the table sat 

 the bride, arrayed in a scai'let di^ess, with a white 

 opaque veil concealing her face, and fastened to her 

 hair. As the bridegroom approached, she slowly rose- 

 Placing his hands with the palms together, he bowed 

 three times in the same manner as the Chinese ad- 

 dress the imf^es in their templea She returned the 

 salutation by also bowing three times, but without 

 raising her hands, Now came the exciting moment. 

 She remained standing while he stepped forward and 

 commenced pulling out the pins that held fast the 

 opaque veil which hid her beauty from Ms longing 

 eyes, Not being very skilful in this operation, a 

 couple of the maids-in-waitlng assisted him, and, by 

 degrees, was revealed a ftice that was at least one 

 shade daiker than most of the ladies near her, and I 



